Chicken Broccoli Casserole

If you’re looking for a chicken broccoli casserole that isn’t a can of cream-of-something, this is sautéed broccoli, onion, and mushrooms, shredded cooked chicken, bone broth, coconut milk or cream, and two eggs — 350°F until set. 4 cups broccoli, barely steamed in the skillet so it isn’t mush after 40 minutes in the oven. Dairy-free if you use coconut milk; heavy cream if you don’t want coconut. Don’t dump a box of stuffing mix on top and still call it this recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️

• No condensed soup.
• Eggs bind the broth and milk so it slices.
• Uses leftover chicken or a rotisserie.
• Coconut milk or heavy cream — pick one.
• Broccoli stays in pieces if you don’t boil it first.

Recipe at a Glance

Prep: 20 minutes  ·  Cook: 35–40 minutes  ·  Total: about 1 hour  ·  Servings: 4  ·  Difficulty: easy  ·  Method: skillet + oven 350°F

Ingredients 🛒

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
• 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (about 1 pound cooked)
• 1 cup bone broth or chicken broth
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream
• 2 large eggs
• Salt and black pepper
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg, optional

Barely steam the broccoli in a separate pot or steamer until just cooked, then leave it uncovered so it doesn’t keep steaming itself to mush. Don’t boil it. Don’t skip this and throw raw florets in the custard.

3 cups cooked chicken. That’s leftover or rotisserie, not three raw breasts in the casserole. Raw chicken in this mix won’t cook evenly with the eggs. If you only have raw, cook it first to 165°F, then shred.

Full-fat coconut milk from a can, shaken. Light coconut milk is watery. Heavy cream is the dairy version — don’t mix both unless you like a puddle.

Bone broth vs boxed broth is flavor. Either works. Very salty broth plus no tasting = a sodium bomb.

If you wanted a creamy ranch chicken skillet, that’s creamy ranch chicken — different sauce, different pan. Don’t add a ranch packet here to merge them.

Equipment

A skillet. A 2-quart baking dish or 8×8, greased. 350°F. A 9×13 with this amount is a thin sheet that dries out — double it or use a smaller dish.

How to Make It 👩‍🍳

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil.

Steam the broccoli until just barely cooked. Set it aside uncovered.

Remaining coconut oil in a saucepan, medium. Onion with salt and pepper until browned. Mushrooms until cooked. Off the heat.

Broccoli, mushroom-onion mix, and shredded chicken in the casserole, spread even.

Whisk broth, coconut milk or cream, eggs, nutmeg if using, a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Pour over so everything is coated.

Bake 35–40 minutes until the center is set, not sloshing. Rest 5–10 minutes. If the top browns too fast, foil last 10 minutes.

Why the Technique Works

Eggs plus liquid is a savory custard. Without eggs, broth and coconut milk sit in the bottom as soup. That’s why two eggs are in a “casserole” that isn’t flour-thickened.

Vegetables get a head start because 40 minutes at 350°F isn’t enough to cook raw onion and mushrooms through a dairy bath without leaving the broccoli gray if you boiled it first. Skillet first is the compromise.

Shredded cooked chicken is already 165°F. You’re reheating it inside the bake. That’s why you don’t start with raw cubes here.

Coconut milk can taste like coconut. Heavy cream doesn’t. Pick the one you’ll eat. Nutmeg is a small lift, not pumpkin pie.

Cooking Tips

Dry the broccoli if you washed it. Extra water is a thinner set.

Don’t skip draining if the mushrooms give off a cup of liquid in the skillet — pour some off.

Variations and Substitutions

No mushrooms: more broccoli or skip. Don’t replace with a can of soup.

Cheddar on top: that’s extra dairy. Fine if you’re not staying dairy-free.

Cauliflower: same volume, same barely-cooked rule.

Turkey: leftover, shredded, same amount.

Serving Suggestions

As a main. Rice or potatoes if you want a starch — that’s your plate, not a second casserole method.

Storage, Freezing & Reheating

Fridge 3–4 days. Reheat 325°F covered so it doesn’t dry.

Freeze up to 2 months. Coconut milk and cream both can separate a little. Stir after reheating. Thaw in the fridge.

Don’t leave it on the counter because “casserole keeps.” Eggs and chicken don’t.

Troubleshooting

Watery: light coconut milk, wet broccoli, or underbaked. Bake until the center doesn’t jiggle like liquid. Rest.

Dry: overbaked, or a huge pan with a thin layer. Smaller dish.

Coconut-forward: you used coconut milk. Use cream next time.

Mushy broccoli: you boiled it or left it covered after steaming. Barely steam, then uncover.

Eggy: two eggs in this volume is mild. If you added four, that’s a frittata.

FAQ

Can I use frozen broccoli?

Thaw and dry it. Frozen wet florets flood the dish.

Raw chicken in the bake?

Not this method. Cook to 165°F, shred, then bake.

Is it paleo?

Coconut oil, coconut milk, no flour — closer. Broth and seasoning labels still count. Don’t take a blog badge as a medical diet.

Can I skip the eggs?

It won’t set the same. You’d need another thickener. That’s a different casserole.

Bone broth or regular?

Either. Taste for salt.

Nutrition, Allergens & Dietary Notes

Approx, per 1 of 4 servings (coconut milk version):

• Calories: 380–450
• Protein: 35–40 g
• Carbs: 10–14 g
• Fat: 22–28 g

Contains: chicken, egg, coconut (if using coconut milk/oil). Heavy cream version has dairy. Broth may have gluten. No condensed soup, no pasta. Don’t call it broccoli cheddar soup in a dish. That’s a different recipe on this site.

Final Thoughts

Skillet the veg, cooked chicken, broth plus cream plus two eggs, 350°F until set. If you open a can of cream-of-chicken, you’re making a different dinner.