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    Home » What We're Eating » Skinny Rotisserie Chicken and Grits Casserole

    Skinny Rotisserie Chicken and Grits Casserole

    Published: Apr 29, 2016 by Blair Lonergan

    Jump to Recipe
    A collage image of chicken and grits casserole

    A classic Southern dish gets a healthy makeover in this easy Skinny Rotisserie Chicken and Grits Casserole! The combination of chicken, cheese, and barbecue sauce makes this a family-friendly weeknight dinner -- and best of all, this low-calorie meal is ready for the oven in only 15 minutes! 

    A chicken and grits casserole in a blue bowl

    You just can't beat the convenience of a rotisserie chicken that you bring home from the grocery store fully cooked and ready to go! This casserole takes advantage of any leftover or store-bought chicken to keep the prep time minimal.

    What are Grits?

    For those of you that are not familiar, grits is a coarsely ground cornmeal very similar to polenta.

    It's made in the same way you'd make porridge or polenta by cooking it over a low/medium heat in a saucepan with liquid usually water or milk.

    My Top Tip to Speed Things Up!

    You can buy fast-cook grits in the supermarket that are much quicker to prepare.

    Luckily this chicken and grits casserole doesn't require you to stand stirring a pot for 30-40 minutes.

    5 minutes is all you need then it's mix with the other ingredients and poured into a casserole dish to be baked, simple!

    A classic Southern dish gets a healthy makeover in this easy Skinny Rotisserie Chicken and Grits Casserole! The combination of chicken, cheese, and barbecue sauce makes this a family-friendly weeknight dinner -- and best of all, this low-calorie dish is ready for the oven in only 15 minutes!

    Southern cooking tends to have a bad reputation as a heavy, calorie-laden cuisine that's not particularly friendly on the waistline. Well guess what, my friends?!

    You can banish any notions of an unhealthy chicken and grits dinner, because this creamy, cheesy meal is about to knock your socks off!

    How to Make Grits Casserole Healthy

    I've made a few simple swaps with this recipe to make it skinny, filling and delicious.

    When it comes to chicken broth stick to a fat-free and low sodium version. It's healthier and doesn't compromise flavor.

    Also, by using low-fat cream cheese which creates a deliciously cheesy, creamy flavor and by using 1% low-fat milk the calories are reduced significantly.

    A side shot of chicken and grits casserole in a blue bowl

    Serving Suggestions

    My whole family enjoys this dinner, thanks to the mild and familiar flavors. We like to garnish our cheese grits with barbecue sauce and sliced green onion for added zest, but that's totally optional.

    If you have some picky palates in your home, the casserole is also delicious served as-is! It's simple, easy comfort food that's ready when you need it -- FAST!

    A classic Southern dish gets a healthy makeover in this easy Skinny Rotisserie Chicken and Grits Casserole! The combination of chicken, cheese, and barbecue sauce makes this a family-friendly weeknight dinner -- and best of all, this low-calorie dish is ready for the oven in only 15 minutes!

    Top Tips to Remember

    • Use rotisserie chicken to speed things up or alternatively use up leftover chicken you have in your fridge.
    • If you have raw chicken make sure to cook it first.
    • Feel free to use low-fat cheddar to reduce calories.
    • Make sure to use quick-cook grits for this recipe.
    • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days and reheated until piping hot. As grits absorb liquid you will probably need to add a little extra liquid when reheating (stock, water or milk).

    Looking for more healthy and family-friendly dinners? Try these favorites:

    • 4-Ingredient Healthy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
    • Barbecue Chicken Ramen Noodle Bowls
    • Sheet Pan Supper: Skinny Chicken Taco Fries
    Print Pin
    5 from 2 votes

    Skinny Rotisserie Chicken and Grits Casserole

    A combination of chicken, cheese and barbecue sauce mix with comforting southern grits. This meal is not only super easy but healthy too!
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Chicken and grits, Grits Casserole
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes
    Servings 6 (1-cup servings)
    Calories 308kcal
    Author The Seasoned Mom

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups 1% low-fat milk
    • ¾ cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
    • 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup 2 ounces finely-grated Cheddar cheese
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 3 ounces ⅓-less-fat cream cheese
    • 2 large egg whites
    • 1 ½ cups about 9 ounces diced rotisserie chicken
    • ¼ cup barbecue sauce
    • Sliced green onions for garnish

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 11-inch by 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
    • Combine milk and broth in a medium heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Gradually add grits and salt to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk.
    • Cook for 5 minutes, or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in Cheddar, butter, and cream cheese until smooth.
    • Stir in egg whites and chicken.
    • Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish.
    • Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until set.
    • Just before serving, drizzle with barbecue sauce and garnish with green onions.

    Notes

    Adapted from MyRecipes.com
    • Use rotisserie chicken to speed things up or alternatively use up leftover chicken you have in your fridge.
    • If you have raw chicken make sure to cook it first.
    • Feel free to use low-fat cheddar to reduce calories.
    • Make sure to use quick-cook grits for this recipe.
    • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days and reheated until piping hot. As grits absorb liquid you will probably need to add a little extra liquid when reheating (stock, water or milk).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 808mg | Potassium: 355mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 480IU | Calcium: 294mg | Iron: 10.4mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

      April 29, 2016 at 7:22 am

      I love using rotisserie chicken when cooking! You just can't beat the flavor and ease of not having to cook the chicken. This casserole looks fantastic, Blair! I love the addition of grits and bbq sauce. What a creative combo!

      Reply
      • Blair

        April 29, 2016 at 7:53 am

        Thanks, Gayle! I totally agree -- it's one of my favorite shortcuts! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious

      April 29, 2016 at 10:45 am

      Rotisserie chicken makes cooking so much easier! I love this skinny twist. Another must try from you!

      Reply
      • Blair

        April 29, 2016 at 2:13 pm

        Thanks so much, Megan! I'm all about the shortcuts!

        Reply
    3. Jen | Baked by an Introvert

      April 29, 2016 at 1:58 pm

      Yummo, lady!! This is my kind of dinner. Skinny and easy. After baking all day, I do not want to slave over an evening meal. Love the use of rotisserie. And chicken and grits... classic!!

      Reply
      • Blair

        April 29, 2016 at 2:13 pm

        Thanks, Jen! I feel the same way -- after a busy day of blogging from the kitchen, my kids are lucky if they don't get cereal for dinner! Hah! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Ruwani

      April 29, 2016 at 2:33 pm

      Wow !This casserole looks so good and I love creamy and cheesy goodness 🙂 Best thing is it's SKINNY !

      Reply
      • Blair

        April 30, 2016 at 11:17 am

        Thanks, Ruwani! It's so cheesy -- total comfort food -- and you'd never guess that it's healthy by the way it tastes! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Emily

      January 24, 2019 at 9:31 am

      5 stars
      I love how cosy and comforting this is, yum!

      Reply
      • Blair

        January 24, 2019 at 12:08 pm

        Thanks, Emily!

        Reply
    6. Cathy

      December 25, 2019 at 8:14 am

      5 stars
      What are grits? I’m from Canada, is it like oatmeal?

      Reply
      • Blair

        December 25, 2019 at 10:00 am

        Hi, Cathy! Grits are a popular dish in the South (often served for breakfast). They're made from boiled cornmeal, and are often combined with other seasonings and ingredients (like cheese!). 🙂

        Reply
    7. Beckie Manning

      March 22, 2020 at 7:32 pm

      I made this tonight with what we had on hand during our corona virus quarantine. I had rotisserie chicken that i had earlier divided up into recipe portions and frozen. I decided to use one egg instead of the two whites to save using too many eggs .I had some cream cheese, but it had veggies in it. That added some great flavor. I didn’t have green onions, so we chopped up celery and put it on top. My husband used buffalo wing sauce—which was fitting with the celery, and I used the bbq sauce. It was really quite good!

      Reply
      • Blair

        March 23, 2020 at 5:48 am

        Sounds great, Beckie! I'm so glad that you were able to make it work for you!

        Reply

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    Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you'll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It's down-home, country-style cooking!

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