Paleo Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

This creamy paleo chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole is packed with flavor and filling in the best way!  It’s Whole30 compliant, keto, dairy free and perfect to make ahead of time for easy lunches and dinners.

Ingredients

Sauce

• 3 Tbsp ghee or rendered bacon fat
• 1 med onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tbsp tapioca flour
 or arrowroot starch
• 1 3/4 cups chicken bone broth
• 1/2 cup coconut milk full fat
• 1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast optional
• 1/4 sea salt or to taste
• 1/8 tsp black pepper or to taste
• 1 tsp fresh minced sage leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh minced rosemary

Other Ingredients

• 12 oz cauliflower “rice” – I purchase this already prepped to save time
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 lb broccoli florets
• 3 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil, divided 
Sea salt and pepper
• 1/2 lb nitrate free bacon sugar-free for Whole30

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Place chicken on a baking sheet and coat with 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. On a separate baking sheet lined with parchment paper, arrange broccoli and toss with 1 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil plus salt and pepper.
3. Roast chicken for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Midway through, flip the chicken and for even roasting. Roast broccoli for 15-20 mins or until fork tender, stirring midway through.
4. Once done, lower the oven temp to 400 degrees.
5. While chicken and broccoli roasts, cook bacon until crisp in a large skillet, drain, and make the sauce:
6. For the sauce, heat a medium saucepan over med heat and add the 3 Tbsp cooking fat. Add the onions, cook until translucent and fragrant, then add the garlic and continue to cook until soft, adjusting heat if necessary.
7. Whisk the tapioca flour into the broth and add it to the pan, then immediately add the coconut milk, mustard and nutritional yeast, (if using), while whisking. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, stirring. Once boiling, lower to a simmer and continue to stir and cook for another minute, until nice and thick. Stir in salt and pepper to taste, add the fresh herbs. Stir in the cauliflower rice to soften, then remove from heat.
8. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, or shred, and arrange in a casserole dish, then add the roasted broccoli and the sauce/rice mixture, stir to evenly coat. Crumble the cooked bacon and sprinkle all over, then bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until heated through and cauliflower rice is soft. Serve hot and enjoy!

Source: https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/paleo-chicken-broccoli-rice-casserole-whole30/