Chicken, cauliflower, homemade alfredo sauce, breadcrumbs all in one dish… Hi, Chicken Alfredo Cauliflower Bake! Are you drooling yet?
Maybe you have bad casserole memories from childhood, but I’m here to say pull up a chair cause that’s about to change.
The casserole was the quintessential family dinner of the 80’s and Mom’s home cooking at it’s finest (assuming your mom did cook), however not exactly the most healthy of meals. Personally, I think the 80’s moms were down right genius with their one pot recipes and leftovers that lasted all week; nevermind those high-waisted jeans that look good on NO one yet are somehow back in style.
Who can forget the meatloaf…? Gah, I love some good meatloaf! They knew what they were doing, but with time and more health information, I think it’s time to clean up the casserole.
I will accept this self-imposed challenge myself!
A few things come to mind when cleaning up the casserole that should be addressed.
- All processed ingredients need to go! Thank you, next… Goodbye, condensed soup! Yes, you can easily make your own and here we’re gonna make our own very easy alfredo sauce.
- Leftover potential needs to be high, as in it’s even better when reheated the next day and potentially served with additional toppings. Go spicy or maybe cheesy, but just go there.
- The need for this one dish wonder to be a complete meal. Protein + Fat + Vegetables = Complete Meal Maybe you add a side salad cause you’re uber healthy, but it’s so NOT necessary.
Are you having feelings of food nostalgia yet or is that just me? I get that casserole aren’t the prettiest or most popular of dishes, but gah do they taste good, even better the next day. I’m hoping for a little food revival here albeit a healthy one. Let’s bring back the casserole.
One last note.
No two casseroles need be alike or in other words, you don’t need to make this one exactly the same every single time. Maybe you add some spinach the next time or switch out the cauliflower for broccoli.
Perhaps, even you really do want to go old school and end up crumbling Ritz crackers on top. The casserole allows room for change and creativity. Though initially, it takes a little time to bake it saves you time later in the week when time becomes a crunch.
Join me in this retro casserole revival! Scoop some leftovers onto day old baguette slices and enjoy life.
Chicken Alfredo Cauliflower Bake
Equipment
- Small Saucepan
- Whisk
- 9×9 Casserole Dish
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
Homemade Alfredo Sauce
- ½ cup Butter
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ cups Grated Parmesan
Casserole
- 10 ounces Frozen Riced Cauliflower
- ¼ cup Olive Oil divided
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 4 cups Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
- 2 cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
- ½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Alfredo Sauce
- Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan or skillet and add the garlic, heavy cream, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a slow boil and reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and whisk in the grated parmesan cheese until fully melted and mixed in.
Casserole
- Add the riced cauliflower to a 3-quart baking dish and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and the salt and pepper. Cook in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Place the rotisserie chicken and alfredo sauce into the casserole dish and toss to combine.
- In a small bowl mix the panko bread crumbs and remaining olive oil together. Sprinkle over the casserole evenly.
- Return the casserole dish to the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top turns a golden brown.
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