This Keto Chicken Enchilada Bowl is a low carb twist on a Mexican favorite! It’s SO easy to make, totally filling and ridiculously yummy!
Who doesn’t love Mexican Food?!
Okay, well I know of one person but I’m pretty sure he’s just confused.
Mexican food has always been one of my favorite cuisines. Those cravings get even stronger with pregnancy, let me tell you.
I’m due in just a few weeks (hooray!) so now my focus if shifting to meals that can be prepared a couple different easy ways and frozen.
Keto Chicken Enchilada Bowl
I made this Keto Chicken Enchilada Bowl on the stove top, but it can easily be made in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot by adding the chicken, enchilada sauce, chiles and onions together and letting them cook on low heat all day.
The chicken and sauce mixture can ALSO be prepared ahead of time and frozen so when it’s time to reheat ( I would probably let it thaw and then heat in a pot on the stove top) you can just add a steamer bag of cauliflower rice and your fresh toppings. Pretty simple!
Another option would be to make the cauliflower yourself. If you’re not familiar with the dish, it’s pretty simple…just grated cauliflower that you can prepare yourself with a fresh head and a food processor. My new favorite way to prepare it is found in my Keto Mexican Cauliflower Rice recipe. Delicious!
You can also make your own enchilada sauce or buy some in the store. Here’s a low carb enchilada sauce recipe if you’d like to make your own.
Nutrition Info
Here’s a breakdown on the nutrition. The recipe has been updated, to make the complete recipe more clear.
For 1/4 of this recipe we’re looking at:
Calories: 568 Calories
Total Carbs: 10.41g
Fiber: 4.27g
Net Carbs: 6.14g
Protein: 38.38g
Fat: 40.21g
Remember: every body is different and everyone’s specific macronutrient goals are different. Keto is a low carb, moderate protein, high fat diet, and often followers of the keto diet will strive to hit their goals throughout a day’s worth of eating, rather than trying to hit certain percentages for each meal.
Low carb meals can often be customized to meet your macro and flavor preferences. You can add more fat to this recipe by changing the amounts of ingredients such as cheese, avocado, or sour cream. If you had a fatty coffee this morning and don’t want to exceed your fat for the day, you might try swapping out the chicken thigh for a leaner chicken breast. Adjust for what works for you, and be sure to share your best ideas below!
Keto Chicken Enchilada Bowl
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Keto Chicken Enchilada Bowl is a low carb twist on a Mexican favorite! It’s SO easy to make, totally filling and ridiculously yummy!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (for searing chicken)
- 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3/4 cup red enchilada sauce (recipe from Low Carb Maven)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1– 4 oz can diced green chiles
Toppings (feel free to customize)
- 1 whole avocado, diced
- 1 cup shredded cheese (I used mild cheddar)
- 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapenos
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 roma tomato, chopped
Optional: serve over plain cauliflower rice (or mexican cauliflower rice) for a more complete meal!
Instructions
In a pot or dutch oven over medium heat melt the coconut oil. Once hot, sear chicken thighs until lightly brown.
Pour in enchilada sauce and water then add onion and green chiles. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook chicken for 17-25 minutes or until chicken is tender and fully cooked through to at least 165 degrees internal temperature.
Careully remove the chicken and place onto a work surface. Chop or shred chicken (your preference) then add it back into the pot. Let the chicken simmer uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to absorb flavor and allow the sauce to reduce a little.
To Serve, top with avocado, cheese, jalapeno, sour cream, tomato, and any other desired toppings. Feel free to customize these to your preference. Serve alone or over cauliflower rice if desired just be sure to update your personal nutrition info as needed.
Notes
Please note that I am not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information that is discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates based on NET carbs. If nutrition is important to you, I highly encourage you to verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe yield
- Calories: 568 Calories
- Fat: 40.21g
- Carbohydrates: 6.14g NET Carbs
- Protein: 38.38g
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- Loaded Keto Cauliflower Bowl
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- The Best Keto Dinner Rolls
Kim | Low Carb Maven says
What a fun post. We love taco salads in my family and also enjoy our tacos in a bowl on occasion. I love how you put your enchilada in a bowl! Thanks for linking to my low carb enchilada sauce recipe. It’s a good one. I will share on social media.
Sam says
Thanks so much, Kim! Your recipe is a great one and I love that you’re a champion for low carb living!
Mari says
I made this tonight and it was really good and super quick and easy. My husband loved it too. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Melanie says
This is delish. First time I made my whole family ate it all. Making a double batch this time. Thanks.
★★★★★
Andrea Morgan says
Agreed! My whole family lived this and the meal was quick and easy. I will be making this again.
★★★★★
Ashley says
Definitely going to try this and I hope to add it to my keto routine!! I’ll have to try it with wraps too! ?
Jeanette Gray says
Love the different recipes. So hard to find some low carb stuff.
★★★★★
Sam says
Thank you so much! 🙂
Tara says
Made this tonight abd it was very filling and delish!
★★★★★
Kameron says
Serving this tonight with some grilled Mexican corn on the cob.
Christy says
I wonder if this would do well in the crockpot?
Sam says
I think it would work great in the crockpot!
Carrie says
I use a crock pot and it works great! And the onion, chilies and sauce with the chicken and cook 7 hours on low. Yummy!
Dayna says
This was so quick, easy and delicious. Mine came out a little spicier than I would have liked but my husband (who is definitely not a fan of cauliflower rice) told me to keep he recipe just as is!! He is now a cauliflower rice believer thanks to this recipe!!
Laurie says
I made it in the crockpot and it was delish! Added sour cream and shredded cheese to up the fat macros and enjoyed every single bite. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Pamela says
Do I put the chicken in the crockpot raw?
Sam says
Raw or cooked is fine! If you do raw, just shred it with forks when its all done
Elizabeth says
can you tell me how you did it in the crockpot please. Thank you
Sam says
I would toss the chicken (raw or uncooked, whichever you want) into the crockpot with the sauce, onions, chiles and water and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks about 30 minutes before serving, add it back to the crockpot and let it finish up while you prepare the other ingredients. Then you can cook your cauliflower rice however you prefer. I usually do stovetop but there are lots of good steamer bags. Then just add your favorite toppings. Hope that helps!
Elizabeth says
Thank you!
Lynette A says
My boyfriend is doing the Keto diet and this is the first recipe I have attempted and it turned out fantastic. I made my own sauce but did everything else according to the recipe. We had never heard of cauliflower rice and were surprised how tasty it was. Thank you so much. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
★★★★★
Nita says
I needed a recipe to take to a social with a few girlfriends. None of them are on a low-carb diet, I’m the only one. I’m taking this as an entree on Friday night. I’ll let you know how it goes.
lindsey harnish says
This was the easiest and most amazing chicken enchilada bowl ever! I would highly recommend this dish. Instructions were spot on.
Kerrie says
Can’t wait to try this!!
Evon says
Would me making my own cauliflower rice work the same as the bagged kind?
Sam says
Yep! It should work out just the same 🙂
Brie says
It was so good we eat it all the time.
ABKJ Johnson says
Do you have a newsletter that I can subscribe to, please?
★★★★★
Debbie says
What enchilada sauce do you use that is Keto? Every one I see has added sugar. Did you make your own? Thanks!!
Sam says
Hi there! The homemade one linked above is by Low Carb Maven. It’s a great option!
Megan says
Your white chicken chili was a huge hit in my house so we tried this but used ground beef instead, it was also a hit! I didn’t have cauliflower rice, so my husband just added more veggies and went without, while our toddler and I had some white rice (he’s the main one on keto). Our almost two year old skipped her spoon and was shoving handfuls into her mouth!! 🙂
Samari says
I’m trying to do keto. I just tried this dish and I absolutely love it!!! Thanks for the recipe. My daughter even loves it. I’d say it’s a winner in my home.
A Romo says
I had some frozen organic Cauliflower rice from Costco that I wanted to use up. This recipe was a delicious and I finally found a use for that cauliflower, that without this recipe was about to be thrown out! The whole family loved it, we topped it with Colby jack cheese, cilantro, jalapeño and chopped green onion!
★★★★★
Karri says
Thank you for sharing. Such an easy go to meal!
Christy says
How many serving is this
Sam says
4-6 depending how hungry you are/how much you like to eat. If it’s with cauliflower rice it it can stretch to 6 easily
Elora Trumper says
Delicious! This was simple to make and wonderful to eat. I will definitely make it again. I also made the home made red enchilada sauce. It is also delicious and a great compliment to the chicken.
★★★★★
Sue Reed says
Super amazing! Easy. Delicious. And The best recipe ever with cauliflower rice!!
Thank you and jay husband thanks you!
★★★★★
Alicia says
I though I had onions but I don’t. Will this be ruined if I make without ?
Sam says
Nope! it may just not be quite as flavorful and the nutrition info will change
Claire says
i know your recipe says 2-3 chicken breasts but what is it in pounds… trying to use chicken thighs instead and just don’t want to make too little or too much. Thank you!
Sam says
I would say about 1 pound. These chicken breasts were 6 ounces.
Dianna Edwards says
What is cauliflower rice and where in the grocery department do I find it?
Sam says
It’s just grated cauliflower. You can make it yourself from a fresh head, or find it in the frozen veggies section of most grocery stores
Beckie says
This was delicious and quick and easy to make. Really great for a busy weeknight!
Kate says
Would the enchilada sauce go well with beef chuck roast instead of chicken? Thinking of putting it in the crockpot too. Thanks!
Dk says
Is anyone else confused by these directions? Cook the chicken, till brown add the other ingredients, and then take out the chicken (of the sauce right?) To shred? How exactly is this achieved?
Sam says
A quick sear on the chicken locks in all the great seasoning you add to it. Then you leave the breast piece whole and let it simmer in the sauce. It will finish cooking and then easily shred with a fork. You can just lift out the whole pieces out with a couple forks or tongs, shred it with the forks then dump the plate back into the sauce.
Adriene says
Exactkey like you said. Cook the chicken separately n then put I.T in a pan with all the ingredients. On about 15 min take out the chicken n shred it. Then.. yes.. you put the chicken back in the saucepan that has the other simmering Once in , leave It uncovered until
Most of the Liquid is evaporated. I was confused too. It’s well worth It. Awesome meal
Michelle says
I made this tonight in the crockpot! I also maded your enchilada sauce! This dish is my new favorite!! Loved it! I cooked my chicken frozen and just didn’t add water to the crockpot; came out perfect! I shredded my chicken about 3 hours into cooking…… thank you so much for the recipe ????
★★★★★
Adriene says
Oh my god … just started the KETO DIET AND WAS LOOKING TO MAKE SOMETHING For LUNCH. I SAW THE ENCHIKADO BOWL AND DECUDED TO TRY IT. WELl.. what started out making enough for 2 people began to become a party of 5. One who wouldnt eat a vegetable if you begged. This recipe is beyond delicious!!! Thank you sooo much for sharing this !!! Can’t wait to make more of your meals and deserts !!!! BRAVO!!!
★★★★★
Jessie says
Could you do this in a crock pot?
Toni says
Is the serving size a 1/4 cup or a 1/4 of the entire recipe?
★★★★★
Mallory says
Made this tonight and it was great but I used regular canned Old El Paso English sauce? Is that still okay, you think?
Casey Simpson says
I made this for dinner tonight and both my kids and husband LOVED it! That is a very rare feat so I thought I must share my rating! YAY! Thank you!
★★★★★
Emily Honsberger says
So delicious!!!!!! I have recently started cutting out carbs and have had a hard time finding recipes that I really enjoy, so glad I found this. Honestly I could eat the whole thing in one sitting if I tried LOL
I added black and pinto beans to the recipe for extra flair and used chicken breast instead of thighs, worked out great!
★★★★★
Liz says
This was fantastic. Made for dinner tonight, with just a couple tiny changes. So easy and so delicious. Hitting those macros!
★★★★★
Brittany says
Looks good, how do you cook in the instant pot?
Jennifer H. says
Hi Brittany, here’s what I did, and it worked GREAT!! Melted coconut oil in Instant Pot on sauté – Medium heat. Once warmed up, I added the onions and softened them up for~3 minutes. I turned off the IP and added the remaining ingredients – minus the chicken thighs – and gave everything a good stir. Then, I nestled the raw chicken thighs (I did not brown) in the liquid and secured the lid. Select Manual and cook on HIGH HEAT for 7 minutes. Once cooking is complete, use a quick release. Remove chicken and shred/chop and add back to IP. Select Sauté and simmer/serve as instructed. Voilà! Done!
Jessica says
Typo: Carefully* remove the chicken
Jennifer H. says
Made this tonight in my Instant Pot (along with the Mexican Cauliflower Rice and Enchilada Sauce). SO TASTY!! Hubby gobbled it up. 🙂
Jennifer H. says
To offer additional clarity…. I made the Chicken Enchilada Bowl in the Instant Pot. All other recipes I followed as instructed. 😀
★★★★★
Anne says
Someone asked how many chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts, I’m totally confused because the recipe explicitly says chicken thighs are used in recipe?
David says
Amazing. Super easy recipe. Thank you for sharing this
★★★★★
Allison says
I am not a huge fan of chicken but I am trying to eat healthier and this recipe was one I put on my menu. Absolutely delicious! If you’re going for a less Keto approach the recipe pairs very well with a handful of tortilla chips. Wonderful! Thank you for the amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Gina Day says
This was a quick easy recipe that turned out delicious! I added some chopped lettuce to give it some texture and make it more filling. Turned out really good! For my husband, i added some tortilla strips which he loved and went perfect with the dish. will definitely make again
★★★★★
Sabrina says
First low carb recipe I have made that my WHOLE family has loved!!! Thank you!
★★★★★
Sassy8921 says
This dish was absolutely delicious. Maybe would add a touch of salt depending on chicken stock. I did make my own enchilada sauce but really really flavorful. Loved it!
emma says
Very well explained and written. everything is so clear. Would start my keto plan on 15 November. Thanks for this article ❤