AIP Italian Chicken Casserole

This casserole dish is packed with so much goodness! The addition of basil pesto in this recipe gives it a creamy, herby flavor that pairs so well with the sweet potatoes and mushrooms.

If you follow me along on Instagram, you will know that it features almost weekly in my meal prep. It's become a real favorite in our home, and I usually prepare a big batch for the week. You can quickly freeze half of this batch so that it lasts longer too.

Ingredients

Servings: 10

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

1 kg Pasture-raised ground chicken

3 tbsp olive oil

1 large white onion, finely chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

4 tbsp bone broth or water

3 cups mushrooms, sliced

1 x large bunch of kale, chopped (275g) or baby spinach, chopped

1/2 cup AIP Basil Pesto Sauce (you can find my recipe here)

Method

1. Start by heating 2 tbsp olive oil in a casserole, then add your ground chicken and cook on medium-high heat till its cooked through—about 15-20 min. Ensure that you quickly break it into small pieces so that it doesn't cook into chunks.

2. Remove the ground mince once it's cooked through and set aside.

3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the casserole and add the chopped onion and cook for 3min until translucent. 

4. Add the garlic cloves and cook till fragrant, for about 30 seconds. 

5. Add the sweet potato, sea salt, garlic and onion powders to the casserole with the bone broth, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on medium heat for up to 10minutes till it’s almost cooked through. 

6. While the sweet potatoes cook through, prepare the AIP basil pesto recipe and set aside. 

7. Add the mushrooms to the casserole and stir to combine. Cook uncovered for 3-5 minutes. 

8. Lower the heat and add your chopped kale or spinach. Stir to combine and cook for about 3 minutes till it’s wilted.

9. Turn off the heat and add your ground chicken and the AIP pesto sauce into the casserole and stir well to combine. 

Serve with lettuce.

Variation: switch it up and experiment with different root vegetables like carrots and parsnips.

Meal prepping tip: freeze half the batch in an airtight container and defrost it once ready. This casserole dish will last up to 2-3 months if you can make it last that long without eating it.