Crustless Chicken & Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
We’ve all been there: staring into the fridge at the absolute last remains of a rotisserie chicken, determined to stretch both the white and dark meat into a proper family dinner without letting a single scrap go to waste. I originally planned on making a traditional pie, but a quick rummage through the pantry revealed we were completely out of pastry ingredients. Necessity is the mother of invention, so I decided to skip the crust entirely—and honestly, I might never go back! This creamy, comforting crustless quiche turned out absolutely delicious, packed with tender veggies and featuring a subtle, lovely bit of crunch from the shredded carrots. Blanket with a bubbly layer of broiled cheddar, it’s the ultimate easy, low-waste weeknight win your whole family will love.
Short description of the recipe
This easy crustless chicken and broccoli quiche is the ultimate low-waste, budget-friendly weeknight dinner. It’s a rich, custard-like egg bake that skips the traditional pastry crust entirely, instead loading up on shredded rotisserie chicken leftovers (both the white and dark meat!), small cubed potatoes, chopped broccoli florets, and a handful of shredded carrots. Everything gets baked together right in a standard 9-inch glass pie plate, then topped with a generous layer of sharp cheddar cheese and popped under the broiler. The result is a comforting, high-protein meal blanketed under a perfectly bubbly, golden-brown cheese crust that looks and tastes like a gourmet bakery find.
Why it’s good
Honestly, the best part about this recipe is how forgiving it is. If you’ve ever had a crustless quiche turn out spongy or watery, it’s usually because there wasn’t enough fat to bind the liquid. The secret fix here is using 4 whole eggs plus 3 extra egg yolks. Those extra yolks are a total game-changer. They give the custard this incredibly velvety, luxurious texture that holds up perfectly when sliced.
It’s also an amazing way to clean out the veggie crisper drawer. Grating the white onion and cooking it on the stove first makes sure you get that sweet, savory flavor base without any harsh raw onion crunch. Plus, tossing in raw shredded carrots gives the inside of the quiche a subtle, tiny bit of texture and sweetness that balances the rich chicken and cheese beautifully. It’s naturally low-carb and gluten-free, but because of the cubed potatoes and chicken, it actually fills you up like a hearty comfort food meal.
When to serve it
This is a true winning meal because it transitions so easily depending on the time of day.
The “What’s for Dinner?” Emergency: It’s my absolute go-to for those hectic weeknights when you have half a rotisserie chicken left over and no energy for a massive grocery run. Because you don’t have to roll out a pie crust, prep takes maybe 20 minutes tops.
Lazy Weekend Brunch: It looks beautiful on a table. Pop it in the oven while you brew a pot of coffee, and by the time everyone is awake, the house smells incredible.
Weekly Meal Prep: It reheats beautifully. If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge and pop a slice into the air fryer or toaster oven the next morning. The cheddar topping gets nice and crisp all over again, making it a perfect quick, high-protein weekday breakfast or desk lunch.
Ingredient Breakdown:
Shredded Rotisserie Chicken: Using a mix of both white and dark meat adds the absolute best flavor and keeps the quiche incredibly juicy.
The Perfect Egg Ratio: 4 whole eggs mixed with 3 extra egg yolks creates a rich, velvety custard texture that never tastes spongy or rubbery.
The Veggie Base: Finely grated white onion, small broccoli florets, and a shredded carrot add a lovely hint of natural sweetness and color.
1 Small Cubed Potato: Cutting your potato squares very small means they bake up perfectly tender right in the egg mixture—no pre-boiling or extra dirty dishes required!
Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Freshly grated cheddar melts beautifully under the broiler to give you that iconic, bubbling golden-brown top.
How to Mix and Prep the Crustless Quiche Base
Once your veggies and leftover chicken are prepped, bringing the quiche together is incredibly fast. You don’t need any special equipment—just a good mixing bowl and a standard 9-inch glass pie plate.
Unlike a traditional quiche that relies on heavy cream, the secret to making this crustless chicken and vegetable quicheso rich and velvety is the egg-to-yolk ratio. Whisking those 4 whole eggs with 3 extra egg yolks creates a beautiful, deep-golden custard base that holds its shape perfectly without tasting spongy or drying out in the oven.
Real Kitchen Tip: When you pour the liquid egg mixture into your greased pie plate, take a spatula and gently press down on the ingredients. You want to make sure the shredded chicken, potato cubes, and broccoli florets are spread out completely flat and even. This ensures every single slice gets a perfect mix of everything and bakes at the exact same rate!
Quick Troubleshooting: Will the raw veggies cook through?
Yes! Because we are chopping the broccoli florets quite small, shredding the carrots, and dicing the potato into tiny cubes, they will cook to perfectly tender results directly in the egg custard during the 35-minute bake time. There is absolutely no need to pre-boil anything or dirty a second pan!
Tips and Tricks
Getting a crustless quiche exactly right can be a little tricky since you don’t have a pastry crust to absorb moisture. Here are a few real-world things I noticed while working on this recipe that will help yours turn out perfectly:
The Mixmaster Shortcut: When your ingredients are still wet and raw in the bowl, throw them into your Mixmaster (or any stand mixer) with the paddle attachment on low for a quick spin. It blends the eggs, chicken, and chopped veggies together so much better than doing it by hand. Every single bite gets perfectly distributed.
Watch the Vegetable Moisture: Broccoli can hold onto water if it’s damp from being washed. Make sure your florets are completely dry before chopping them up. Excess water is the number one enemy of a firm custard!
Let it Rest: Resist the urge to slice it the second it comes out from under the broiler. It needs about 5 to 10 minutes on a wire rack to set up. If you cut it too hot, the slices might fall apart a bit.
Ingredient Notes
You don’t need anything fancy for this, but a few small details make a massive difference in how it bakes up:
The Leftover Chicken: I used a mix of both white and dark meat pulled straight off a leftover rotisserie chicken. Don’t skip the dark meat! It has more natural fat, which keeps the inside of the quiche incredibly juicy.
The Potato Cubes: Cut your potato squares genuinely small. We’re talking pea-sized. Because they go in raw, they rely entirely on the heat of the egg mixture to cook through. If they’re too big, you’ll end up with hard, crunchy spots.
Freshly Grated Cheddar: Skip the pre-shredded bags from the store if you can. Packed cheese is coated in cellulose to keep it from sticking, which stops it from melting into that gorgeous, bubbly blanket under the broiler.
Variations
This is a total “empty the fridge” kind of meal, so feel free to experiment with what you have on hand.
Swap the Meat: If you don’t have rotisserie chicken, leftover chopped turkey or crispy diced bacon work beautifully here.
Change the Cheese: Swap the sharp cheddar for Swiss or Gruyère if you want a more traditional, nutty French bakery flavor.
Go Green: If you’re out of broccoli, chopped baby spinach or frozen peas (thawed and squeezed dry) are excellent substitutes.
Storage Tips
This quiche makes for incredible meal prep because it holds up so well.
If you have leftovers, let the quiche cool down completely to room temperature first. If you wrap it while it’s still warm, steam will trap inside the container and make the broiled cheese top super soggy. Slide the slices into an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to eat, skip the microwave—it can make the eggs a little rubbery. Instead, pop a slice into your air fryer or toaster oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes. It heats the chicken right through and makes that cheddar crust nice and crisp all over again!
Crustless Chicken & Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
Equipment
- Mixmaster Stand Mixer – Blends the raw egg custard, chicken, and veggies flawlessly on low speed for perfectly even distribution in every slice.
- 9-Inch Glass Pie Plate – The ideal size for baking a crustless quiche, letting you easily check that the bottom and edges are fully set.
- Sharp Chef’s Knife – Crucial for cutting the raw potato squares genuinely small and uniform so they bake up completely tender without pre-boiling.
- Box Grater – Used for shredding the carrots and grating fresh cheddar cheese, which melts significantly better under the broiler than pre-bagged shreds.
- Silicone Spatula – Ensures you scrape every drop of the rich egg yolk mixture from the bowl and smooth it evenly into the dish.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs large
- 3 egg yolks large, adds a rich, creamy texture
- 1 to 2 cups chicken rotisserie, shredded or torn (both white and dark meat)
- 1 cup broccoli florets chopped very small
- 1 carrot large and shredded
- 1 potato small, peeled and cubed into small squares
- ½ white onion medium and finely grated
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter for the skillet
- 1 to 1.5 cups cheddar cheese freshly grated
- ½ tsp salt adjust to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Step 1: Sauté the Onion
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate with butter or non-stick spray.
- Heat olive oil or butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the grated white onion and cook for 3–5 minutesuntil soft, translucent, and tender. Remove from heat to cool slightly.
Step 2: Mix the Filling
- In a large mixing bowl or Mixmaster, whisk together the 4 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks until completely smooth. Whisk in the salt and black pepper.
- Fold the cooked onions, shredded rotisserie chicken, small cubed potatoes, chopped broccoli florets, and shredded carrots directly into the egg mixture. Stir well to ensure the filling is evenly distributed.
Step 3: Bake until Set
- Pour the mixture into your prepared pie plate, smoothing the top with a spatula so the chicken and veggies are even.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the center is set and no longer jiggles.
Step 4: Broil the Cheddar Topping
- Remove the quiche from the oven and switch your oven to Broil (HIGH).
- Generously scatter the grated cheddar cheese across the top.
- Return to the oven under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and beautifully browned.
Step 5: Rest and Slice
- Let the quiche rest on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. This allows the egg custard to firm up so it cuts cleanly.
Notes
- Potato Prep: Ensure your potato squares are cut genuinely small and uniform. This allows them to cook to tender perfection directly in the egg mixture without needing to be pre-boiled.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in the oven or air fryer to keep the top crisp!
Nutrition
Ellen Britt
Hi, I’m Ellen — a passionate home cook dedicated to creating easy, flavorful recipes inspired by real-life cooking and shared family traditions. Every recipe on this site is a true collaboration, developed and tested together in our kitchen to ensure it’s reliable, simple to follow, and absolutely delicious.