This hot and bubbly keto enchilada casserole has all the flavors of traditional enchiladas minus the extra carbs. It's also much less work than filling, rolling, and baking enchiladas.
I'm so in love with this delicious casserole! It's flavorful and filling. My entire family loves it and requests it often. The secret is in the seasonings. They make the dish taste like enchiladas, even without the tortillas. And not using tortillas means this casserole isn't just keto and gluten-free - it's also easy to make.
Ingredients and Substitutions
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Olive oil: If you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point, use avocado oil instead.
- Shredded chicken: I often use pre-cooked chicken breast. You can also use rotisserie chicken, but make sure to remove the skin. Shredded turkey meat works well in this recipe, but make sure you use dark meat. Turkey breast is too dry.
- Fresh cilantro: It adds great flavor to this dish, but I know that some people dislike this herb. If you're one of them, use parsley instead.
- Shredded cheddar: I like to use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar. You can use shredded provolone instead of cheddar.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Prepare the enchilada sauce using olive oil, onion, spices, and tomato sauce.
Combine the shredded chicken with the sauce, green chiles, cilantro, and half the cheese.
Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish, sprinkle it with the remaining cheese, and bake until bubbly, for about 10 minutes in a 400°F oven. Serve immediately.
Made this, best enchilada sauce I've ever had, lost the recipe and was devastated, found it again today. You don't miss the tortillas at all!
Rhonda
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Made this, best enchilada sauce I've ever had, lost the recipe and was devastated, found it again today. You don't miss the tortillas at all!Recipe FAQs
Yes, absolutely! While many recipes include black beans, white rice, and corn tortillas, it's easy to make a low-carb version by simply omitting those ingredients. You won't miss them! It's incredible - this casserole truly tastes like enchiladas.
Any cooked, shredded chicken will work. You can use baked chicken breast, broiled chicken breast, grilled chicken breast, or rotisserie chicken (make sure to remove the skin).
If you use rotisserie chicken, you will probably need to buy two of them and use about half of the second one, unless the one you buy is very large.
Of course! In fact, if you use store-bought sauce and shredded rotisserie chicken, this recipe becomes ridiculously easy and super quick. Just make sure that you're OK with the sauce ingredients and carb count.
When I go this route, I use Whole Foods Market's enchilada sauce, which has 4 grams of carbs for ¼ cup. I find that I need to use 3 cups, which means I need to buy two jars.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power or uncovered in a 350°F oven.
Serving Suggestions
This is a rich casserole, so it's best paired with a simple vegetable side dish or a salad. I often serve it with one of the following:
Recipe Card
Keto Enchilada Casserole
Video
Ingredients
Enchilada sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion - minced; 6 ounces
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper - freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 15 ounces canned tomato sauce - no salt/sugar added
- ½ cup water
Casserole:
- 2 pounds cooked chicken breast - boneless, skinless, shredded, from 4 medium or 3 large chicken breasts
- 4 ounces canned diced green chile peppers
- ½ cup cilantro - minced, packed; 1 ounce
- 2 cups sharp cheddar - shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
Make the sauce:
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin, and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. You can strain the sauce if you wish. I usually don't.
Make the casserole:
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, chile peppers, cilantro, and 1 cup of cheese.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle it with the remaining cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Instead of making the enchilada sauce from scratch, you can use about 3 cups of store-bought enchilada sauce.
- You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken, removing the skin. I find that I need to buy two of them (unless they are very large) and use about 1 ½ in this casserole.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power or uncovered in a 350°F oven.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Magda says
Hello. I love your recipes and I am planing to make this casserole. I have frozen smoked turkey leg in my freezer which needs to be used at some point. Do you think it will work?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Magda,
Yes! It should work beautifully. Thanks again for trying so many of my recipes!