Start your day off right with this High Protein Breakfast Casserole. Made with a delicious combination of roasted sweet potato, spiced ground chicken, vegetables and eggs, it’s a well-balanced meal that’s perfect for meal prep!
It seems like more and more people are starting to focus on getting enough protein at breakfast, and as a Holistic Nutritional Consultant, this is something I love to see!
If this is something you’re paying attention to (which I believe everyone should!) and need some more breakfast ideas, this High Protein Breakfast Casserole is for you.
This casserole is full of flavour, absolutely delicious and packed with protein, fibre and complex carbs to keep you full and satisfied all morning. It’s also perfect for meal prep so you can enjoy a delicious and breakfast all week long.
Despite the name, this dish can really be enjoyed anytime of day. I could honestly eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner! I love it topped with hot sauce with a some avocado and salad on the side.
Ingredient notes
- Eggs: we’re using the whole egg since the yolks are packed with nutrients like Vitamin A, D, E, K and choline. If you can source pasture-raised eggs, even better!
- Ground chicken: you’ll need 1 pound of ground chicken (I used thighs for more flavour). You could also use ground turkey, ground beef or ground pork. If you have a lot of fat leftover after browning your meat, remove the meat with a slotted spoon and leave 1 tbsp worth of fat in the pan (omit the 1 tbsp of oil called for in the recipe).
- Sweet potato: I normally leave the skin on if I’m using organic sweet potatoes.
- Bell pepper: I used red bell pepper for this recipe, but you could really use any colour!
- Spinach: for some colour and added nutrients. Kale or chard could also be used. Just make sure to sauté until wilted before adding to the casserole dish (it will take longer than spinach).
- Onion: any variety works (white, yellow or red).
- Milk: feel free to use a dairy-free milk like unsweetened almond milk if needed.
- Cheddar cheese: the perfect finishing touch! This recipe calls for cheddar cheese, but you can use mozzarella, feta or any cheese that you prefer. This casserole will still be delicious if you want to omit the cheese all together.
- Spices: we’re using paprika, garlic powder, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper for lots of extra flavour!
How to make breakfast casserole
Below are pictures meant to provide a helpful visual overview of the recipe. Make sure to check out the full recipe with detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Step 1: Toss the sweet potato with oil, salt and pepper, and roast until tender.
Step 2: Cook the ground chicken with spices until browned. Add to a greased baking dish.
Step 3: Sauté the onion, bell pepper and spinach. Add to the baking dish, along with the roasted sweet potato.
Step 4: Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
Step 5: Pour the whisked eggs over the meat and vegetables and top with shredded cheese.
Step 6: Bake until set. Allow to cool down before slicing and serving!
Storage tips
Refrigerator: store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
Freezer: after cooling completely, slice into portions and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge and reheat in the oven or microwave.
High Protein Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet potato cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 tbsp avocado oil divided
- 1 3/4 tsp sea salt divided
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb ground chicken see notes
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 red pepper flakes
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
- 10 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- Place sweet potato on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add 1 tbsp of oil, 1/2 tsp sea salt and black pepper. Toss to coast and spread out in an even layer. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until just fork tender, stirring halfway through. Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and reduce heat to 350°F.
- While the sweet potato is cooking, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and season with spices and 3/4 tsp sea salt. Break apart with a spatula or wooden spoon and cook until browned. Once done, transfer the chicken to the baking dish.
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the skillet, followed by the onion and bell pepper. Reduce heat to medium and saute until just softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and place in the baking dish with the chicken, along with the roasted sweet potato.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, remaining salt (1/2 tsp) and black pepper.
- Pour into the baking dish and top with cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges start to brown and the centre is just set. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
