BBQ Chicken Casserole (Dairy-free and Gluten-free)

A simple, delicious, and hearty BBQ  Chicken Casserole made with only four ingredients. Mashed sweet potatoes layered with sweet and savory shredded chicken and sauteed spinach is just what the end of your work week calls for!

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(Toast recently came out with their 15 Best Houston Food Blogs in 2022 and they included Black Allergy Mama!)

What’s the first ingredient that comes to your mind when you hear the word casserole?

For me, it’s cheese! Before leaning into creating allergy-friendly recipes, I would have never imagined how delectable a cheese-less casserole could be!

This hearty and savory BBQ Chicken Casserole is bound to be a hit with the whole family: the recipe uses shredded, organic chicken breasts, mashed sweet potatoes, and sauteed spinach.

I’m all about easy recipes, and this BBQ chicken casserole is just that. My crockpot did most of the heavy lifting and is responsible for the juicy and tender chicken!

Read on for the full recipe, and let me know your thoughts if you try it!

BBQ Chicken Casserole Ingredients

• 2 lbs Organic Chicken Breast
• 3 lbs Sweet Potatoes (baked, mashed)
• 10 oz Sauteed Spinach (frozen)
• 14 oz BBQ Sauce (Use your favorite or try mine!)
• 2 tsp Lemon juice
• 3 tbsp Plant-Based butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

How do you make BBQ Chicken Casserole?

PREPARE CHICKEN: Place chicken breast in the bottom of the crockpot.  Cover chicken with 14oz of BBQ. Toss chicken to ensure all breasts are coated. Slow cook on low heat for 4 hours until chicken is fully cooked (internal temp 165°F). Once cooled, shred of chicken with two forks.

I prefer to shred my chicken inside the crockpot with BBQ sauce! This method keeps the chicken moist. Set aside

PREPARE SWEET POTATOES: Preheat oven to 400°. Wrap potatoes in foil and bake for 45 minutes. Or wrap potatoes in a wet paper towel and microwave for 10-15 minutes until soft.

Once cooled, remove the potato skin and mash with 2 tbsp of butter, brown sugar,  and salt & pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Reduce stove temperature to 350°

PREPARE SPINACH: I use FROZEN veggies any chance I get. As a matter of fact, I use frozen steamable veggies in almost all my recipes. Call me lazy or a genius.

Simply prepare the spinach per the instructions. Once cooled, add spinach to a small bowl and season with remaining butter, lemon juice, and salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.

CASSEROLE ASSEMBLY: In a 2-quart casserole dish, layer ingredients starting with sweet potatoes,  followed by bbq chicken, and top with spinach.

Ladle all remaining bbq sauce over the casserole.

Bake 30 minutes/ 350° degrees

Should you season the chicken before adding it to the crockpot?

I prefer not to add more salt as my BBQ contains salt, as do the sweet potatoes and spinach.

The BBQ sauce I use is very flavorful, and the cooking time allows the chicken to soak up all the flavor.

Do you put BBQ sauce on the chicken before or after slow cooking?

This recipe tastes best if you pour all the sauce on top of the raw chicken in the crock pot. Allowing the chicken to simmer in the sauce would be my recommendation. I also suggest shredding the chicken while still submerged in the BBQ Sauce.

Can I make this dish without a crockpot?

Yes. Simply add the chicken and sauce to a large pot and simmer on low, covered for 60 minutes. Checking to ensure the chicken remains submerged.