Description

This Vegan Chicken Casserole with Broccoli is a hearty and comforting dish perfect for plant-based eaters. Featuring a creamy, flavorful filling made from vegan shredded chicken, broccoli, and a rich sauce of vegan sour cream and plant-based milk, it is topped with a crispy buttery cracker crust for a delightful texture contrast. This casserole is baked to golden perfection and served best over rice, quinoa, or vegan drop biscuits for a warm and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Filling Ingredients

2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups vegan broth (not chick’n broth or any vegetable broth), warmed
1 cup plain plant-based milk (soy milk or oat milk work best)
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 1/2 cups vegan sour cream (about a 12 oz container)
2 teaspoons soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
2 cups vegan shredded chicken or vegan chicken pieces, cut small

Topping Ingredients

4 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
1 1/2 cups crushed crackers (approximate from a tube)

Instructions

Prep the ingredients: Peel and dice the onion and mince the garlic. Chop broccoli florets and vegan chicken into bite-sized pieces. Warm 1 1/2 cups of vegan broth and set aside.
Preheat oven: Set oven temperature to 350º F (176°C). If serving over rice, grain, or biscuits, start preparing those now.
Sauté aromatics: Heat the light olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.
Create roux base: Sprinkle the flour over the sautéed onion and garlic mixture. Stir continuously for a couple of minutes until the flour is fully incorporated and slightly cooked.
Add liquids: Slowly pour in the warmed vegan broth a little at a time, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Then add the plant-based milk, continuing to stir until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy.
Enhance flavor: Stir in the vegan sour cream, poppy seeds, soy sauce, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Combine vegetables and protein: Add the chopped broccoli and vegan shredded chicken to the creamy sauce and stir thoroughly to combine evenly.
Prepare baking dish: If not baking directly in the skillet, spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and pour the casserole mixture into it evenly.
Make topping: Melt the vegan butter in a bowl, then crumble the crackers and mix them into the melted butter until well coated.
Add topping and bake: Sprinkle the buttery cracker mixture evenly over the casserole. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the topping is golden brown.
Serve: Remove from oven and serve hot over your choice of rice, quinoa, or vegan drop biscuits for a delicious and warming meal.

Notes

To keep the casserole gluten-free, use gluten-free crackers and flour.
For a nuttier topping, try incorporating crushed nuts along with crackers.
You can swap broccoli with other vegetables like cauliflower or green beans depending on preference and seasonality.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, reduce the amount of plant-based milk slightly or cook the sauce a bit longer before adding the veggies.
Vegan chicken can be substituted with chickpeas or mushrooms for a different texture.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Casserole
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Vegan casserole, vegan chicken casserole, broccoli casserole, plant-based dinner, vegan comfort food, dairy-free casserole