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Katerina 4.71 from 24 votes
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Easy, 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 casserole packs a lot of flavor in a very filling, classic dinner that everyone loves!
This recipe for my cheesy Chicken Cauliflower Rice Casserole is a hit at any gathering and is super quick to whip up, making it a favorite meal for busy days. The casserole is prepared with leftover (or rotisserie) chicken and cauliflower rice, all blended together with a delicious cream cheese sauce.Moreover, every bite of the leftovers tasted just as fantastic as it had on day one. It’s a delightful yet lighter alternative to my garlic butter chicken and rice recipe, but it’s creamy, cheesy, and juicy, just as a casserole should be.
Why We Love This Chicken Casserole
- Everything is cooked in one pan, which makes for easy cleanup.
- It’s fairly quick with just 10 minutes of prep – the oven does the rest.
- This casserole is customizable, and you can adjust the spices and cheeses to your liking.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter to grease the baking dish.
- Cauliflower Rice, you can make your own or buy riced cauliflower.
- Cooked Chicken Breasts should be shredded or cubed.
- Sweet Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Italian Seasoning, Dried Oregano, and Chili Powder
- Heavy Cream contributes to the creamy consistency of the sauce.
- Cream Cheese enhances the rich, creamy texture and flavor.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese creates a gooey, cheesy layer.
- Garlic
- Salt and Pepper
- Fresh Chopped Parsley to garnish the dish.
How To Make Chicken Casserole With Cauliflower Rice
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F and lightly butter a baking dish.
- Combine the cauliflower rice and shredded chicken in a mixing bowl and add spices, cream, cream cheese, cheddar, garlic, salt, and pepper, and mix until combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, add the remaining cheese, and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to settle before serving.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- The cream cheese should be softened so it’s easier and creamier to mix through.
- Use pre-cooked chicken, like a rotisserie, for convenience.
- Adjust the spices according to your taste preference. Add cumin, thyme, turmeric, etc.
- Experiment with different cheeses for a variety of flavors.
- Allow the casserole to rest after baking so the flavors meld together and it’s easier to serve.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve this casserole with sauteed garlic broccolini, roasted green beans, or turnips.
- A crisp, fresh chef salad or a tangy red cabbage slaw balances the rich, creamy flavors of the casserole.
- These zucchini breadsticks are a great option for soaking up any extra sauce.
- Use up leftovers to make these roasted cauliflower steaks.
Storing Leftovers
- Store all leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat at 375˚F for 20 minutes or until warm.
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
- Chicken Stuffing Casserole
Cheesy Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Casserole
Katerina | Diethood
This baked Chicken Cauliflower Rice Casserole, with a cheesy, creamy sauce mixed through it all, is a simple dinner recipe cooked in just one pan.
4.71 from 24 votes
Rate this Recipe!
Servings : 6 serves
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Resting Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Ingredients
- butter for baking dish
- 4 cups cauliflower rice
- 4 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, adjust the amount to your preference
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, adjust the amount to your preference
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400˚F, lightly butter a 3-quart baking 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 the mixture to the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil, add the remaining shredded cheddar cheese, and continue to bake, uncovered, for 10 more minutes or until the top is browned, the mixture is bubbly, and the cheese is melted.
Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- You can either prepare cauliflower rice yourself or purchase it ready-made.
- The cream cheese should be softened, making it both smoother and easier to blend in.
- For a convenient option, opt for pre-cooked chicken, such as rotisserie chicken.
- Try out various spices and cheeses to discover a range of delightful flavors.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat it in the oven at 375˚F for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 430 kcal | Carbohydrates: 8 g | Protein: 32 g | Fat: 29 g | Saturated Fat: 15 g | Cholesterol: 148 mg | Sodium: 321 mg | Potassium: 618 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 1115 IU | Vitamin C: 51.7 mg | Calcium: 221 mg | Iron: 2.1 mg
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.
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower rice recipe, chicken and rice recipe, chicken casserole, keto dinner idea, low carb recipe
Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!
Categories:
- Chicken Recipes
- Dinner Recipes
- Freezer Friendly Meals
- One Pot Meals
Ask a Question or Rate this Recipe
42 comments on “Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Casserole”
Mia
Dec 13, 2023 at 11:05 AM
I made this recipe but I substituted with less fat cream of mushroom soup, half and half and added extra fresh mushrooms, yellow and green peppers.
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Donna
Jul 23, 2023 at 3:19 PM
I’m a diabetic and hard to find delicious low carb meals. I will definitely try this using low fat ingredients also.
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Kristy
Apr 23, 2023 at 4:01 PM
I made this and it turned out so good. We will be making it again. It’s great for meal prepping.
Lina Kluka
Jul 21, 2022 at 9:26 PM
Trying to eat healthy and made this for the first time. It was delicious! I added some red bell pepper and used pepper Jack cheese. We all loved it even the Kids loved it! 🙂
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Cary
Jan 26, 2022 at 8:53 AM
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?
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Katerina Petrovska
Jan 26, 2022 at 2:32 PM
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.Reply
Corey
Jan 13, 2022 at 5:33 PM
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.
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Abi
Oct 22, 2023 at 1:07 PM
did u try it with Greek yogurt? how did it go?
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Venn
Sep 20, 2021 at 9:58 PM
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.
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Katerina Petrovska
Sep 22, 2021 at 1:22 PM
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
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viviennesaunders@yahoo.com
Oct 26, 2020 at 7:47 PM
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!
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Katerina Petrovska
Oct 27, 2020 at 1:24 PM
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
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Omar
Sep 24, 2020 at 6:55 PM
How much is in a serving size
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Tina L Gaarder
Jan 11, 2022 at 5:45 PM
I am thinking 2 cups
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kateri karish
Aug 8, 2020 at 12:44 PM
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.
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Katerina Petrovska
Aug 10, 2020 at 10:23 AM
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
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Donna
Jun 24, 2020 at 2:46 PM
This recipe was ok… expected it to be tastier. Don’t think I would make again.
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Kim Haveman
May 19, 2020 at 8:40 AM
Could I make it up in morning and put in fridge and then bake at dinner time?
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Katerina Petrovska
May 19, 2020 at 10:28 AM
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.Reply
Sandra
Mar 4, 2020 at 9:50 PM
Thanks for the recipe! Going to try it with bacon in it, too, cuz everything’s better with bacon. 🙂
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Katerina Petrovska
Mar 6, 2020 at 7:27 AM
I agree, everything is better with bacon!! 🙂 I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU!
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Marletta
Jan 29, 2020 at 9:40 PM
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
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Katerina Petrovska
Jan 31, 2020 at 7:39 AM
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. 😊
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Em
Mar 28, 2023 at 1:47 PM
I’m still confused…. You say to not cook the cauliflower rice in a comment above but now you’re saying you do before going into the oven?
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Angelle
Dec 22, 2019 at 11:46 AM
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!
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Karen
Dec 9, 2019 at 4:46 PM
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!
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Wendy
Nov 18, 2019 at 8:02 AM
Is there red and green bell pepper in it?
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Katerina Petrovska
Nov 18, 2019 at 8:35 AM
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.Reply
LW
Oct 10, 2019 at 8:37 AM
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.
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Katie
Oct 4, 2019 at 11:21 AM
Sounds yummy! What would be the cooking instructions if I were to freeze this casserole uncooked?
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Joan
Jul 22, 2019 at 7:36 AM
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.
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TLong
Mar 26, 2019 at 12:14 PM
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..
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Katerina Petrovska
Mar 27, 2019 at 2:07 AM
Hi!
No, you do not need to precook it – it is raw, but it will cook in the oven.Reply
Palma
Feb 26, 2019 at 2:14 PM
This looks so good! How many pounds of chicken breasts would yield 4 cups?
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Katerina Petrovska
Feb 26, 2019 at 4:18 PM
Hi! That’d be just around 1 pound… 3 to 4 chicken breasts, depending on their size.
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Rachel
Feb 21, 2019 at 9:26 AM
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?
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Katerina Petrovska
Feb 21, 2019 at 9:55 AM
Hi!
Yep, exactly. Just cook it according to the instructions and then continue with the recipe as is.Reply
Becky Hardin
Feb 20, 2019 at 4:19 PM
I have to try this! Sounds so delicious.
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Steph
Feb 20, 2019 at 10:51 AM
This was my first time trying cauliflower rice and it was so delicious! Great recipe, thanks!
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Pam Dana
Feb 20, 2019 at 10:11 AM
This was sooo tasty! My whole fami;y loved it!
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Cheryl S
Feb 20, 2019 at 10:11 AM
i have everything to make this for dinner tonight!! thanks for the recipe!
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Ashley F
Feb 20, 2019 at 10:02 AM
This is total comfort food! Love that it’s made healthier!
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