Chicken Enchilada Casserole {Keto, Low Carb and Grain Free}
This Keto Chicken Enchilada Casserole made with cauliflower as it’s base is grain free, low carb and gluten free!
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Mexican food is much loved by my family so making cleaner, lower carb versions have begun to consume my thoughts. Actually it doesn’t even have to be Mexican food, more like comfort food is what they crave and I think what we all crave.
But when trying to live a life in a healthier way and as for myself as low carb as I can, I want comfort food too, but not the carbs. I certainly don’t want to make two meals, one for my family and one for me.
Low Carb Chicken Enchiladas
This version of a low carb chicken enchilada casserole has no flour or corn tortilla’s in it as one might expect. Everyone had gone crazy for my Bacon Cheeseburger Cauliflower Casserole so I adapted it from that.
If you’re looking for something with more carbs or don’t really care about the carbs check out these recipes:
- Easy Chicken Enchilada Bake
- Oven Fried Chimichangas
- Freezer Easy Chicken Burritos
- BBQ Chicken Cheddar Burritos
- Turkey Enchiladas
- Oven Fried Mexican Turkey Taquitos
Keto Mexican Toppings
This to me with all the toppings is complete comfort in a bowl. I’m discovering that it’s always all about the toppings for me. We eat with our eyes and food not only needs to be flavorful but must be as colorful as possible to be appetizing. Olives, jalapeños, salsa, sour cream and avocado are all perfect to top this dish with!
So essentially it’s like a taco/enchilada bowl or maybe it should be nicknamed enchiltaco or tacochilada??
Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Whenever I make a whole roasted chicken, usually it’s the breast meat I end up freezing since my family is all about the dark meat. I love to use up left overs don’t you?! I freeze the breasts and then use them in recipes like this. Win win for me and win win for the family with a new invented recipe for chicken!
When I made this for my family I DID NOT tell them cauliflower was on the bottom. After they all enjoyed their dinner and ate it up, even the hubby I told them they ate cauliflower. Again they were shocked as they were before when I made the bacon cheeseburger casserole! They not only ate it up but said they loved it and make it again. WINNING!
Brenda’s Notes:
- To keep it low in carbs I did not add typical corn or black beans as one would normally see in an enchilada. Feel free to add those if you desire.
- Feel free to use cooked ground turkey or turkey breast instead of chicken if that’s what you have for cooked left over meat in the house.
- If you don’t have smoked paprika I would suggest getting some! SO much tastier than regular paprika.
- Find enchilada sauce without sugar if possible and as low carb if you can.
- This recipe was first published in March 2015 and updated with video in July 2018.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole (Keto, Low Carb)
Chicken Enchilada Cauliflower Casserole {Low Carb and Grain Free}
Ingredients
Cauliflower Base
- 6 cups cauliflower florets
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 2 eggs beaten
2nd layer
- 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 10 ounces enchilada sauce
- 2 cups Mexican Shredded cheese
- Optional toppings: lettuce olive, avocado, sour cream, salsa
Instructions
- Steam the cauliflower florets until tender.
- Place the florets into a food processor and pulse until it looks like rice in texture.
- Mix in the flour and spices until combined well.
- Set aside to cool before stirring in the eggs.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl add the shredded chicken and spices and stir until combined.
- Spread the cauliflower into a 9 by 13 as the first layer.
- Place the shredded chicken over the cauliflower base as the second layer.
- Pour the enchilada sauce over the chicken.
- Top with all the shredded cheese.
- Cover and bake 30 minutes.
- Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is nicely melted.
- Allow to cool for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing.
- Top with optional toppings and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Does the coconut flour lend a coconut flavor to this casserole? We have a coconut hater in the house.
If I were to use almond flour, how much should I use?
My youngest is also a coconut hater and did not notice it in there.
Thanks! This is a godsend for us Tex-Mex loving Texans! I make it often! Steamfresh frozen Riced Cauliflower is my favorite. Which I add 1/4 t. Amoretti Sweet Corn Extract to make it really taste like Masa. I also love Renata’s Enchilada Sauce above in your comments, it’s the best- Also have this for breakfast with egg on top. Copied from a favorite Mexican restarant near Nasa that serves eggs on cheese enchiladas. You made this healthy. Fiesta brand chili powder is the best.