This keto king ranch chicken casserole is a delicious low-carb version of the popular Tex-Mex casserole.
This low-carb recipe uses rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken and Crepini egg wraps instead of corn tortillas for a delicious chicken recipe.
The King Ranch chicken casserole got its name from a ranch in Southern Texas called King Ranch, which was founded in 1853 and is considered the largest ranch in the United States, if not the world, with 800,000 acres taking up more than 75 miles of land.
Despite the casserole sharing its name with the ranch, it wasn’t made there because it’s mostly known for its beef.
Most people believe that the King Ranch chicken casserole came about between the 1940s and the 1950s. It became a popular recipe among housewives in the latter decade thanks to the introduction of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup.
This keto chicken casserole is a low-carb version of the original recipe, clocking in at 6.1 net carbs per serving compared to the latter, which contains upwards of 25 net carbs per serving.
Be sure to visit our keto casserole recipes and our keto chicken recipes for more delicious options.
Keto King Ranch Chicken Casserole
The regular King Ranch chicken casserole uses corn tortillas to go with the chicken mixture, cheese, and cream of chicken soup.
However, this low-carb King Ranch chicken casserole recipe eliminates the need for tortillas and cream of chicken soup in order to keep it gluten-free and fit into your keto diet while still having loads of flavor.
Aside from a nice family dinner, this gluten-free chicken casserole will be a go-to recipe you should make part of your meal planning rotation. Since, like the original recipe, it’s a crowd-pleaser and perfect for the holidays and potlucks.
It also tastes great the next day because, like most casseroles, it makes the perfect leftovers since the flavors have had time to meld together.
Ingredients Needed To Make Keto King Ranch Chicken Casserole
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The following are the ingredients you’ll need to make this hearty keto-friendly casserole. Note that the full printable recipe card is at the bottom of the page, as is the nutritional information.
- Yellow onion, finely chopped
- Olive oil
- Red bell pepper, diced
- Green bell pepper, diced
- Heavy whipping cream
- Can of diced tomatoes with green chili peppers (such as Ro-Tel)
- Chicken broth
- Cream cheese, room temperature
- Sour cream
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Ground cumin
- Chili powder
- Dried oregano
- Chipotle chile powder
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Rotisserie-cooked chicken, shredded or cut into chunks, about 5 cups
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Crepini crepes, cut into quarters or Egglife Egg white wraps
- Fresh cilantro, chopped raw jalapeño slices (optional)
- Jalapeño sliced (optional)
How To Make Keto King Ranch Chicken Casserole
First things first, sauté the bell pepper and onion in a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until they are translucent.
Instead of using a condensed soup, like cream of chicken soup, we will be making our own creamy sauce.
To make this sauce, reduce the heat to medium-low. Then, add the heavy cream, cream cheese, chicken broth, diced tomatoes with chile peppers, sour cream, cumin powder, chili powder, oregano, chipotle chile powder, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
Mix everything until the sauce is well combined, and set it aside.
To assemble the casserole, spread about ¼ cup of sauce to the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Layer half of the chicken pieces over the sauce, then spread half of the sauce over the chicken.
Top the casserole with half the shredded cheddar cheese. Next, arrange the sliced wraps over the cheese layer.
Spread the remaining chicken over the wrap layer, then top the chicken with the remaining sauce. Next, top it with the reserved cheddar cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until the casserole is golden brown.
Garnish the casserole with fresh cilantro and jalapeño slices. The jalapeño is optional if you don’t want it to be too spicy.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 weeks.
Make Ahead Instructions
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Assemble the casserole in a freezer- and oven-safe container. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2 months.
When ready to bake, defrost in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight, then bake at 350 degrees for about 50–60 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.
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Keto King Ranch Chicken Casserole (Gluten-Free)
This keto king ranch chicken casserole is comfort food at its best. The casserole features chicken, egg cauliflower wraps, tomatoes, peppers, and cheesy goodness for the perfect keto casserole!
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
- 1 (10-ounce) can of diced tomatoes with green chile peppers (such as ROTEL)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 (3-pound) rotisserie-cooked chicken, shredded or cut into chunks, about 5 cups
- 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
- 6 small Crepini crepes, cut into quarters or Egglife Egg white wraps
- 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped raw jalapeño slices (optional)
- 1 raw jalapeño sliced (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat, sauté bell pepper and onion for 5 minutes or until they are translucent using one tablespoon of olive oil.
- In the same pan reduce the heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream, cream cheese, chicken broth, diced tomatoes with chile peppers, sour cream, cumin powder, chili powder, oregano, and chipotle chile powder, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt; mix until the sauce is well-combined. Set it aside.
- To assemble the casserole, spread about ¼ cup of sauce to the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer over the sauce half of the chicken pieces, Then spread half the sauce over the chicken, then top with half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Next, arrange half of the sliced wraps over the cheese layer.
- Spread the remaining chicken over the wrap layer, then top the chicken with the remaining sauce. Next, top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until the casserole is golden brown.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and jalapeño slices. The jalapeño is optional.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
Make Ahead Instructions
Assemble the casserole in a freezer and oven-safe container. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, defrost in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight, then bake at 350 degrees for about 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 415Total Fat: 28.1gSaturated Fat: 15.1gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 550mgCarbohydrates: 7.1gNet Carbohydrates: 6.1gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 28.6g