I make this Chicken Zucchini Casserole every summer when zucchini seems to multiply overnight. The ground chicken makes it hearty enough for dinner, the cheesy topping keeps everyone coming back for seconds, and it's one of my favorite ways to sneak extra vegetables onto the table without anyone complaining.
My son especially loves these cozy one-pan dinners, and I love that they're easy to prep ahead and make great leftovers for lunch the next day.
My son loves these types of one-pan dinners. They're delicious and full of veggies, like my chicken zucchini boats, zucchini casserole, and parmesan zucchini slices.
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Ingredient Notes
- Zucchini - I always grate the zucchini instead of chopping it because it blends beautifully into the casserole. Don't skip squeezing out the excess moisture-it makes the biggest difference in keeping the casserole from turning watery.
- Garlic powder - The essential aromatic you can't forget in almost every savory dish.
- Carrot - Adds a little pop of color, texture, and sweet taste, and it tastes superb in combination with chicken zucchini.
- Lean ground chicken - This can be substituted with skillet-browned and chopped skinless boneless chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken.
- Italian herbs - These herbs make a simple casserole taste fabulous! But they are not essential. If you don't have them, the casserole will still taste great with salt and pepper.
- Shredded cheese - Once done, top the bake generously with cheese! However, it's personal preference; you can also use only ¾ cups or less, depending on the size of your baking dish.
Zucchini has numerous health benefits and a soft, delicate texture. I love to use in stuffings, patties, fritters, muffins, cakes, and quick breads.
🥒 READ ALSO: 55 Best Zucchini Recipes
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.
- 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.
🥒 Read also: 18 Types of Zucchini You Didn't Know About
Julia's Best Tips
- Squeeze the zucchini really well - This is the most important step! I usually wrap the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as I can. It keeps the casserole from turning watery.
- Don't overbake it - Bake just until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Overbaking can dry out the casserole.
- Customize the vegetables - This recipe is very forgiving. I've added chopped mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, corn, peas, and even chopped artichokes with great results.
- Freshly grate the cheese - It melts more smoothly and gives you that beautiful golden topping that everyone loves.
- Make it ahead - I often assemble the casserole a few hours before dinner, cover it, and refrigerate it until I'm ready to bake.
- Turn leftovers into lunch - We love reheating leftovers and serving them with a simple salad or tucked into a wrap the next day.
What To Serve With Chicken Zucchini Casserole
- Grains: lime cilantro rice, yellow 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).
Storing Leftovers
- To Store. Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I love having leftovers for lunch because the flavors are even better the next day.
- To Freeze. You can freeze the baked casserole for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely before wrapping it tightly or transferring it to a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To Make Ahead. Assemble the casserole (without baking), cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you're ready, bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes if it's coming straight from the fridge.
- To Reheat. Cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through, or microwave individual portions for a quick lunch. If you like an extra cheesy topping, sprinkle on a little more cheese before reheating in the oven.
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken?
Indeed, 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.
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Buy Now → Favorite Zucchini Recipes
Have extra zucchini? Check out my collection of 55+ Zucchini Recipes for more easy dinners, snacks, breads, and desserts.
Before You Head Out
If you gave this recipe a try, I'd be so thankful if you could leave a ★★★★★ rating and review below. It helps other readers, supports my work, and means the world to me. Thank you for being part of The Yummy Bowl family. Happy cooking! ❤️
Recipe Card
Chicken Zucchini Casserole (With Ground Chicken)
Ingredients
Method
- 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!
Nutrition
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.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
FAQ
Yes! Rotisserie chicken is one of my favorite shortcuts for this recipe. Simply shred or chop the meat and mix it into the casserole as directed.
It's delicious with a crisp green salad, garlic bread, roasted potatoes, rice, or fresh tomato salad for an easy family dinner.
Absolutely! Assemble everything up to a day in advance, cover, and refrigerate until you're ready to bake.
The most common reason is not removing enough moisture from the zucchini. Be sure to salt it first, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible before mixing the filling.
No. I usually leave the skin on because it becomes nice and tender during baking and adds extra color. If you're using very large garden zucchini with thick skins, you may want to peel them.
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Shelli Frew
do you brown the ground chicken for this recipe before you bake it in the oven orncook it raw in the oven.
Ciara Jackson
Meal prepped this casserole for the week. My husband and I were disappointed in the lack of flavor. We love both ground chicken and zucchini and thought this would be a new staple but were wrong.
We even added extra cheese and our own seasonings to spruce it up.
Julia
Sad to hear this, but this is not a typical american casserole, and salt can be increased depending on taste. Good luck!
Anne Lawhon
Julia do you cook brown the ground chicken first?.
Julia
No it's ground chicken so no need to brown it first, it cooks in the casserole.
Anne
My all time favorite zucchini recipe. I now mix together yellow summer squash and zucchini, so good
MHBMHB
Hi Julia- I could have missed this, but if you don't add the sour cream on top, can this casssrole be made ahead and frozen, then baked later with the sour cream?
Julia
yes that would work, but I recommend baking it within 1-2 days max.
Christine Young
My husband and I really enjoyed this. I used 1 lb chicken, 2 small eggs, and frozen peas and carrots (because I didn't have any fresh carrots). Added mushrooms and extra garlic. I cooked everything in skillet before baking and reduced baking time. This is a great recipe for stretching out a pound of chicken to feed family of 5.
Lilly
Can't find where to rate this so I'll have to piggyback on MHBMHB's comment. I love all the ingredients and I followed the recipe exactly but I didn't care for this dish. There was definitely something missing, perhaps a sauce that blends through and through. It wasn't terrible; I just wouldn't make it again. Sorry.
Terry
Like you, I could not find where to rate this recipe. I make a modified version of this casserole all the time, and I love it. I DICE ~3 cups of zucchini, and I don’t worry about squeezing out any water. I don’t use egg or cheese. Instead, I use a can of cream of chicken soup, and I top the casserole with stuffing mixed with melted butter. Otherwise, it’s pretty much the same dish. Also - I almost forgot – I just use shredded chicken from a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
Julia
Thank you so much Terry! If you scroll down the recipe card, there are 5 star symbols, just click on them and it will ask you to rate and leave comment, thank you!
Alex J.
Sure, let me just whip up a Chicken Zucchini Casserole between finals. Julia, I barely have time to toast bread. Looks great though. Maybe if I start cooking now, I'll eat by graduation.
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.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
glad you liked it, yes shredded chicken is fine too!