Yummy Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Bake (2024)

If you’re looking for 17 Day Diet chicken recipes to help you lose weight, you’re in luck with this Chicken and Broccoli Bake!

The great thing about this low carb chicken and broccoli recipe is that it’s one meal your entire family will love, even if they’re not on a diet!

So if you’re the only one in your family on the 17 Day Diet, this is a dinner your family can get behind!

Plus what kid or hubby doesn’t love cheese?

This recipe is one I’ve featured in previous Cycle 1 Challenges as well as my Yummy! recipe book for Cycle 1 of the 17 Day Diet.

This version is from my book (the Challenge version is slightly different, but I like this one better, plus it’s easier to make).

This is a super easy 17 day diet dinner recipe to make, and more than likely, you’ll have the ingredients on hand if you’re looking for something to prepare last minute for dinner.

This recipe is loved by so many (including me!!), that I added it to My Favorite Low Carb Recipes for Weight Loss post!

If you happen to be on the 17 Day Kickstart Diet or the Keto Diet, keep reading as I’ll include adjustments, if any, to this recipe.

Simple Ingredients for the Chicken and Broccoli Bake Recipe

This Chicken and Broccoli Bake recipe features REALLY simple ingredients.

I don’t think recipes need to be complicated and feature ingredients that are difficult to find.

Chances are, you have all the ingredients already and you just need to get going making this yummy dish!

Chicken

Your main protein will be diced chicken breast. If you’re not on the 17 Day Diet, you can certainly use dark meat if you prefer.

If you prefer to use ground meat, either ground chicken or turkey would work in this recipe.

If you’re using diced chicken breast, you’ll dice the chicken first and cook it in a large skillet.

Broccoli

If the name of this dish hasn’t clued you in by now for the second main ingredient, then I don’t know what will!

Broccoli is our main vegetable in this Chicken and Broccoli Bake recipe.

It’s best if you can use fresh broccoli so you can control the doneness prior to baking it off so you don’t end up with a mushy mess! However, frozen broccoli will work, too.

We’ll cook the broccoli by steaming or boiling before we put the dish into the oven for a final bake off.

Garlic and Onion

This Chicken and Broccoli Bake uses garlic, onion and other seasonings such as thyme, parsley and onion powder.

This recipe is pretty basic, so we wan to make sure the flavor is kicked up a notch or two.

Garlic and onion are a few ways to accomplish this, so don’t skip these ingredients!

You can use fresh garlic cloves or minced garlic from a jar – it doesn’t matter much here.

As far as onions go, this recipe calls for a white onion, but you can certainly use your favorite yellow onion or shallots for a milder flavor.

Cheese

This recipe calls for both mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Don’t skip these as they are the star of the recipe!

If you’re on the 17 Day Diet and wonder if cheese is allowed, keep reading as I answer this question in the next section!

Can I Have Cheese on the 17 Day Diet?

As you can see from the recipe ingredients mentioned above, this Chicken and Broccoli Bake recipe does contain cheese.

So you might be asking, “I thought cheese wasn’t allowed on the 17 Day Diet?”

The answer might surprise you – technically, non-fat cheese is listed on the 17 Day Diet Cycle 1 Food List under the condiment section to be used in moderation.

Photo above courtesy of Cari G. Follow Cari on Instagram.

Non Fat vs Full or Lower Fat Cheese

My personal philosophy regarding anything non fat is this: I’d rather skip non-fat foods because of all the added ingredient put back in to make it taste better.

Ingredients such as sodium, sugar and other artificial flavorings are almost always found in non-fat food items.

What happens when you strip the fat from a food?

You take away the flavor! This is why you see a lot added ingredients in non-fat foods.

I think less of a full or lower fat version is always best for your health. I go into more detail about Cheese on the 17 Day Diet.

This recipe may seem to have a lot of cheese, but once you split into four servings, it’s not too much!

So if you’re a bit afraid of the cup and a half of cheese in this recipe, remember it’s for four servings!

As long as you don’t eat the entire dish by yourself, you’re going to be just fine!

Plus, this recipe does contain a good amount of lean proteins and fiber-filled broccoli, so it’s a healthy dish designed to help you lose weight.

It’s also family friendly, so you can make this dish for your kids or spouse and they will love it!

Photo above courtesy of Cari G. Follow Cari on Instagram.

Which Cycle of the 17 Day Diet Is This Approved For?

While on the 17 Day Diet, you can really dig into this cheesy goodness on all cycles!

If you’re confused about whether or not cheese is allowed on the 17 Day Diet, make sure you scroll back up a bit and read through my post as I go into detail about this.

If you’re not sure which foods are allowed when, make sure you check out the 17 Day Diet Cycle 1 Food List (btw, you’ll find cheese at the very bottom of this list under the condiment section).

17 Day Kickstart Diet Chicken and Broccoli Bake Recipe

If you’re on the 17 Day Kickstart Diet, this recipe will be perfect for you starting in the 10-Day Stabilize Phase when cheese is allowed.

However, you’ll want to make a minor adjustment to the cheese you use to make it 100% compliant.

The 17 Day Kickstart Food List contains suggestions on cheeses that are easily digestible such as Cheddar Cheese, Parmesan, Swiss and Blue Cheese.

Here is my suggestion (and it’s an easy one!):

1. Rather than Mozzarella, use your favorite substitute cheese such as Cheddar or Swiss.

Keto Diet Chicken and Broccoli Bake Recipe

This recipe can be used as-is if you’re on the Keto Diet. However, if your macros don’t allow for the extra carbs in onions, you can easily leave them out.

Remember to use a full-fat cheese (I’d recommend Cheddar cheese as a substitute for the lower fat Mozzarella).

If you’re new to keto, make sure you check out my Keto Diet Beginner’s Guide.

Are you unsure of which foods are keto friendly? Make sure you check out my Keto Diet Food List.

More Low Carb Casseroles with Chicken and Broccoli for Weight Loss

If you love the combo of chicken and broccoli and want more ideas for low carb dishes, check out the following:

• Buffalo Chicken and Broccoli Power Bowls
• Ground Turkey and Broccoli Bowls (you may use chicken)

Other Low Carb Cheesy Recipes

If you love the idea of Broccoli and Cheese and losing weight at the same time, you might want to check out these other low carb recipes for the 17 Day Diet that feature our favorite condiment, cheese:

• Green Chili Chicken Enchilada with Cauliflower
• Chicken Lombardy
• Chicken Feta Spinach Patties
• Broiled Tilapia with Parmesan

Low Carb Cheese-Free Recipes

If you’re needing to take a break from cheese for a bit, here are a few low carb recipes you might want to try:

• Egg Roll in a Bowl a la Judy
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Greek Chicken Souvlaki with Yogurt Sauce

If you make this recipe, please come back to review the recipe in the card below. Plus if you’re on social media, make sure you tag me @17ddblog so I can see your pretty creation!

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

This is a healthy AND cheesy dinner the entire family will love!

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, diced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 large broccoli heads, florets removed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1/2 cup diced white onion
• 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tablespoon olive oil.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook until slightly browned and cooked through.
4. Remove the chicken and any juice from the skillet and add to a bowl.
5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Drain.
6. Using the same skillet from the chicken, heat the remaining 2 Tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the onion is very soft and translucent.
7. Whisk in the broth to the onion mixture and dd the thyme, parsley and onion powder. Reduce heat to low and simmer for a few minutes.
8. Stir the cooked chicken, the broccoli florets into the mix and toss to combine.
9. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
10. If you are using an oven safe skillet, cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Otherwise, use a baking dish.
11. Remove the foil and broil until the cheese is lightly brown, about 1-2 minutes.

Notes

Approved for:

17 Day Diet: Approved all cycles.

17 Day Kickstart Diet: Approved for Stabilize Phase (use Cheddar or Swiss instead of Mozzarella)

Keto Diet: Consider omitting onions if they don't fit within your macros.

If it's too hot to use your oven, consider skipping the baking portion, turn your stove top to low, sprinkle with cheese and cover. Cook on low for 10 to 15 minutes.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 5 Day Detox
• Spring/Summer Low Carb Meal Plan

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment/review below or tag me at @17ddblog on IG so I can see your yummy creation!