There are many different chicken casserole recipes out there, but if you’re on the hunt for a healthier casserole dish that is not only low in carbs but gluten-free, I recommend you try our keto chicken cornbread casserole!
This delicious low-carb chicken cornbread casserole recipe does not feature a traditional cornbread topping but rather uses a mock cornbread recipe that cleverly uses coconut flour instead.
It’s a keto version of cornbread casserole made with leftover chicken and sweet corn extract rather than a box of Jiffy cornbread mix for the cornbread base.
Trust me, this may not use a prepackaged cornbread mix, but it’s as easy as the original recipe!
A low-carb chicken cornbread casserole that clocks in at only 3.1 net carbs per serving is a great way to share a meal with the whole family and an opportunity to fool their tastebuds.
Be sure to visit our entire collection of delicious keto chicken recipes for more tasty meals and our round-up of keto casseroles, which will make your keto meal planning so much easier.
Keto Chicken Cornbread Casserole
This keto-friendly chicken cornbread casserole recipe is especially good to make on busy weeknights when you have leftovers from the rotisserie chicken you picked up earlier in the week or when you are craving comfort food. It needs to fit your keto macros.
What’s also nice about this keto chicken casserole is that it’s super economical!
You can serve this casserole on its own since it’s filling or complement it with a light green salad.
Ingredients Needed To Make A Low-Carb Chicken Cornbread Casserole
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Here’s everything you need to make the most keto-friendly chicken cornbread casserole.
Note that the full printable recipe card is at the bottom of the page, as is the nutritional information.
Chicken Filling
- Cooked shredded chicken breast (or leftover rotisserie chicken, if you prefer)
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Cumin powder
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Heavy cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Paprika
Keto “Cornbread’ Topping
- Eggs, room temperature
- Coconut milk (or a mixture of half heavy cream and half water)
- Cream cheese, softened
- Melted butter cooled
- Coconut flour
- Sugar substitute a tiny amount for that southern-style cornbread flavor
- OOOFlavors cornbread extract
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Shredded cheddar cheese (topping)
How To Make A Keto Chicken Cornbread Casserole
If you are not using leftover chicken, then the first thing you’re going to do is cook your chicken breasts in a large pot on your stovetop.
For best results, you’ll want to cook the chicken at a low temperature so that it does not become tough and stringy.
Be sure to season your chicken with salt and pepper before completely submerging it in water and cooking it.
You’ll simmer it on low heat for about 10–15 minutes or until the chicken turns opaque, is fully cooked, or reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Then, drain the chicken and shred it.
I shred my chicken in a stand-up mixer because it’s the quickest way to do it, but you can also shred it by hand. Once shredded, set it aside and proceed to make the sauce for the filling.
As for the sauce, you’ll melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Then add in the heavy cream, cream cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin powder, black pepper, salt, and paprika.
Stir well while it cooks until the sauce is smooth and fully incorporated.
Once that’s done, you’ll add the shredded cheddar cheese and simmer the sauce, being sure to stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened; this takes about 7–10 minutes.
Next, you’ll add the cooked shredded chicken to the sauce and combine them well.
To make the cornbread topping, start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Then butter up a 10.625 x 10.625 or 9 x 13 baking pan.
Grab a medium-sized bowl and mix in the four dry ingredients: coconut flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar substitute.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the eggs with the coconut milk or heavy cream and water, the softened cream cheese, cooled melted butter, and cornbread extract.
Then, combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients and set it aside. Remember, this will serve as your cornbread topping.
Now for the best part: assembling the casserole.
To do so, simply add the prepared chicken filling to the buttered pan, and then pour the cornbread mixture over it.
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Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the cornbread mixture layer, and then bake it for 45–50 minutes, or until you insert a toothpick into the cornbread portion and it comes out clean.
Be sure to let the casserole sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
You can store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze them for up to three weeks.
Cornbread Extract
To ensure that the coconut flour cornbread topping has a “corn” flavor without using any real corn, you should consider using a cornbread extract.
The one brand of cornbread extract that will get the job done beautifully is OOOFlavors corn bread flavored liquid concentrate.
It has no calories, no sugar, and no carbs—nothing that could spoil your keto-friendly diet.
As the name suggests, the extract is highly concentrated, so just 3–4 drops should be enough to enhance the corn flavor.
Whatever the recommended amount you use, your tastebuds won’t know the difference between the extract and the real thing!
Substitutions
Note that you can substitute the chicken breasts by using the chicken breast from a rotisserie chicken, half a deboned rotisserie chicken, or chicken thighs cooked and shredded.
So you have several options. Just keep in mind that the nutrition facts will be slightly different depending on your choice of chicken cut.
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Keto Chicken Cornbread Casserole (Gluten-Free)
This delicious keto chicken cornbread recipe features a creamy, cheesy chicken layer and a "cornbread" topping. The cornbread top layer is made with coconut flour so no cornmeal is used in this recipe.
Ingredients
Chicken Filling
- 1 ½ pounds of cooked shredded chicken breasts, or use leftover rotisserie chicken
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon of paprika
Keto "Cornbread' Topping
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup coconut milk (or 1/2 cup of heavy cream & 1/2 cup of water)
- 4 ounces of full-fat cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup melted butter cooled
- 1 cup coconut flour
- 2 tablespoons of sugar substitute
- 6 drops of OOOflavors cornbread extract
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1/4 tsp of sea salt
- 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (topping)
Instructions
- Cook your chicken breasts in a large pot on your stovetop. To do so, place the chicken in the bottom of the pot and season them with salt and pepper (about one teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper).
- Cover the chicken with enough water so that they are submerged. Bring the water to a low simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until the chicken turns opaque and is fully cooked or reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
- Then drain the chicken and shred them. I shred my chicken in a stand-up mixer. It's the quickest way, but you can also shred by hand. Set it aside
Chicken Filling
- Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add the heavy cream, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin powder, black pepper, salt, and paprika. Whisk until smooth. Add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and bring the sauce to a simmer, constantly stirring, until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the cooked shredded chicken to the sauce and combine well.
Cornbread Topping
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Butter a 10.625 x 10.625 baking pan or 9 x 13.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients: coconut flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar substitute. Set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer combine well the eggs, coconut milk or (the heavy cream and water) softened cream cheese, cooled melted butter, and cornbread extract.
- To the wet mixture, add the dry ingredients. Set it aside.
- Proceed to assemble the casserole.
Assemble The Chicken Cornbread Casserole
- Add the prepared chicken filling to the buttered pan.
- Pour the cornbread mixture over the top of the chicken filling.
- Sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese over the top of the cornbread mixture layer and bake for 45-50 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick into the "cornbread" portion and it comes out clean.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
Note: You can substitute the chicken breasts by using the chicken breasts from a rotisserie chicken or half a deboned rotisserie chicken. Or 4 chicken thighs, cooked and shredded.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 420Total Fat: 22.1gSaturated Fat: 14.5gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 310mgCarbohydrates: 4.8gNet Carbohydrates: 3.1gFiber: 1.7gSugar: 2.6gProtein: 24.1g
