This Italian Chicken Meal Prep Casserole is made with tender chicken, juicy tomatoes, spinach, and Italian seasoning for a family-friendly, low-carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free meal. There’s a vegetarian option in the recipe notes!
What chicken is best for meal prep?
When I make chicken casseroles like this one, I like to use any leftover chicken that I have in my fridge. If you don’t have any cooked chicken leftovers on hand, you can get a rotisserie chicken, or cook your own instant pot whole chicken.
Using white meat is generally a healthier choice for my Italian chicken recipe. But, if you are making low-carb or keto chicken meal prep recipes, dark meat, which is high in fat, could also be a great option.
Italian chicken casserole Ingredients
- Cooked chicken – Like I mentioned earlier, this meal prep recipe is the perfect use for leftovers.
- Sour cream OR paleo mayo
- Zucchini – You can even use frozen zucchini noodles if you want to.
- Tomatoes – Fresh cherry tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes, your choice!
- Spinach
- Italian seasoning – Buy it pre-made or make your own blend.
How to store meal prep recipes
Making meals ahead is fantastic on its own, but secretly, my favorite thing about meal prep are the containers. I love the variety! Granted, not all of the meal prep containers on the market are good quality. In fact, some are seriously NOT winner winner chicken dinners.
Here’s what I look for in good quality meal prep containers:
- BPA-free
- Easy to wash
- Oven safe
- Pretty enough to serve meals from
Ello products are safe to use, and they are clean and green! You know what I mean? (Haha, see what I did there? It’s rhyme time!)
How to Make Italian chicken casserole
- Preheat oven and oil casserole dish/meal prep container. If meal prepping without baking, skip preheating oven.
- Toss chicken in sour cream or mayo. Mix in Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- Layer zucchini and spinach at the bottom of the casserole dish. Save extra spinach for top. If using zucchini noodles, be sure to drain excess liquid from the noodles before layering at the bottom.
- Place chicken mixture on top of spinach and zucchini.
- Spoon diced tomatoes on top of the chicken. Add any extra spinach on top.
- Add grated Parmesan to top of casserole. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown. If using for meal prep, cool the baked casserole before freezing. (Freeze for up to 3 months)
More of Our Favorite
Healthy meal prep Recipes
Italian Chicken Meal Prep Casserole (Keto, with Vegetarian option)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 1x
Description
This Italian chicken meal prep casserole is a great use for leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. It’s simple to make ahead and very kid friendly.
Ingredients
- 1 lb cooked chicken or uncooked boneless chicken strips (to be cooked in 1 Tablespoon olive oil) – see notes
- ⅓ cup cultured sour cream or paleo mayo
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning or blend of spices, preferably with garlic powder and oregano included.
- 1 to 2 cups zucchini, sliced or spiralized (pressed with paper towel to remove extra water)
- 2 cups spinach leaf, torn
- 1 ½ cups fresh cherry tomatoes, diced. Drain excess tomato juice before using. (If using canned tomatoes, use 14 oz can Italian herb flavor)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional: grated parmesan cheese for top of casserole
Instructions
Before you begin – TO AVOID EXCESS WATER in casserole, you can lightly bake zucchini slices in oven at 400F for 10 minutes before adding them to the casserole. This will remove excess water.
- Preheat oven to 350F and oil casserole dish/meal prep container. If meal prepping without baking, skip preheating oven.
- Toss chicken in sour cream or mayo. Mix in Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- Next, layer zucchini and spinach at the bottom of the casserole dish. Save extra spinach for top. If using zucchini noodles, be sure to drain excess liquid from the noodles before layering at the bottom.
- Place chicken mixture on top of spinach and zucchini.
- Lastly, spoon diced tomatoes on top of the chicken. Add any extra spinach on top.
- If desired, add grated Parmesan to top of casserole. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown. If using for meal prep, cool the baked casserole before freezing. (Freeze for up to 3 months)
Notes
- Oven safe meal prep casserole dish I use.
- If using uncooked chicken strips, first heat skillet on medium high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Place chicken strips in pan and cook, flipping every 2-3 minutes, until chicken is cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes, or until center is no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 165F. Place cooked chicken strips in a bowl and shred with fork, then mix in sour cream and Italian spices.
- Quick Cooked Meat Options – chicken sausage or gluten free Italian sausages (cooked and chopped) may also be used to replace boneless chicken.
Vegetarian Option – For a vegetarian option, simply make the recipe as shown, but leave out the chicken. Or, swap the chicken for pressed tofu or diced hard boiled eggs.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: dinner
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (includes cheese topping)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 95.2 mg
- Fat: 4.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.5 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 28.5 g
- Cholesterol: 87.1 mg
Very very good!!! I wanted a little more vegetables so I added 2 cans of quartered artichokes in water. I drained them and squeezed out the excess liquid. I did a 1/3 cup of mayo and sour cream since I added the artichokes. I also added mozzarella cheese, about 1/2 cup to the mix, and another to the top. So good!
Oh I love the addition of artichoke! I’ll definitely have to try that next, yum! Thanks for your feedback Melissa!
make sure to remove the juicy seedy part of the tomatoes
Thanks for that tip Lauren! Did you try the casserole with grape or cherry tomatoes?
Hi Lindsay,
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Question about Macros – the carb count is net or total carbs?
Also if veggie version what can we add and what will be the macros after?
Thank you once again
Should be total. But then subtract fiber and you can get net count. Does that make sense?
My kids love this dish!
So glad to hear that!
Meal prepping is my jam! really helps to get food on the table in a hurry! Loved the suggestion about these containers! Checking them out ASAP!
I know right?! That’s another reason I love meal prepping too! And the containers are so cool! I think you’ll love them as much as I do!
I love these containers!!! thank you for sharing!!
Yaayy! You’re welcome, Alice!
This was really delicious!! A huge hit at my house!
So glad everyone loved it! Thanks, Toni!
I’m always looking for more easy and healthy recipes! This one looks so delicious!
Thanks, Laura! Glad I was able to help!
This was our dinner last night and it was HUGE hit! Even my picky 13 year old loved it!
WooHoo!! Glad to hear that Lauren! Thanks!