Keto Chicken Casserole

This comforting keto chicken casserole features tender shredded chicken and broccoli baked in a rich, velvety cream cheese sauce topped with melted, golden Gruyere cheese.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 28

Total Time 33

Equipment

medium saucepan
Whisk
baking pan
Slow Cooker
Instant Pot

Ingredients

Instructions

Preparation and Sauce

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then whisk in the almond flour and cook for 1 minute without stopping. The mixture should bubble lightly and smell toasty, which tells you the raw almond flour taste has cooked off.
Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, whisk until smooth, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer before adding the cubed cream cheese. The sauce should look slightly thickened before the cream cheese goes fully soft and melts in.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper, then season with salt and Pepper to taste. By the end, the sauce should be creamy and pourable, thick enough to coat a spoon but loose enough to spread over the chicken.

Oven Method

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and have a large baking pan ready. Starting with a fully heated oven helps the casserole bubble evenly instead of warming too slowly in the center.
Spread the blanched broccoli and cooked shredded chicken in the baking pan, then pour the sauce over the top. Make sure the sauce reaches into the corners so the casserole stays evenly creamy from edge to center.
Scatter the gruyere cheese across the top. An even layer helps the surface brown more consistently and gives you that classic cheesy crust.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the casserole is hot and cooked through. Look for bubbling edges and a lightly golden top to know it is ready, and if you are checking the center for doneness, poultry casseroles should reach 165 °F in the center.

Slow Cooker Method

Put the cooked shredded chicken and blanched broccoli into the slow cooker, then pour the finished sauce over them. Because the chicken is already cooked, it blends into the sauce instead of shedding extra liquid as it heats.
Top with the gruyere cheese and cook on low for about 4 hours. The casserole is ready when the cheese has melted and the mixture is hot and creamy all the way through.

Instant Pot Method

Set the Instant Pot to saute, melt the butter, then whisk in the almond flour and cook for 1 minute. You want the mixture to bubble gently and smell slightly nutty before adding any liquid.
Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, bring the mixture to a simmer, and stir in the garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. The liquid should look smooth and lightly thickened rather than separated.
Add the cooked chicken and blanched broccoli, seal, and cook on high pressure for 1 minute, then quick release. The short pressure time heats everything through without overcooking the broccoli.
Stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and gruyere until melted and creamy. The finished casserole should look glossy and cohesive, with no oily pools around the edges.

Notes

Watery broccoli tip: Drain the blanched broccoli thoroughly and pat it dry with paper towels to prevent extra moisture from thinning out the cheese sauce during baking.

Storage: Cooked poultry leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or cover and warm in the oven at 325 degrees to prevent the cream sauce from separating.

Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.

Keyword cheesy chicken broccoli bake, keto chicken casserole, low carb chicken casserole

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