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High Protein Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Bake
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High-Protein Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Bake

Creamy, cheesy and packed with 72g of protein per serving, this chicken and broccoli bake is the kind of healthy dinner that doesn't feel healthy. The creamy sauce is made with smooth cottage cheese and Greek yoghurt, while Parmesan, mozzarella, garlic and Dijon give it plenty of flavour.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken, High protein
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 455kcal

Ingredients

  • Chicken & broccoli:
  • 1 kg raw, skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 300 g broccoli florets
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • Creamy sauce:
  • 250 g fat-free smooth cottage cheese
  • 100 g plain Greek yoghurt
  • 100 ml water
  • 2 tsp chicken stock powder
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp dried Italian herbs
  • 20 g Parmesan finely grated
  • 40 g mozzarella grated

Instructions

1. Roast the Broccoli

  • Preheat your oven to 200°C.
  • Place the broccoli florets on a baking tray.
  • Toss with ½ tsp of the olive oil, salt & pepper to taste.
  • Don't skip the roasting step - it gives the broccoli much more flavour and helps prevent the finished bake from becoming watery.

2. Brown the chicken

  • Heat the remaining ½ tsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
  • Season the chicken with a paprika, garlic powder, and a little salt and pepper.
  • Because you're using 1kg of chicken, cook it in 2–3 batches rather than overcrowding the pan.
  • Brown the chicken for around 3–5 minutes per batch, turning occasionally. You're looking for good colour on the outside rather than cooking it completely through.
  • Transfer the browned chicken to a large baking dish.

3. Make the creamy protein sauce

  • Make the creamy protein sauce by adding the following to a blender:
    -Cottage cheese
    -Greek yoghurt
    -100ml water
    -Chicken stock powder
    -Dijon mustard
    -Garlic
    -Onion powder
    -Italian herbs
    -Parmesan
  • Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

4. Assemble

  • Add the roasted broccoli to the baking dish with the chicken.
  • Pour over the creamy cottage-cheese sauce and gently mix everything together, making sure the chicken and broccoli are well coated.
  • Sprinkle the 40g grated mozzarella evenly over the top.

5. Bake

  • Place the dish in the oven at 200°C.
  • Bake for approximately 18–22 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling, the mozzarella is melted and golden, and the chicken is completely cooked through.
  • If you have a meat thermometer, the thickest pieces of chicken should reach 74°C.

6. Rest & serve

  • Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  • Finish with freshly cracked black pepper and a little fresh parsley if you have some.

Notes

455 calories | 72g protein | 10g carbs | 12g fat
Nutrition calculated using the ingredients and quantities above. Actual values may vary slightly depending on the brands used.