Chicken and Kale Casserole Recipe

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This chicken and kale casserole recipe is a great easy dinner you that is hearty, creamy, and the whole family will love it! Made with lean chicken breast, vegetables, and a creamy sauce, baked until hot and bubbling.

Most casseroles call for canned soup, but I use an easy and flavorful pantry substitution which adds to much taste to each bite. I love serving this easy dinner casserole with an antipasto chopped salad and some 10-minute air fryer garlic bread.

This chicken and kale casserole is a delicious dinner that couldn’t be easier to make – especially if you have leftover or cooked chicken on hand! Sauté vegetables, add coconut milk, add cooked chicken and rice, herbs and spices, and bake.

Most casserole recipes call for canned cream of mushroom or creamy of celery soup – but I add vegetables, coconut milk, and broth instead as a better substitute. And the flavor is just as good!

This is one recipe that is going in our monthly dinner rotation for sure – it’s easy to make, and mostly hands-off so the oven does all of the work.

This Chicken And Kale Casserole Recipe Is

• Creamy
• Hearty
• Satisfying
• Made Without Canned Soups
• Loaded with Vegetables
• Easy to Make!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

• Organic chicken – getting organic meat without added preservatives is key.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like to use a fruity olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s inexpensive so I keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry. 
• Onion
• Garlic
• Celery
• Mushrooms
• Italian Seasoning Blend: usually has thyme, basil, rosemary, parsley, etc. Make sure you get a no-salt-added variety!
• Coconut Milk: I use unsweetened full-fat coconut milk, which I’d definitely recommend over lite coconut milk. The flavor makes this dish rich and creamy without any dairy.
• Short Grain Brown Rice – I love the texture of short grain rice in this casserole! It absorbs the broth, making each bite totally delicious.
• Parsley
• Lemon
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper

What Equipment Do I Need?

You can use a classic casserole dish (13×9 works great), or a Dutch oven. I used a a casserole dish which has a ceramic lid which traps the heat in the casserole to cook it.

How to Make This Recipe

1. Cook rice according to package instructions. For my brown rice, I added 2 cups rice and four cups water, to a pot, and simmered for 40 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Fluff with fork when the rice has absorbed all the water and is tender.
2. To a large mixing bowl, add the cooked rice, cooked chicken, mushrooms, chopped kale, thyme, coconut milk, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the rice and chicken mixture to a casserole dish and add the cubed uncooked chicken into the rice mixture. Cover the dish with tin foil.
4. Bake for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbling.
5. Before serving top with fresh parsley and stir in the fresh lemon juice. Enjoy!

Dietary Modifications

• This recipe is dairy free and contains no dairy ingredients.
• To make this recipe gluten free, ensure all your ingredients are certified gluten free (like the spices, chicken, coconut milk, and rice).

More Easy Chicken Recipe Ideas

• Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings
• Crispy Italian Chicken Cutlets
• Low Sodium Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
• Chicken Pasta with Vodka Sauce Recipe
• Chicken Noodle Soup with Potatoes

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

Chicken And Kale Casserole

By: Kelly Jensen

This chicken and kale casserole recipe is a great easy dinner you that is hearty, creamy, and the whole family will love it! Made with lean chicken breast, vegetables, and a creamy sauce, baked until hot and bubbling.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 9

Calories 211 kcal

Equipment

• 13 x 9 inch casserole dish
• Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups rice
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups cooked chicken
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 bunch kale about 3 cups chopped, stems removed
• 1 13.5 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 lemons juiced

Instructions

 

• Cook rice according to package instructions. For my brown rice, I added 2 cups rice and four cups water, to a pot, and simmered for 40 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Fluff with fork when the rice has absorbed all the water and is tender.
• If chicken isn't already cooked – boil chicken for 20-30 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook, and shred with a fork.
• To a large mixing bowl, add the cooked rice, cooked chicken, mushrooms, chopped kale, thyme, coconut milk, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
• Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the rice and chicken mixture to a casserole dish and add the cubed uncooked chicken into the rice mixture. Cover the dish with tin foil.
• Bake for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbling.
• Before serving top with fresh parsley and stir in the fresh lemon juice. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 11gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 161mgPotassium: 159mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 29IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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