Confetti Chicken Casserole

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Transform chicken, kale and corn into a delicious chicken casserole that comes together quickly if you prep a few key ingredients ahead of time!

I’m so excited to share a recipe from my friend Cassy of Fed & Fit today. Although I’ve followed Cassy’s blog for years, I finally met her in person at the Everything Food Conference this year. Cassy was in Salt Lake for the conference, but also there for her book tour.

I learned a little bit more about the book and her focus on batch-cooking and was SOLD. Ya’ll know I’m a huge advocate of meal planning and I love the batch-cooking method so this was right up my alley.

chicken casserole in a casserole dish topped with cheese, bacon, and green onions.

I was so excited to get her new cookbook, Cook Once, Eat All Week and dug in literally as soon as I got home from the conference. The idea behind the book is to take three simple ingredients and turn them into three easy-to-assemble meals. Genius, right?! I spent a little over 2 hours in the kitchen on the weekend, but then had key ingredients ready to make three different meals for the week.

I followed Week 9 in the book, which focuses on baked chicken, kale and corn. I picked this menu because I love fresh corn and it’s in season right now. With the chicken, kale and corn that I prepped on Sunday we were able to make three tasty meals: this Confetti Chicken Casserole, Mexican Chicken and Corn Street Tacos and a Green Goddess Salad.

wood spoon taking a scoop out of the confetti chicken casserole made with corn, kale, cheese and bacon.

Everything was delicious and super easy to put together since I’d done the prep work on Sunday. The recipes made 4-6 servings and since it’s just me and Isaac eating, the three meals made enough for 7 dinners, with just 2 hours of prep on the weekend and about 30 minutes of prep/cooking on the three nights we served the meals.

It felt super streamlined and I loved how easy it was. It was also really cool to see three simple ingredients transform into flavorful and unique meals that made us totally forget we were eating the same three ingredients all week.

Isaac and I enjoyed all the meals, but this Confetti Chicken Casserole was definitely our favorite, which is why I asked Cassy if I could share the recipe with you! Hopefully, this gives you a good taste of what Cook Once, Eat All Week is all about and inspires you to start batch-cooking as part of your meal prep routine.

a bowl of chicken casserole made with corn, kale, cheese and bacon. topped with green onions.

Ingredients in Confetti Chicken Casserole

  • corn
  • kale
  • onion
  • red bell pepper
  • garlic 
  • chicken
  • mayonnaise (we’re using avocado oil mayo)
  • cheddar cheese (totally optional)
  • bacon
  • green onion
  • black pepper
confetti chicken casserole ingredients mixed in a bowl: kale, corn, chicken, onion, peppers and mayo.

How to Meal Prep Chicken Casserole

The whole point of Cassy’s cookbook is to batch-cook simple ingredients and turn them into three easy meals to enjoy throughout the week, but since I’m just sharing the chicken casserole recipe, I’m only going to give you details of how to prep for that meal.

Bake Chicken

To bake the chicken, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 40 minutes in a 375°F oven, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the juices run clean when cut. When cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into 1/2 inch cubes. Let cool completely and store in the refrigerator until ready to prep the casserole.

Cook Bacon

I also like to bake my bacon in the oven so it doesn’t splatter all over my stovetop – bake on a rimmed baking sheet at 400ºF until crisp, 12 to 18 minutes. The total time will depend on the thickness of your bacon. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool. Be sure to use a rimmed baking sheet because grease will form and if your baking sheet isn’t rimmed it will drip all over your oven and could cause a fire.

Cook Onion and Red Pepper Mixture

For this step, just heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion, peppers, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 to 6 minutes, until the vegetables are wilted and slightly browned. This can be done up to 3-4 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator until ready to prep the casserole.

Cook Corn

If you choose to use fresh corn on the cob, you’ll need to cook it in advance. Just husk the corn, and bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the water reaches a boil, add the corn and boil for 5 minutes, then remove from the pot. Once cool, slice the corn kernels off the cob. I share an awesome tip for cutting corn from the cob in my corn salad recipe so be sure to check that out!

Shred Kale

Wash and remove stems from the kale and shred it ahead of time. This step isn’t 100% necessary as you can certainly do this night you want to make the casserole, but it helps keep the casserole prep super easy.

Put Casserole Together and Bake

The night you want to serve the casserole, it’s basically just a bunch of mixing! In a large bowl, stir the onion and red bell pepper mixture, corn, kale, chicken, mayo, salt, and pepper. Transfer this mixture to a baking dish and top with shredded cheese and bacon. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes. Top with green onion for garnish and enjoy!

a bowl of chicken casserole made with corn, kale, cheese and bacon. topped with green onions. Fork, casserole dish and napkin are beside the bowl.

Want to learn more about batch cooking or find more recipes like these? Grab your copy of Cook Once, Eat All Week.

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3.99 from 103 votes

Confetti Chicken Casserole

Transform chicken, kale and corn into a delicious chicken casserole that comes together quickly if you prep a few key ingredients ahead of time!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients  

  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 2 red bell peppers, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 cups cooked fresh corn kernels, or frozen
  • 2 cups shredded lacinato, aka dinosaur kale
  • 4 cups cubed baked chicken, you’ll need 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts – see notes
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional
  • 6 strips bacon, cooked and sliced or crumbled
  • 1 large green onion for garnish

Instructions 

  • Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion, peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, until the vegetables are wilted and slightly browned. This can be done up to 3-4 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator until ready to prep the casserole.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • In a large bowl, stir together the precooked onion and bell pepper mixture, corn, kale, chicken, mayo, salt and pepper until combined.
  • Transfer the chicken mixture to a 3-quart (9X13) rectangular casserole dish, then top with the cheddar cheese and bacon.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
  • Meanwhile, slice the green onion and set aside.
  • After removing the casserole from the oven, let it cool slightly, then garnish with green onions and serve!

Notes

  • To bake chicken: preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place about 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast on the lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 40 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the juices run clean when cut. When cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into 1/2 inch cubes. This can be done in advance, just store in the refrigerator until ready to prep the casserole.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of recipes | Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 696mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Lunch/Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken casserole
Did you make this recipe?Mention @eatingbirdfood and tag #eatingbirdfood!

About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

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Recipe Rating




49 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    My husband and I really liked this casserole! The kids thought it was ok, and they ate most of it. We served it over white rice. Next time I will reduce the amount of corn and add more bacon, but we are definitely making this again!

  2. I really want to make this for my mother and I as it sounds like something we’d both enjoy. I was wondering if regular mayo would work? I have avocado oil, I have regular may, I just don’t have avocado oil mayo.

  3. 5 stars
    We LOVE this recipe. It comes into rotation often in our house. You can easily switch up the ingredients with what you have. Sometimes we use different color peppers, add frozen peas if we don’t have corn and I’ve used turkey bacon a couple times as well. It’s comforting, healthy, and easy to put together with leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the store.

    1. Woo! This makes me so happy, Miah! I’m glad you’re enjoying this recipe, thank you so much for sharing your review and star rating, I appreciate it so much.

  4. 5 stars
    Wow this recipe is SO GOOD!!!!! healthy and delicious! Eating bird food is by far my favorite food blog, so many great recipes!!

    1. Ahh yay! This means so much to me, I am excited to hear that you are loving this recipe, Katie. Thank you so much for sharing your review & star rating, I truly appreciate it!

  5. 5 stars
    Yum! Per the previous comment (and amount of ingredients on hand) we did 1/2 corn and 1.5x bacon and it was perfect! Held up great in the fridge for meal prep. Will def make again!

    1. Amazing! I am SO glad you gave this recipe a try and it is a hit, Sara. Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!

  6. 5 stars
    This is my husband’s favorite meal. I’ve made it at least once a month for the past 3 years. I also take it as a meal often to friends who’ve had a baby, surgery, etc and it always gets compliments. My younger two kids usually just pick out & eat the chicken, bacon and corn but my older two eat it all. I love it with sweet potato chips crushed up on top & served with a side salad! I also tried it once with a side of crispy diced & oven roasted sweet potatoes which was delicious. My husband prefers it with a side of sliced Italian bread. I actually sub in chopped spinach now for the chopped kale because it’s easier to find/cheaper and it tastes similar. And I use a can and a half of whole kernel sweet corn so I don’t need to mess with thawing the frozen corn. Thank you for this recipe!

    1. Ahh this is amazing, Alyssa. I am so happy to hear that you and your husband are loving this recipe. Love to hear your twist on it too! Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me!

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