In this garlic butter chicken dump and bake casserole, chicken breasts are baked in a creamy, flavorful blend of rice, cauliflower rice, and savory seasonings and require no pre-cooking. The casserole delivers all the comfort of a classic casserole with a lighter, high-protein twist.
Rice
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed
1 1/2 cups frozen riced cauliflower
2 1/2 cups chicken bone broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Chicken
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Topping
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Add uncooked rice, riced cauliflower, bone broth, heavy cream, Greek yogurt, butter, Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the baking dish. Stir until evenly blended.
Nestle raw chicken breasts into rice mixture. Drizzle with melted butter, then sprinkle with garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cover tightly with foil.
Bake until rice is tender and chicken is no longer pink at the center, 50 to 55 minutes. An instant read thermometer inserted near the center of chicken should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Remove foil. Sprinkle with mozzarella and panko, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
Bake uncovered, until the top is golden and bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes more. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
