Dairy-Free Chicken & Rice Casserole
This delicious Dairy-Free Chicken & Rice Casserole with broccoli is the perfect main dish for busy weeknights. It’s full of healthy and satisfying ingredients, and topped with a rich cashew cheese sauce. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
If you’re getting ready for a busy week and need a satisfying and healthy Chicken Rice Broccoli Casserole that you can enjoy for at least several nights, then this is the recipe for you!
There are two main steps to making the casserole. You’ll need to get the chicken, rice, and veggies ready. Then, you’ll make the creamy cashew sauce topping.
Once you have the casserole prepped, all you have to do is bake it.
I hope your family enjoys this dish as much as mine does.
Why You Need This Recipe
- This chicken casserole makes six servings. It’s perfect for a family, or for meal prepping for two people.
- This recipe is entirely dairy-free and gluten-free. A homemade simple cashew cheese sauce makes it luscious and creamy.
- The broccoli, chicken, and rice all get tender and perfectly cooked in the oven.
Key Ingredients
Chicken breasts or tenders are used in this recipe. You can also use chicken thighs, if you prefer.
Broccoli and onion add nice texture, fiber, and nutrition to the casserole.
Rice makes this chicken casserole a balanced meal.
Chicken broth or stock cooks the rice right in the dish.
Cashews help make a creamy sauce with no dairy.
Nutritional yeast helps add a cheesy flavor.
Recipe Steps
Step One
Preheat your oven to 400°F and spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Then, add the broth, rinsed rice, and broccoli and/or cauliflower.
Please see the printable recipe card at end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Step Two
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chicken, and sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until the outside of the chicken starts to cook.
Step Three
Pour the chicken and onion mixture into the baking dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Step Four
While the casserole is baking, make the cheese sauce. In the pitcher of a high-speed blender or bowl of a food processor, combine the soaked and drained cashew nuts, sea salt, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and water.
Blend on high for about 30 seconds, or until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Step Five
After the casserole has cooked for 30 minutes, carefully remove it from the oven and take off the foil. Pour the cashew sauce over the top. Then, place the casserole back in the oven (uncovered) to cook for an additional 20 minutes.
Step Six
When the casserole is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool for 5-7 minutes before serving.
Recipes Tips & Substitutions
- You can use chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs in this recipe.
- You can use cauliflower florets instead of broccoli, if you prefer.
- If you don’t have a high speed blender, you can make the cashew sauce in a food processor.
- Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
- If you want to prep this dish ahead of time, get the casserole ready and cover it with plastic wrap. Then, make the cashew sauce and store it in a covered bowl until you’re ready to cook off the casserole.
- Want another yummy chicken recipe suggestion? Try this Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad.
FAQs
I think it is. The casserole has a nice balance of protein and carbs, plus fat from the cashews that makes it satisfying. White rice is also easier to digest than brown rice, so it is considered paleo-friendly by many experts.
And, of course, broccoli is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Broccoli is rich is sulforaphane which has been proven to help fight cancer.
Yes, you can substitute the same amount of thighs for the cutlets in this recipe.
Other Healthy Chicken Recipes You Might Like
- Air Fryer Orange Chicken
- Baked Paprika Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Meatloaf
- Crockpot Chicken Thighs with Green Chiles
- Instant Pot Chicken & Sweet Potato dinner
- 5-Ingredient Chicken Salad
Or, check out my entire index of clean eating chicken recipes!
I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.
And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!
PrintDairy-Free Chicken & Rice Casserole
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This delicious Dairy-Free Chicken & Rice Casserole is the perfect main dish for busy weeknights. It’s full of healthy and satisfying ingredients, and topped with a rich cashew cheese sauce. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken cutlets or thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets or cauliflower florets (or a mix of the two)
- 3/4 cup raw cashews (soaked for 15 minutes in very hot water, then drained)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch (or medium-sized) casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chicken and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally while the outside of the chicken starts to cook and turn white.
- While the onion and chicken are cooking, pour in the broth into the baking dish. Add the rinsed rice and the broccoli or cauliflower florets.
- Pour the chicken and onion mixture into the baking dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- While the casserole is baking, make the cheese sauce. In the pitcher of a high-speed blender, combine the soaked and drained cashew nuts, sea salt, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and water. Blend on high for about 30 seconds, or until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- After the casserole has cooked for 30 minutes, carefully remove it from the oven and take off the foil. Pour the cashew sauce over the top. Then, place the casserole back in the oven (uncovered) to cook for an additional 20 minutes.
- When the casserole is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool for 5-7 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can use chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs in this recipe.
- You can use cauliflower florets instead of broccoli, if you prefer.
- Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
- If you want to prep this dish ahead of time, get the casserole ready and cover it with plastic wrap. Then, make the cashew sauce and store it in a covered bowl until you’re ready to cook off the casserole.
- If you don’t have a high speed blender, you can make the cashew sauce in a food processor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Healthy
Keywords: broccoli casserole, healthy chicken casserole, chicken and rice recipe
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Does this casserole freeze well?
I have not tested freezing this recipe. I’m not sure because of the sauce.
What is nutritional yeast and why is it needed in this recipe? If I can’t find some do I need to replace it with something else or can I just leave it out?
It’s a cheesy vegan substitute. Just leave it out if you don’t have it. 🙂
Could you leave the cashew cheese sauce off altogether? My grand son is allergic to nuts, wheat, and dairy. I saw where you suggested sunflower seeds but I don’t think he has been introduced to them yet. Thanks!
Yes but it won’t be very much of a casserole, just baked chicken and steamed broccoli and rice, basically. So you might want to find another type of dressing or topping that you could add (maybe just a nice balsamic vinegar dressing when serving).