High-Protein Creamy Chicken Broccoli Bake
Low carb, sugar-free and ready in 35 minutes — seared chicken and bright broccoli folded through a silky garlic-herb cream sauce
This high-protein creamy chicken broccoli bake keeps every promise on the cover: low carb, sugar-free, ready in 35 minutes — with 32g protein, 6g net carbs and 310 calories per serving. Chicken pieces are seared golden first, then baked with bright broccoli in a garlic-herb cream sauce, like the tray in the photo.
Per serving: 310 calories, 32g protein and 6g net carbs. Ready in 35 minutes.
Why you’ll love this chicken broccoli bake
- 32g protein per serving for just 310 calories
- Low carb and sugar-free — exactly as promised on the cover
- On the table in a genuine 35 minutes
- Deeply seared, golden chicken — never pale and steamed
- Bright green broccoli that stays tender-crisp
- A silky garlic-herb cream sauce with zero flour
Health notes
- Chicken breast: Lean, seared hard for colour before it ever meets the sauce.
- Broccoli: Fibre-rich and low carb; it finishes in the oven, not in the water.
- Cream cheese sauce: Thickens the sauce naturally — no flour, no starch, no roux.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley and basil bring the green flecks from the photo with no sugar.
- Locked from the cover: The photo supplied the title, claims, time and macros, so they are kept consistent throughout the block.
Key element — sear the chicken hard, blanch the broccoli bright
Sear the chicken in a hot pan until properly golden — that colour is what you see in the photo, and poached chicken will never give it. Blanch the broccoli for just 2 minutes so it stays bright green and tender-crisp; the oven finishes it without turning it grey.
Ingredients
Chicken and broccoli
- 2 lb chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1½ lb broccoli florets
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Creamy sauce
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup chicken stock (no added sugar)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more to serve
Swaps
- Cheesy top: Scatter mozzarella over the bake for the last 5 minutes.
- Chicken thighs: Cubed boneless thighs — juicier, slightly higher in calories.
- Cauliflower: Swap half the broccoli for cauliflower florets.
- Spicy: ¼ teaspoon of chilli flakes in the sauce.
Instructions
| 1 | Blanch the broccoli. Heat the oven to 400°F. Boil the florets for 2 minutes until bright green, then drain well. They will finish cooking in the oven. |
| 2 | Sear the chicken. Toss the chicken with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sear in the hot olive oil in two batches, 4–5 minutes each, until deeply golden. Transfer to a plate — it does not need to be cooked through yet. |
| 3 | Build the sauce. In the same pan over medium heat, melt the butter and stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Whisk in the stock, cream, cream cheese and Parmesan until smooth and glossy. Stir in the Italian seasoning, onion powder and parsley. |
| 4 | Assemble the bake. Arrange the seared chicken and broccoli in a greased 9×13-inch tray (a foil tray like the photo is perfect). Pour the sauce evenly over everything and turn to coat. |
| 5 | Bake. Bake for 15–18 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the chicken is cooked through. For deeper colour, grill/broil for 2 minutes, watching closely. |
| 6 | Rest and serve. Rest for 5 minutes so the sauce settles. Scatter with fresh parsley and serve straight from the tray. |
Pro tips
- Two searing batches beat one crowded pan — crowded chicken steams instead of browning.
- Bright green broccoli in, grey broccoli out: 2 minutes is plenty.
- Whisk the sauce until the cream cheese fully disappears — lumps never melt in the oven.
- Undercook the chicken slightly in the sear; the oven finishes it.
- This one reheats like a dream — a splash of stock in the skillet brings the sauce back.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 310 |
| Protein | 32g |
| Net carbohydrates | 6g |
| Total carbohydrates | 9g |
| Fiber | 3g |
| Total fat | 15g |
| Sodium | 640mg |
Per serving (6 servings), locked from the cover: 32g protein, 6g net carbs, 310 calories. Exact macros vary slightly with chicken size and how much sauce clings to each piece.
Variations
Alfredo style
Extra Parmesan and a pinch of nutmeg in the sauce.
Ranch twist
A teaspoon of sugar-free ranch seasoning in the sauce.
Cheesy crust
Top with crushed pork rinds and Parmesan for the last 5 minutes.
One-pan version
Skip the tray: build the sauce in an oven-safe skillet and bake right in it.
Storage
| Method | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Up to 4 days | Airtight container; the sauce firms up cold and loosens on reheating |
| Freezer | Up to 2 months | Freeze in portions; thaw overnight for best texture |
| Reheat | — | Skillet over medium heat with a splash of stock until bubbling |
