This easy keto low carb Mexican chicken casserole is sure to please the whole family. And, it’s a great way to repurpose leftover poultry and cauliflower rice.
THANK YOU LISA FROM LOW CARB YUM FOR THIS GREAT GUEST POST!
I’m a huge fan of casseroles because they are simple to put together and you don’t have to keep an eye on them while they bake. They also make a warm and comforting dinner at the end of a long day.
Another thing I love is keto friendly Mexican food. So, I decided to use Kim’s homemade enchilada sauce to make an easy casserole recipe. It didn’t take long to make the sauce for this low carb Mexican chicken casserole and can be made ahead.
The recipe is so easy. You just have to dump all the ingredients into a pan and let the liquid reduce.
I did find the sauce to be a little bitter from the ground chiles, but a few drops of stevia were a quick fix. Kim uses an erythritol/stevia blend sweetener in the enchilada sauce, but I prefer using a blend of stevia and monk fruit for the sweetener.
My casseroles tend to be very cheesy like my cabbage lasagna and pizza casserole. Cheese adds great flavor and it’s the perfect way to top off a baked dish.
The great thing about this low carb Mexican chicken casserole is that you can make it with leftovers. Extra cooked turkey or chicken, enchilada sauce, and or cauliflower rice can be used in the dish.
Pre-cooked cauliflower rice is used for the casserole base. It’s then topped with shredded chicken (or turkey) mixed with homemade enchilada sauce and topped with a blend of cheese.
I used a Mexican blend of Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, and Asadero cheese. Pepper Jack and Manchego would work well too. Feel free to change up the cheese to suit your taste.
If you are a meal planner, this low carb Mexican chicken casserole is something you’ll want to put at the end of the week to use up leftover cauliflower rice and chicken from an earlier meal.
And, it’s a good idea to make a double batch of the enchilada sauce. That way, you’ll have enough to make chicken enchiladas and a casserole.
I also like to have extra sauce to pour over each casserole serving. Sour cream, diced tomatoes, and cubed avocado are great optional toppings too!
For more great low carb recipes from Lisa, visit Low Carb Yum and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
This Low Carb Mexican Casserole is 6 net carbs per serving.
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Low Carb Mexican Chicken Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups cooked cauliflower rice (670 g)
- 2 cups finely shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
- 1 large egg
- 4 oz diced green chiles
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey
- 1 1/4 cups keto enchilada sauce
Optional Toppings:
- extra enchilada sauce
- sour cream
- diced tomateos
- diced avocado
- fresh cinaltro
Instructions
Preparation:
- Prepare the enchilada sauce if it hasn’t been made in advance. While it is reducing…..Preheat oven to 400°F and grease casserole pan (I used a 7.5×11-inch) with coconut oil or spray. Shred the chicken and have the remaining ingredients ready.
Method:
- In large bowl, combine cauliflower rice, 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese, egg, green chiles, cumin and salt.
- Press cauliflower rice mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges have browned.
- In medium bowl, combine the shredded meat and enchilada sauce. Spread over baked cauliflower rice mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/4 cups shredded cheese on top.
- Return pan to oven and bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Cool slightly before serving. Top with optional toppings as desired. Serves 8.
Serves 8 people at 6 NET CARBS per serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Gluten Free Enchilada Sauce (Low Carb)
Excellent meal and quite easy!
Perfect great smooth recipe, I ended up using more chicken and cheese to the amount of cauliflower listed.
This dish was incredibly tasty! I’d use about 4 cups cauliflower rice instead (thawed from frozen). I think about a 1″ thickness is more than enough. I added about 2 tablespoons diced onion (because I had some leftover) & about 1.5 cups Mexican blend cheese to the “rice” base (because, cheeeeese). I had to cook it for about an hour (at 2″ thick layer) to really dry it out, but I did start from partially frozen cauli-rice. Next time, I will double the chicken (2 whole rotisserie chickens shredded) & use a whole can of enchilada sauce. Lastly, I didn’t have green chilis so I topped w/sliced black olives instead. Served it w/shredded lettuce, a few diced tomatoes and a drizzle of ranch because I was out of sour cream. It’s definitely a keeper!!!
Do you think this works be good with hatch green chili enchilada sauce?
Probably. Anything is good with green chiles. You might like my white chicken enchiladas recipe which includes green chiles. -Kim
This was soooo good…we really enjoyed it..
Many Thank Yous
Carol
Have you tried freezing this?
It freezes well, Khadija. -Kim
Fantastic! Great flavor and easy to prepare! Thumbs up from every family member, definitely a keeper!
Did you ever figure out the correct cheese quantities? I see someone asked you last February, but I don’t see your response and the recipe is still incorrect. Those of you who have made it: did you just add 1/4 cup to the cauliflower or 3/4 c and then just 1 1/4 cup at the end? Thanks!
Oops! Sorry Teresa. Thanks for the reminder. I just now corrected it. It’s 3/4 c with the cauliflower rice and 1 1/4 cup over the top. Enjoy the recipe. -Kim
Can you sub ground beef for the chicken?
I think so, Amanda. I haven’t tried it with ground beef and would drain off any fat since the recipe is good in fat macros as it is. That’s just my opinion and you can do what you want. -Kim
This dish was ABSOLUTELY amazing! Kid and hubby approved and they’re not low carbers! Thanks
I’m so glad you are happy with it Lakesha. I am proud to have an original recipe developed by Lisa of Low Carb Yum on the site. She is known for her yummy casserole recipes. Thanks for coming back to let me know you like the recipe. Have a nice day. -Kim
New to keto, so this will help me
Oh, good! Enjoy the recipe, Ruth. -Kim
Just made this yesterday and it is another winner! The only adjustment I will make in the future is to eliminate the green chiles – I have really tried to like them but just do not like the texture and the taste. Other than that, I will keep this as is going forward. Thanks again for another great recipe!
Just a quick note to buying all the pre=shredded cheeses – they used extra preservatives to keep the cheese from sticking to itself and forming a big lump in the package. If you are wanting to keep as much as “natural” then you would be better off shredding your own cheese from a block. Yes, takes a little more time but not all the extra preservatives. If you didn’t already know this, just thought you’d like to k now.
Delicious. Simple to make. I did not have fresh cauliflower, instead substituted using 2 bags of frozen Green Giant cauliflower rice. Added a small diced onion to the cauliflower mixture and a little extra cheese.(by mistake) Baked and used 3 cups of chicken (wanted a little more chicken). Both my husband and I loved the chicken casserole. Will be making again and again
I’m so glad, Cindy! Lisa is known for her casseroles and I am so glad she shared this recipes with my readers. Have a wonderful weekend. -Kim
Hi – not a big deal, but I the amounts of cheese don’t add up to 2 c, they add up to 2.5 c. Are we supposed to only add 1/4 c to the cauliflower or only 1 1/4c to the chicken mixture? I’m always ok with more cheese, but thought I’d ask. This looks delicious (and smells great – it’s in the oven now!).
Hi Jac. I’ll take a look at the recipe and contact the recipe author. I’m sure it was just an oversight which is very easy to do when trying to balance a family and work at home. Thank you so much for letting me know! -Kim
This was really good. We didn’t have cumin so we used Trader Joe’s child and lime seasoning. I also added jalapeños in the califlower. Would make this again for sure!!
I’m so goad you like the recipe, Ryan. Lisa is known for her delicious casserole recipes. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and rate the recipe. I appreciate it. Enjoy your week. -Kim
This looks great! I love easy casseroles and can’t wait to try it.