Easy, oven baked Chicken Cauliflower Rice Casserole with a cheesy, creamy sauce mixed through it all, is a simple dinner recipe cooked in just one pan. This awesome low-carb casserole packs a lot of flavor in a very filling, classic dinner that everyone loves!
YOU’LL LOVE THIS HEALTHY CHICKEN CASSEROLE RECIPE
Cheesy Chicken Cauliflower Rice Casserole makes for a crowd-pleasing meal that comes together in very little time. Quick and real easy for busy weeknights, and the leftovers are just as good as the first day.
I hear from a lot of people trying to adjust to a low carb diet, but they don’t want to give up some of their absolute favorites. Understandably SO!
Chicken Rice Casserole is one of those classic recipes I am emailed about – the question is almost always tied to our delicious Garlic Butter Chicken and Rice Recipe – and am happy to say that THIS low carb version is pretty darn good. Creamy, cheesy, and juicy, just as a casserole ought to be.
Chicken Cauliflower Rice Casserole
Cheesy Chicken Cauliflower Rice is prepared with leftover (or rotisserie) chicken and cauliflower rice with a delicious cream cheese sauce.
- We will start with ricing the cauliflower first; place cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse several times until the cauliflower begins to resemble rice-like grains. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. (You can also buy pre-made cauliflower rice)
- Shred some already cooked chicken breasts – or use shredded rotisserie chicken – and add it to the cauliflower rice. We’ll need about 4 cups of chicken.
- At this point, I like to add a bunch of herbs and seasonings; paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, and whatever else I can get my hands on. 😃 Sometimes I make it Mexican-ish by spicing it up with cumin and more chili powder; other times I make it Italian-ish and add in a great dose of Italian Seasoning/s.
- Give all that a good stir, first, then add in cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir until everything is well incorporated.
- Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, cover, and bake at 400F for 30 minutes.
- Next, uncover, top with shredded cheddar cheese, and continue to bake for 10 more minutes, or until browned on top and cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and let cool about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
This chicken casserole comes out incredibly tender and juicy, the cauliflower rice is perfectly cooked in the rich sauce, and the whole meal is LOADED with flavor.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS
- Store all leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
HOW TO FREEZE LEFTOVERS
- Store all leftovers in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
- When ready to use, place in the fridge over night to thaw.
- Reheat in the oven at 375F for 20 minutes, or until completely heated through.
MORE CHICKEN CASSEROLE RECIPES
- Broccoli and Cheese Chicken Quinoa Casserole
- Wild Rice and Kale Chicken Casserole
- One Pot Chicken and Rice with Artichokes
- One Pan Chicken Piccata Recipe with Rice
ENJOY!
Cheesy Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- butter for baking dish
- 4 cups cauliflower rice
- 4 cups cooked shredded (or cubed) chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika adjust the amount to your preference
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder adjust the amount to your preference
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened (make sure it's soft so that you can stir it in with ease)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Lightly butter a 3-quart baking pan/dish and set aside.
- Combine cauliflower rice and shredded chicken in a large mixing bowl.
- Add sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian Seasoning, dried oregano, and chili powder; mix to combine.
- Add heavy cream, softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper; stir until everything is thoroughly incorporated.
- Transfer mixture to previously prepared baking pan and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil; add remaining shredded cheddar cheese and continue to bake for 10 more minutes, or until top is browned, mixture is bubbly and cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- Store all leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Store all leftovers in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
- When ready to use, place in the fridge over night to thaw.
- Reheat in the oven at 375F for 20 minutes, or until completely heated through.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
30 Min
Slow Cooker
Instant Pot
Beef
Frozen cauliflower rice is one of my favorites to use in recipes but I’ve read all through your comments and haven’t seen if you strain all of the water out of it before putting it in the casserole or do you just let it go into the casserole with all that moisture?
Hi!
In this recipe, I do not cook the cauliflower rice before adding it to the casserole. So it’s just dry cali rice that is mixed together with the rest of the ingredients.
Great recipe, but any ideas on greatly reducing the amount of saturated fat? It’s extremely high. Would using Greek yogurt taste good instead of cream cheese perhaps? Maybe half and half instead of heavy cream.
A very good casserole. I knew I was going to like it when I even enjoyed a spoonful of it BEFORE it was cooked (used shredded cooked rotesserie chicken and frozen cauliflower rice). This is going to be a regular feature in my dinner menu for sure. I topped it with fresh sliced green onion just before serving and that added a nice fresh taste.
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
This was awesome. My husband who is anti diet food loved it!! Very rich taste. It is a keeper for sure on our low carb list of good food!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
How much is in a serving size
I am thinking 2 cups
Loved it! I added some juiced lemon and white wine some pesto and also some ground fennel. I added sauteed sweet peppers and onions as well. It’s a keeper.
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This recipe was ok… expected it to be tastier. Don’t think I would make again.
Could I make it up in morning and put in fridge and then bake at dinner time?
Hi!
Yes, you can definitely do that, but take it out of the fridge about 10 to 15 minutes before baking, and just give it a stir before putting it in the oven.
Thanks for the recipe! Going to try it with bacon in it, too, cuz everything’s better with bacon. 🙂
I agree, everything is better with bacon!! 🙂 I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU!
I am using raw or fresh cauliflower. In one place above, you mentioned to someone that if they were using frozen cauliflower that they would make it according to package instructions and then add the chicken to it before cooking… yet it will still turn out correctly if we use the cauliflower rice in the raw form?.. just don’t want to come out with hard cauliflower
Hi! So sorry for the confusion! You definitely won’t end up with hard cauliflower because the casserole cooks in the oven for 30 minutes, which is way more than enough time for it to cook through. However, if the cauliflower is frozen, then it needs to be thawed out, and the fastest way to do that is to pop it in the microwave for few minutes. It will cook it completely in like 4 minutes in the microwave. 😐 I hope this helps. 😊
I’d like to make this for Christmas using shrimp and crawfish. I’m concerned about the uncooked cauliflower rice. It doesn’t release too much liquid as it cooks in the casserole? Thanks!
Yum!! Soooo cheesy. For myself, I would cut back on the cream cheese BUT my cauliflower-hating husband loved this. Can’t complain about that!
Is there red and green bell pepper in it?
Hi!
No, there isn’t. The red that you’re seeing on top of the casserole is burnt cheese. 😊 I put it under the broiler for a couple minutes to get that browning because it just looks prettier.
I was skeptical, especially because I had never “riced” cauliflower before. In place of the spices in the recipe, I used a packet of chicken taco seasoning and added some diced jalapenos. It was incredible! This is definitely going in my winter rotation. Boyfriend got seconds and raved about it. Foolproof recipe.
Sounds yummy! What would be the cooking instructions if I were to freeze this casserole uncooked?
Your casserole looks really good but what ingredient is giving it the red color? Did you sprinkle paprika over the top before baking? I am thinking of making it in a few weeks for my daughter’s family.
in reading the comment about using frozen bagged Cauliflower Rice you say that you need to cook it according to the instructions on the bag then proceed with the recipe…but in your recipe instructions you just say to use 4 cups of Cauliflower Rice but it does not say if it’s raw or not and you don’t mention cooking it first…so I was wondering if you need to cook the Cauliflower rice first if it’s from raw Cauliflower..
Hi!
No, you do not need to precook it – it is raw, but it will cook in the oven.
This looks so good! How many pounds of chicken breasts would yield 4 cups?
Hi! That’d be just around 1 pound… 3 to 4 chicken breasts, depending on their size.
Would it be ok to use frozen bagged rice cauliflower? If so, should I cook it per bag instructions then mix with chicken as noted in the recipe?
Hi!
Yep, exactly. Just cook it according to the instructions and then continue with the recipe as is.
I have to try this! Sounds so delicious.
This was my first time trying cauliflower rice and it was so delicious! Great recipe, thanks!
This was sooo tasty! My whole fami;y loved it!
i have everything to make this for dinner tonight!! thanks for the recipe!
This is total comfort food! Love that it’s made healthier!