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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
Jennifer says
Trying this recipe soon. If substituting cauliflower with zucchini, how much zucchini would I need cubed?
Danielle says
Thanks for your question Jennifer. I would use 3-3.5 cups of cubed zucchini instead of the head of cauliflower. I would love to hear how this version turns out!
Amanda says
This was great! I made it for me and my husband yesterday… Assembled it all before I headed out to work. I am a massage therapist and work at a spa from 10a-7p twice a week. I had a slow day, so I was able to get the ingredients at the store (Whole Foods, who has parmesan crisps, by the way!). My husband was getting home from work before me, so I told him to take it out of the fridge and get the oven fired up so we could enjoy dinner together.
I was tempted to use almond milk instead of regular milk, but realized that was dumb (and risky) considering I was using cheese… what’s an extra 1/4 cup milk?? I am trying to get ‘too much dairy’ out of our diets, though (bloats me up!).
I am all about ‘make ahead’ meals on my work days. What is great about this (aside from the delicious factor), is that it will have leftovers for a while! YAY! Thank you for your awesome blog.
Danielle says
Hey Amanda! Thank you so much for your comment and rating, I’m so glad this casserole worked well for you and your husband.
I totally agree that this casserole has a lot of dairy – I originally published it in 2016 when I was eating all the cheese in the world! I actually am on the last day of a Whole30 right now and am definitely planning to reduce my dairy intake as I think it was making me bloated too! I will definitely eat cheese again (it’s my favorite), but I now recognize the things it was doing to my body. I’m planning to work on less dairy heavy recipes in 2019.
Thank you again Amanda for your kind comment! It made my day!
Chris says
I LOVED this recipe! I wasn’t sure how much frozen cauliflower and broccoli to add (but now looking through the comments I realized this question was already answered). I ended up adding 1 16 oz bag of broccoli and 116 oz bag of cauliflower. It was definitely veggie-packed and delicious! Even with adding more veggies than called for, the casserole was not dry, but creamy and the taste was excellent! My toddlers picked out most of the veggies but I served their diners on brown rice and they ate it. Thanks!
Danielle says
Awesome Chris! Thanks for your comment and rating – so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing info about how you added frozen broccoli and cauliflower – I’m going to add into the recipe card so it’s easier for people to find. I should have done that before! Thanks again ๐
Joyce DeVanzo says
This casserole was fabulous. And even better leftover the next day for lunch! I used a whole onion and almond milk. I didn’t have any crackers so I didn’t put anything but extra cheese on top. This will be added to my go to recipes for delicious, nutritious, comfort food.
Danielle says
Hi Joyce! This makes me so happy to hear. I’m glad to know almond milk works well too – I’m not dairy free (obviously there’s cheese and yogurt in there), but I like replacing animal products like milk when you can’t tell the difference. Thank you for your comment Joyce! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know you enjoyed this recipe.
AR says
This was really good! I made my own shredded chcken in the Crock-Pot and used frozen broccoli and cauliflower. I’ll definitely make this again and will try a version adding mushrooms and maybe some curry powder too. Thanks for a great dish!
Danielle says
Awesome!! Thanks so much for your comment and rating. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Those sound like great additions to the casserole! Let me know how it works!