Love Mexican cuisine? You’ll love this Cheesy Keto Chicken Enchiladas recipe!
In the original recipe, tortillas are used to wrap the filling. I used zucchini instead. It turned out tasty and super low carb compared to the original one.
One of the main ingredients in my keto zucchini enchiladas recipe is chicken meat. It’s easy to cook and high in protein. You can also use beef instead of chicken.
For the fillings, you just can’t ignore cheese! I used both cheddar and mozzarella cheese for this recipe.
For the enchilada sauce, I suggest you make your own keto version of enchilada sauce if possible. Check my keto enchilada sauce recipe for more details.
Store-bought sauces usually have a few ingredients that aren’t keto-friendly, such as refined sugars, preservatives, and even artificial colors.
I also added garlic and chili peppers for extra flavors. After all, what kind of Mexican cuisine doesn’t have some spicy red pepper? In addition, it’s a great way to get your metabolism to work faster and burn excess calories.
Red pepper contains an ingredient called capsaicin that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities in the body. It also helps decrease pain and creates a thermogenic effect to burn fat (1)(2).
Garlic contains compounds that have antitumor, antimicrobial, and heart-healthy properties. It has also been shown to reduce blood sugar levels (3).
This dish can be an excellent meal for lunch or dinner. You can also impress your friends with your culinary abilities and put it on a festive table.
Don’t forget to check my other keto recipes using zucchini. Bon Appetit!
How to Make Low Carb Chicken Enchiladas with Zucchini
In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Add onion, garlic, chili flakes, salt, pepper, and precooked shredded chicken in. You can buy shredded rotisserie chicken from the store for this dish.
Mix well then add 2/3 cup of enchilada sauce. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, slice zucchini into thin slices using a vegetable peeler. This will be your low carb tortillas substitute. Alternatively, you can use cheese tortillas shells instead of zucchini, see my keto enchiladas with cheese tortilla wraps recipe for more details.
Place 4 zucchini slices on it with the edges overlapping on a cutting board. Add 2 tbsp of chicken mixture in and roll it up tightly.
Grease the baking dish with a little bit of oil then place these zucchini rolls in. Repeat the process until all zucchini slices and chicken are used.
Top these rolls with the remaining sauce and shredded cheeses.
Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 350F oven. Serve your keto chicken enchilada casserole with full-fat yogurt, sour cream or cream cheese and chopped parsley.
Credit: Recipe adapted from Tasteaholics. Don’t forget to check their Keto in Five Cookbook Bundle for easy and tasty keto recipes!
Save this recipe by pinning this picture to your Pinterest board for later use!
Related:
- Keto Mexican Pizza
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Keto Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas
- Keto Beef Zucchini Lasagna
- Keto chicken taquitos
Keto Zucchini Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini
- 1 1/2 cup chicken meat cooked and shredded
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- 1 cup enchilada sauce divided
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella shredded
- 1/2 cup cheddar shredded
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Topping for serving (optional)
- full-fat yogurt for serving
- fresh parsley chopped (for serving)
- sour cream
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Add onion and cook until lightly brown. Add minced garlic, chili flakes, salt and pepper, shredded chicken and 2/3 cup of enchilada sauce. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Cut zucchini into thin slices using vegetable peeler. Arrange 4 slices on a cutting board with the edges overlapping. Put 2 tablespoons of chicken mixture in, roll up, and transfer to the greased baking dish. Repeat with the remaining zucchini slices and chicken mixture.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolls and top with shredded cheeses.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350℉ for 20 minutes. Serve topped with full-fat Greek yogurt and chopped parsley.
Video
Nutrition/Macros
FAQ
Are corn tortillas keto approved?
No, corn tortillas are not keto-approved. They are made from corn, which is super high in carbohydrates, making them a terrible choice for a strict ketogenic diet.
What can you use instead of corn tortillas for keto enchiladas?
Instead of corn tortillas for keto enchiladas, you can use zucchini or eggplant slices, almond flour or coconut flour tortillas, or cheese wraps.
How do you keep zucchini enchiladas from getting soggy when baking?
To keep zucchini enchiladas from getting soggy when baking, salt the zucchini slices and let them sit for about 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture, then pat them dry with paper towels before assembling and baking. This is an optional step, sometimes I do it and sometimes I don’t.
Is canned enchilada sauce keto-friendly?
Most canned enchilada sauces contain thickeners and added sugars, which is not be keto-friendly. It’s essential to check the label for carb content and ingredients. For a keto diet, I’d recommend you make homemade enchilada sauce or find a brand with no added sugars and low net carbs.