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The Veggie Loaded Rotisserie Chicken Casserole is exactly what your dinner menu rotation needs! Family friendly, low-carb, and seriously packed with vegetables. It’s super easy to modify and makes the best leftovers!
One of my very first casserole-making related discoveries: using greek yogurt instead of cream. Greek yogurt – so versatile, so yummy, so creamy – and not heavy cream.
I normally use Fage Total All Natural Greek Yogurt, or the Trader Joe’s brand if I’m already there. I’ve graduated to the level of always having some in my fridge. We use it that often.
This greek yogurt substitution has been around the internet for a while now. And, based on my own experience, I approve. It’s an easy way to avoid heavy cream when you just don’t need it.
Recipe Overview
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
Method: Stovetop & Baked
Prep: Freezer Friendly
Watch how to Make Veggie Loaded Rotisserie Chicken Casserole (2 min):
What are the ingredients in this Veggie Loaded Rotisserie Chicken Casserole?
There are tons of veggies in this casserole, and as the recipe name says, a whole rotisserie chicken. Pick one up during your weekly grocery haul and use it for this recipe!
The rest of the ingredients are pretty standard, including things like cheese and Greek yogurt. Here’s what I used in this recipe:
- heads of broccoli & cauliflower – So when I say veggie loaded, I mean veggie loaded! This recipe uses a whole head each of broccoli and cauliflower. You can also use Steam Fresh bags or pre-cut florets from the store.
- olive oil – For sauteing the veggies and adding some flavor!
- onion & baby spinach leaves – More veggies! These veggies add more flavor and veggie bulk to the recipe.
- garlic – I love garlic and I put it in everything.
- eggs – Eggs are the binder for this recipe, they help things stick to other things once cooked.
- greek yogurt & milk – This makes the casserole creamy. The casserole does not taste like Greek yogurt. Don’t skip!
- sharp cheddar cheese – Cheese cheese cheese! Use your favorites or stick with a ton of cheddar. Cheese is what makes this recipe delicious!!
- rotisserie chicken – We want all the meat pulled from one chicken which is usually around 3-4 cups of meat.
- red chili pepper flakes – For some spice!
- dried basil & parsley – Adds more flavor to the chicken and the veggies, and you don’t have to get fresh herbs ๐
- salt & pepper – Add to taste, I prefer to use fresh ground black pepper and fine sea salt for this recipe.
- parmesan crisps – Adding crispy cheese to the top of this casserole is the best way to finish it off. Parm crisps are recommended here (use store bought or make your own – see notes).
Can I substitute frozen vegetables for the fresh vegetables?
Absolutely! Readers have reported success using frozen pre-cut broccoli and cauliflower instead of fresh heads of each.
Steam according to the package directions, then continue following the rest of the casserole recipe! Be sure to drain all the excess water off and let them cool for a while to reduce extra moisture in the casserole.
This method should save you a bit of time, and I definitely agree it’s a great shortcut for this recipe. However, when I make the casserole, I do follow original directions. Normally, I prefer to use fresh produce because there’s less packaging waste involved.
I’m also sure you could also use frozen spinach if needed, but I would stick with fresh onion.
I don’t like Greek yogurt. Can I leave it out?
Please do not leave out the Greek yogurt!
This recipe does not taste like Greek yogurt in any way. The yogurt is a requirement to help bring some creaminess to the casserole, instead of using something else like heavy cream or sour cream.
But I promise, the taste is completely covered up by all the spices, veggies and chicken.
However, if you don’t have any Greek yogurt and NEED a substitute, I suppose you could use sour cream.
Reader Love
Wow!!! This is delicious! I was a little skeptical because I’m not a big yogurt fan, but it just tastes like cheesy veggie goodness. Since I live alone, I divided this into 6 separate little baking tins. I ate one and frozen the rest. Easy future dinners!
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Can I add or substitute different vegetables?
Definitely. I would always encourage you to play around with my recipes, but especially this one. Just make sure all of your vegetables are cooked before going into the casserole.
Readers have suggested the following vegetable substitutions/additions with success:
- Butternut squash instead of cauliflower (from comments): “I have done a couple deviations of it that all came out great. For example, I substituted the cauliflower with butternut squash and it was awesome!”
- Added zucchini (from comments): “We loved this casserole added some zucchini and rice.”
- Added carrots (from Pinterest): “You can use a steam fresh bag of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots, and you can use a defrosted brick of frozen spinach to save time too.”
- Cabbage instead of spinach (from Pinterest): “Tasted great!! Used cabbage instead of spinach, cream instead of yogurt and whole milk instead of reduced. Very good.”
Reader Love
Delicious! I added mushrooms to the veggies and some Dijon to the sauce and used the crispy onions on top and it was amazing! Thank you ! Will definitely go into our dinner rotation
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I don’t have parmesan crisps – what else can I put on top of the casserole?
When I wrote this recipe, I recommended my favorite brand of parmesan crisps, but I now understand they are not available everywhere.
Here are some perfectly good options to get that crunch on top of the Veggie Loaded Rotisserie Chicken Casserole, even if you can’t find parmesan crisps at the store.
- Ritz crackers: If you aren’t trying to keep this casserole low carb or gluten free, tons of people say it’s amazing with Ritz crackers crushed up and sprinkled on top. Honestly I kind of want to try it.
- Crunchy fried onions: This is new to me, but people are putting crispy crunchy fried onions on top, sort of like a green bean casserole. I’ve never tried it personally, but I just love how innovative people on Pinterest are.
- Seasoned breadcrumbs: I’m sure this would be delicious, maybe with some butter in the breadcrumbs so you get a nice crunch.
- Or your final option…
You can also make your own parmesan crisps at home!
Some readers have reported making their own crispy parmesan chips at home, simply by baking little piles of parmesan cheese. It’s BRILLIANT.
For more detailed directions, visit this post on How to Make Baked Parmesan Crisps!
Reader Love
Wow! I never comment on recipes but this was delicious ๐ I served it over a bed of quinoa and felt like it was a healthy, filling and yummy meal. I cooked my own chicken in the crock pot, shredded it and proceeded with the recipe. I loved it’
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How to store in the fridge:
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to freeze:
Freeze cooked casserole in an airtight freezer safe container, or use my favorite 2-Cup Souper Cubes Trays (affiliate link!) to freeze individual portions. Best enjoyed within 3-4 months. Texture of the veggies may change slightly after thawing but it is perfectly safe to eat.
How to reheat:
Thaw for 24 hours prior to reheating in the oven at 350 for 25-35 minutes depending on thickness.
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Veggie Loaded Rotisserie Chicken Casserole
The Veggie Loaded Rotisserie Chicken Casserole is exactly what your dinner menu rotation needs! Family friendly, low-carb, and seriously packed with vegetables, plus super easy to modify and makes the best leftovers!
Ingredients
- 1 head of broccoli, stems removed, cut into bite-sized pieces or florets (see note)
- 1 head of cauliflower, stems removed, cut into bite-sized pieces or florets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium white onion, diced
- 2 heaping cups of baby spinach leaves
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, whole fat or 2%
- 1/4 cup milk, 2%
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, separated
- 3–4 cups cooked rotisserie chicken (all the meat pulled from one chicken)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2/3 cup baked parmesan crisps, crushed (store-bought or make your own – see notes)
Instructions
- Steam broccoli & cauliflower: Begin by steaming your broccoliย (1 head, cut into florets) and cauliflowerย (1 head, cut into florets) together in a deep pan (I used a Dutch Oven). Place all florets in about 1 inch of water and add a pinch of salt. Cover and set to medium heat. Steam until all florets are just tender, about 15-18 minutes. When the broccoli and cauliflower are nearly done, preheat the oven to 375F. Remove broccoli and cauliflower from heat and strain to remove all liquid from the pan. Set the veggies aside to cool.
- Saute onions & spinach: Return the same pan to medium heat and add olive oil (1 tablespoon). When the oil is hot, add onionย (1/2 medium, diced) and cook for 2 minutes. Add spinachย (2 heaping cups) and garlic (2-3 cloves, minced). Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until spinach is wilted and onions are beginning to turn translucent. Remove from heat and let it cool.
- Mix everything together: In a large mixing bowl, add eggs (2, whisked), greek yogurt (1 cup), and milk (1/4 cup). Stir until completely mixed. Add rotisserie chicken (3-4 cups), 1 cup cheese (save remaining),ย parsley (1 teaspoon), basil (1/2 teaspoon),ย red chili pepper flakes (1/4 teaspoon), black pepper (1 teaspoon), and salt (1 teaspoon). Give it a stir, then add all cooked vegetables and stir until everything is completely mixed together. Add to 9×13 greased baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- Add cheese & bake: Spread remaining cheeseย (1/2 cup) on top. Sprinkle parmesan crispsย (2/3 cup, crushed)ย on top of cheese. Place in the oven for 35 minutes. Casserole is done when the top is golden brown. I like to broil for 3 extra minutes to give the top a little extra crisp.
Notes
Parmesan crisps: Readers have suggested making your own parmesan crisps at home: On a baking tray lined with parchment paper, make little piles of shredded parmesan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 5-8 minutes, or until crispy. Crunch them up and sprinkle them on your casserole! More detailed recipe instructions here.
Broccoli & cauliflower: You can use steamable freezer bags of cut broccoli and cauliflower if desired. One 16-ounce bag each of broccoli and cauliflower (two 16-ounce bags total) should be equal to one head of broccoli and one head of cauliflower.
Inspired byย Chicken Cauliflower Casserole by 12 Tomatoes. Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal.ย Update: Video added on 5/26/17 & content updated on 6/5/18.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/6 of casserole
- Calories: 335
- Fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 11.8g
- Protein: 32.5g
Amy says
Thank you for this casserole recipe and for the updates. It is always good to go back and add ideas to something that we made a while back. The Greek yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream. I found you in the Everything Foodies pinterest group and look forward to checking out more of your recipes.
Danielle says
Hi Amy! Thank you so much for this comment! I did just redo the main body of this post very recently to hopefully answer people’s questions about this casserole before they even have to ask them. Hope you like it! So glad you found me, I’ll check out your site as well ๐
Tammie says
I had high hopes for this recipe–so many great ingredients! However, mine turned out completely dry. If you are expecting a creamy sauce to hold it together, you may be disappointed. The flavor was good, but it was as if I put the chicken and veggies on a plate separately. It had NO sauciness to it and I even added a bit more milk because I was concerned when I mixed it up. I should have put an additional cup or more! I will try to salvage the leftovers with a white sauce added.
Danielle says
Hi Tammie – So sorry this did not turn out for you! At least the taste was good and hopefully you can salvage with some of your favorite white sauce. If you do make it again with additional Greek yogurt mixture, please let me know how it works. I’m honestly surprised to have not heard this kind of feedback before now – it does lack sauciness compared to the some of my favorite creamy casseroles out there but I think that helps keep the calories down a bit.
Thank you for your comment! It helps other readers know if this kind of casserole is for them or not.
Megan says
My dad introduced me to this recipe but he added one chopped red pepper and 1/2 cup each of sliced black and green olives which kicked it up a notch and gave it more color. Iโve since made the recipe at home; itโs delicious and I love how low carb it is.
Danielle says
Love this variation! I love a bit of spice so I’ll have to try adding peppers next time I make this. Great idea and thank you so much for your comment Megan!
Deborah Zavila says
Loved this recipe! Didnโt have Parmesan crisps for topping – just used the cheese – still excellent! Thank you for a great recipe!
Danielle says
Thank you so much Deborah! I really appreciate your kind comment and rating. So glad you enjoyed this dish!
Nicole says
If using frozen bags of broccoli and cauliflower how many ounces should you use?
Thanks!
Danielle says
Hi Nicole – This is a great question and I’m not 100% sure of the answer, but here’s my best guess! Usually I’ll get 3-3.5 cups of broccoli or cauliflower from one head. So combined you’d want about 6-7 cups of broccoli and cauliflower. I just did a quick search and found that the 10.8 ounce Steamfresh sized bags of frozen broccoli or cauliflower have 3.5 cups in each bag, so I would use two of those frozen bags, one broccoli and one cauliflower. Hope this helps!
Nicole says
Thanks so much for the response Danielle! So happy I stumbled onto your site. I will definitely be visiting it frequently : )
Danielle says
This makes me so happy! I’m glad you’re here. Thank you Nicole!