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This Chicken Zucchini Casserole may become your favorite zucchini recipe.
It's an easy low-carb recipe for busy weeknight dinners.
My son loves these types of one-pan dinners, it's delicious and full of veggies just like my chicken zucchini boats, zucchini casserole and parmesan zucchini slices.
Chicken Zucchini Casserole Ingredients
- Fresh zucchini, also called courgettes, is the main star ingredient and, in my opinion, the best veggie to pair with chicken. It has numerous health benefits and a soft, delicate texture, and it is best used in stuffings, patties, fritters, muffins, cakes, and quick breads.
- Garlic powder - the essential aromatic you can’t forget in almost every savory dish.
- Carrot - add a little pop of color, texture, and sweet taste, which tastes superb in combination with chicken zucchini.
- Lean ground chicken can be substituted for it with skillet-browned and chopped skinless boneless chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken.
- Italian herbs enhance any simple casserole! But they are not essential. If you don't have them on hand, they will still taste great with just salt and pepper.
- Shredded cheese - once done, cover the top generously with cheese for a thicker layer. However, it's personal preference; you can also use only ¾ cups or less, depending on the size of your baking dish.
- Related: How To Store Zucchini
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How To Make Chicken Zucchini Casserole Step By Step Photos
- Prep zucchini. In a medium bowl grate the zucchini and add 1 teaspoon of salt, set aside for 10-15 min to drain off the excess water.Remove the excess water using a strainer and spoon or wrap the zucchini in a thin kitchen towel and squeeze tight to get rid of the water.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a 9x13 or slightly smaller baking dish, spray with cooking oil, and transfer the mixture into the dish.
- Mix the filling. Once done, gather all the ingredients (except cheese and sour cream) in a large mixing bowl and stir with a spatula or hands until combined.
- Add sour cream. Even out the top with a spatula and layer the sour cream on top.
- Bake the chicken zucchini casserole for 35 minutes.
- Add cheese and bake again. Remove from the oven and add the cheese, bake again for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve! Garnish with parsley, scallions, or bacon and freshly cracked black pepper. For a complete meal, we like to serve it with plain cabbage salad, mashed potatoes, or tomato basil mozzarella salad.
Tips For The Best Chicken Zucchini Casserole
- Sour cream - adjust the amount of sour cream based on your casserole dish size to cover the entire area as per the recipe. The sour cream is primarily for flavor, not to create a thick sauce, so add more if desired.
- This chicken casserole is made with lots of fresh veggies and ground chicken.
- The smaller the casserole dish the thicker the chicken zucchini casserole will be. Oval baking dishes work well.
- Extra vegetables - carrots and zucchini add just the right amount of moisture to the casserole, but you can also add small amounts of sauteed mushrooms, chopped bell pepper, chopped broccoli florets, corn, peas, and marinated, drained artichoke hearts.
What To Serve With Chicken Zucchini Casserole
- Grains: rice, quinoa.
- Potatoes: fries, mashed potatoes, smashed potatoes.
- Bread: crusty garlic bread or garlic toast.
- Salads: light and quick (tomato onion salad, green goddess salad or Mediterranean cucumber salad).
Freezing And Storing Leftovers
- To Store. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- To Reheat. When reheating, return it to the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, optionally adding extra cheese, and bake for a few minutes until thoroughly warmed.
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken?
Certainly, although it will change the recipe's nutritional content.
- To prepare it, remove and discard the skin, then meticulously separate the meat from the bones, discarding any cartilage.
- Use your hands to pull the chicken apart, dicing the chicken breasts and shredding the remaining meat. Leftover roast chicken can also be used as an alternative.
Favorite Zucchini Recipes
- Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Fries With Almond Flour(Low Carb Keto)
- 20-Minute Tender Chicken Zucchini Fritters
- Stuffed Zucchini Boats (With Creamy Chicken)
- Baked Zucchini Slices With Seasoning (No Breading)
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Recipe
Chicken Zucchini Casserole (With Ground Chicken)
Julia
This Chicken Zucchini Casserole may become your favorite zucchini recipe. Learn how to make this easy, and low carb recipe for busy weeknight dinners. Perfect casserole with lots of veggies and cheese that even picky eaters will appreciate.
4.88 from 115 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 35 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Russian
Servings 6 portions
Calories 234 kcal
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INGREDIENTS
- 11-12 ounce (300 g) ground chicken
- 1 medium egg
- 1 medium carrot , grated
- 1 pound zucchini , grated
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3-4 tablespoons sour cream, or more as needed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste + for zucchini
- 1 ½ cup Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese
- 1 teaspoon of Italian herb spice, or a mix of dried oregano, garlic, thyme
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium bowl grate the zucchini and add 1 teaspoon of salt, set aside for 10-15 min to drain off the excess water.
1 pound zucchini, ½ teaspoon salt or to taste + for zucchini
Remove the excess water using a strainer and spoon or wrap the zucchini in a thin kitchen towel (or a special fabric is also available on amazon) and squeeze tight to get rid of the water.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Once done, gather all the ingredients (except cheese and sour cream) in a large mixing bowl and stir with a spatula or hands until combined.
1 medium egg, 1 medium carrot, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper, 1 teaspoon of Italian herb spice, 11-12 ounce (300 g) ground chicken
Prepare a 9x13 or slightly smaller baking dish, spray with cooking oil, and transfer the mixture into the dish. Even out the top with a spatula and layer the sour cream on top.
3-4 tablespoons sour cream
Bake the chicken zucchini casserole for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the cheese, bake again for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
1 ½ cup Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese
Garnish with parsley, scallions, or bacon and freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy!
VIDEO
NOTES
- Flavor: Creamy, savory, and mildly tangy flavor profile with earthy notes from zucchini and carrots, all balanced by a delightful cheesy richness.
- To Store:I suggest storing any remaining casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it can be kept fresh for 3 to 4 days. When it's time to reheat, simply place it back in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, optionally adding a bit more cheese, and bake for a few minutes until it's thoroughly warmed.
- To Make Ahead: You have the option to prepare this entire chicken zucchini casserole a day in advance and refrigerate it for reheating later. Alternatively, you can choose to assemble its components separately.
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NUTRITION
Calories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 17gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 425mgPotassium: 511mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2177IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 233mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?@theyummy_bowl and tag #theyummy_bowl! Thank you!
Note:Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be foundhere.
Common Recipe Questions
Do you peel zucchini?
Peeling zucchini is generally unnecessary for baking, especially with fresh young zucchini. The skin contains nutritional value so keeping it is recommended. In this zucchini chicken casserole, grated zucchini with the skin on becomes tender during baking, enhancing the dish.
Should you salt zucchini before cooking?
It is not necessary to salt the zucchini before cooking. The fastest way is to grate the zucchini before cooking, leave it in a fine-mesh strainer for 10-20 minutes, and then wrap it in a thin fabric or kitchen towel and squeeze the extra moisture out. Avoid steaming or boiling the zucchini.
How do you keep squash casserole from getting watery?
Remove excess water by wrapping the cut or grated squash in a piece of fabric and squeezing out the water. Alternatively, you can saute the veggies before cooking which will also remove most of the excess water.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Stevi
Because I can't eat onions or garlic, I'm always looking for recipes that can get along without them. This one is a winner. I have made it several times and always freeze servings for later. I don't always have ground chicken, so have used shredded chicken breast and it's still amazing.Reply
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
glad you liked it, yes shredded chicken is fine too!
Reply
Samantha Ray
I made this Chicken Zucchini Casserole tonight, and it was a hit with the kids! So glad to find a recipe that sneaks in some veggies. Julia, you always have the best ideas for family-friendly meals. Can't wait to try this with ground turkey next time!
Reply
Julia
thank you Samantha for your comment, it made my day!
Reply
Linda T
This was delicious! Great combination and easy ingredients. Was short on time so cooked it stovetop before finishing in oven. Seasoned and browned the chicken and when it was about 2/3 done added rest of ingredients except zucchini (which was still draining). Added zucchini in last few minutes, seasoned a bit with S, P, thyme, garlic and onion powder. Put it all in an oiled casserole dish, didn't use egg, spread about 2 TB sour cream on top then finished with shredded mixed cheddar and parmesan. Used about 3/4 cup cheese total just to cut down. Baked 12 minutes at 400 then broiled for a few more. Let it sit about 5 minutes to come together. So yummy and family says this is a keeper!! Only problem was we ate it so fast we were still hungry 🙂 Next time I'll make a salad and maybe potatoes with it. Thank you for this great recipe!Reply
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you so much for sharing Linda!
Reply
Mattie
My first time ever cooking with ground chicken and I really loved this recipe. I followed the directions as written and like someone else’s comment I drained the grease off of it before I added the cheese to the top. Will be making the recipe often and may add zucchini and squash a few times.
Reply
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Mattie!
Reply
Kelly
This dish is amazing. My mom and I fought over the last piece. I'm going to double the recipe next time. I served it with a kale salad.
Reply
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Hi! Kelly, you are amazing! Glad you liked it and kale salad sounds perfect for this kind of casserole.
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Marlene Wyzynski
When I saw this recipe, I knew I wanted to make it! I’m in the process of losing weight and thought that most of the ingredients were on the healthy side. (The sour cream and cheese make the dish a step above!) I used light sour cream in this dish and believe it would have set up better with full-fat sour cream since it was a little bit watery on top after 35 minutes in the oven. Once I put two cups of my shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top of it, it turned out wonderful! (I used a 9” X 13” casserole dish.) I will be making this again in the future! Thanks for an easy-to-make, yet very tasty, recipe, Julia!Reply
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Marlene for sharing, the top being watery could be the sour cream but might be the zucchini as well (not every zucchini will have the same texture).
Reply
Marlene Wyzynski
You’re welcome, Julia! I also thought the top being watery may have been the zucchini, if not the light sour cream. I’m making this dish again this evening! Love it!
CD
what temp do you bake on? it doesn't say.
Reply
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
400 F
Rhonda
I’m making this tonight. The picture of the bowl with the raw ingredients looks like it has one or two eggs in it but the recipe doesn’t mention them. Do I add eggs or not? Thanks!
Reply
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
yes Rhonda, we add 1 egg, please see the instructions in the post: ''Once done, gather all the ingredients (except cheese and sour cream) in a large mixing bowl and stir with a spatula or hands until combined.''
Reply
Tara gilson
Oh my goodness, I found this recipe wanting to figure out another way to use the zucchini from the garden. It was so delicious! I made as posted, no changes..Thank You!Reply
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you so much Tara!
Reply
molly
so delicious!! loved this! thank you! has anyone tried yellow squash in this. im trying to use up some yellows, but not sure if they would produce too much water even with sitting with salt
Reply
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Thank you so much, let me know if you try this with yellow squash!
Reply
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