Weight Loss Casserole–chicken, broccoli and mushrooms in a creamy sauce. With only 265 calories per serving you can eat this high protein meal guilt-free! Make this dish in the Instant Pot or Crockpot.
Weight Loss Casserole
After a long weekend of eating heavy Thanksgiving foods it’s time to get back on track with a healthier, lighter meal. But don’t worry you won’t be sacrificing flavor!
This meal is full of flavor and you get that creamy sauce love without a can of cream of soup, high fat mayonnaise, cream cheese or sour cream. The trick to this dish is cottage cheese! It’s a cool trick. You blend up the cottage cheese in a blender until it’s the consistency of sour cream and then stir it into the chicken. It gives you the satisfaction and texture you want with only a fraction of the calories (only 206 calories in a cup of cottage cheese compared to 445 calories in sour cream, 776 calories in a brick of cream cheese).
The chicken, mushrooms, broccoli and sauce taste great by themselves. But if you want something to sop up the sauce try serving this over quinoa, cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower or spaghetti squash.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Olive oil–or butter
- Onion–yellow or white
- White mushrooms–or baby bella
- Kosher salt
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Dried thyme leaves
- Dried rosemary leaves
- Chicken broth–or water and better than bouillon
- Chicken tenderloins–fresh or frozen
- Frozen broccoli florets–or another choice of frozen vegetables like cauliflower, mixed vegetables
- Cornstarch
- Cottage cheese–I used full fat, low fat is okay too
Steps
Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the oil and swirl around. Add in the onions and saute for 2 minutes.
Add in the mushrooms and saute for 3 more minutes. Stir in the salt, garlic powder, pepper, thyme and rosemary.
Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Lay chicken tenders in the pot, in mostly one layer, if possible.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 2 minutes for fresh tenders or 3 minutes for frozen.
Meanwhile, microwave the broccoli florets according to package directions. Blend the cottage cheese in a blender until smooth and creamy.
When pressure cooking time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and 3 Tbsp of water until smooth. Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. Add in the cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce. Then turn off Instant Pot.
Stir in the broccoli and blended cottage cheese.
Serve over cauliflower rice, quinoa, rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, spaghetti squash, etc.
Notes/Tips
- Serve over cauliflower rice, quinoa, rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, spaghetti squash, garlic bread, etc. This goes nicely with a green salad or fruit salad on the side.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- This recipe is gluten free.
- For extra flavor add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice into the sauce.
- Other recipes you can make with cottage cheese are Instant Pot Million Dollar Casserole and Instant Pot Egg Bites.
More Skinny Instant Pot Recipes…
Instant Pot Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup
A healthier version of a very popular soup. Because the base of the soup is made of yellow potatoes instead of butter, flour and cream this soup is gluten free and lighter than it’s original counterpart.
Instant Pot Skinny Chicken Alfredo
A lighter version of creamy, dreamy chicken alfredo that you can make all in one pot, your Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Skinny Honey Lemon Chicken
A fast and easy chicken breast recipe with a light lemony sauce.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Weight Loss Casserole (Instant Pot or Crockpot)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Chicken, broccoli and mushrooms in a creamy sauce. With only 265 calories per serving you can eat this high protein meal guilt-free!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, quartered
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 3/4 pounds (28 ounces) chicken tenderloins
- 1 (12 oz) bag frozen broccoli florets
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup cottage cheese
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the oil and swirl around. Add in the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and saute for 3 more minutes.
- Stir in the salt, garlic powder, pepper, thyme and rosemary.
- Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Lay chicken tenders in the pot, in mostly one layer, if possible.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 2 minutes for fresh tenders or 3 minutes for frozen.
- Meanwhile, microwave the broccoli florets according to package directions. Blend the cottage cheese in a blender until smooth and creamy.
- When pressure cooking time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and 3 Tbsp of water until smooth. Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. Add in the cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce. Then turn off Instant Pot.
- Stir in the broccoli and blended cottage cheese.
- Serve over cauliflower rice, quinoa, rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, spaghetti squash, etc.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add in the oil and swirl around. Add in the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and saute for 3 more minutes. Add to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the salt, garlic powder, pepper, thyme and rosemary.
- In a small bowl stir together the broth and cornstarch until smooth. Stir it into the pot. Then nestle in the chicken tenders.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. Add in the broccoli and cover and cook for 30 more minutes.
- Blend the cottage cheese in a blender until smooth and creamy then stir it into the slow cooker.
- Serve over cauliflower rice, quinoa, rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, spaghetti squash, etc.
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Cheryl says
Followed the recipe exactly. The chicken was overcooked and there was too much rosemary for my taste. The sauce was not creamy. It was more watery even with the cornstarch and cottage cheese.
Paula Busa says
This looks wonderful for meal prep. Do you think I can freeze it in single portions for myself when my Hubby wants pizza take out? Eeek! Also, can I use fresh broccoli?
Karen says
You can use fresh broccoli but make sure to cook it before you stir it in after pressure cooking time is over.
Paula says
Yes! I can use your zero minute veggies technique before hand. Love that! And it should all freeze nicely I think. Thank you!
Aimee says
Just want to thank you for an easy, delicious meal that I can make in my IP. I was searching for some new recipes to take to work for lunches. I too was pleasantly surprised about the cottage cheese trick. This recipe is going right in my book for future use. Much appreciated!
Karen says
You’re welcome Aimee! This is the perfect thing to bring to lunch.
Joni says
I signed up for emails in the first one I got was for this weight loss casserole. Very timely as we were feeling over stuffed from Thanksgiving and had some chicken thawed in the fridge and all of the ingredients in the house except for the mushrooms. It was super easy and we were stunned that the cottage cheese turned into such a creamy sauce. It was good and comforting and you would never know it was only five Weight Watchers points for the whole pot. Next time I make it I will use less pepper because I’m not a fan of pepper but I still enjoyed it and my husband loved it.
Karen says
So glad you tried it and enjoyed it! Yes the cottage cheese is a great trick 🙂