This keto cauliflower rice and chicken is the perfect one-pan dinner any night of the week! Quick and easy and jam-packed with flavor, this keto Mexican dinner is sure to be a new favorite!
If you’re missing rice on your low-carb keto diet then I’m sure you’ve tried cauliflower rice. If you haven’t then you’re in for a treat with my keto Mexican cauliflower rice and chicken recipe!
Cauliflower rice makes an excellent substitute for rice when enjoying a keto diet. That being said, there are a few tricks to ensure you don’t taste the cauliflower, and it truly feels like having rice.
My quick and easy low-carb Mexican cauliflower rice and chicken is not only perfect for hiding the flavor of the cauliflower but it is truly delicious!
In fact, I’m sure that once you try this dish you won’t be missing rice for much longer.
If you’re a big fan of Mexican or Tex-Mex food, I have a complete list of my Keto Tex Mex Recipes that I’m sure you’ll love!
Keto Mexican Cauliflower Rice And Chicken
Avoiding the high carbohydrates that are in rice can be a challenge will doing a keto diet. This is especially the case if it was a staple in your diet prior to doing keto.
Using cauliflower rice in place of rice is a great substitute for rice. And combining cauliflower rice with chicken allows you to create an easy weeknight meal.
As a fan of Tex-Mex flavors, I wanted a recipe that featured the Southwest spices in a one-pan keto meal.
This is why I thought of combining cauliflower rice with Mexican chicken for an easy meal. Fast and easy is usually my go-to for weeknight dinners and this has become a staple in my house.
Why I Had To Stop Eating Rice
It’s hard to believe it’s been so many years since I stopped eating rice. If you’re wondering why I’m feeling pretty proud of this, let me remind you that I am a Latina and we love and rely on our rice heavily.
You can’t be invited to a gathering and not find rice in some form being served. It’s a true staple of our food and really in many cultures around the world as well.
Whether rice is center stage as the main dish, or arroz con leche (rice pudding) for dessert. So saying no to rice for so many years has been a kinda big deal for me.
This is why I am always coming up with great rice alternatives meals like this Mexican chicken and cauliflower rice is a must.
Why Is Cauliflower Rice A Good Substitute?
So, what is cauliflower rice? And why is it so great? Well, it’s just raw cauliflower that has been chopped finely to mimic the texture of rice.
Because cauliflower has a bland taste and a firm texture, it makes for a great rice substitute.
You would not cook the cauliflower the same way you traditionally cook rice, since it only requires a little sautéing. But the texture and mouthfeel are right on target.
I’ve managed to sway quite a few people into giving up traditional rice by simply using cauliflower rice instead.
I remember when we first started to eat keto, we had to make our own cauliflower! We had to chop finely or add it to a food processor!
Nowadays, it’s much easier to cook with cauliflower rice, as you can find it in the frozen aisle already perfectly riced and steamable! Many supermarkets also have fresh riced cauliflower in the produce section as well.
I have even been to some restaurants that offer it as a substitute for traditional rice!
Now some people still prefer to make their own cauliflower rice and I’ve included instructions for making it as well. But for this girl and time’s sake, I keep a freezer fully stocked with cauliflower rice!
How To Make Instant Pot Keto Mexican Cauliflower Rice and Chicken
Making this one-pan keto Mexican cauliflower rice and chicken is so simple you’ll be shocked how fast it comes together! Especially if you opt to use a pressure cooker like an Instant Pot!
To make it in a pressure cooker, simply add your chicken, peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Cook on manual, high pressure for 15 minutes, finishing with a quick release.
While your chicken cooks, steam your frozen cauliflower rice. When the chicken is done you’ll add in your cauliflower rice and cilantro.
If you’re making it on the stove, it’s still super easy and one-pan! You’ll simply sautee your onions, garlic, peppers, and tomatoes in a hot skillet with olive oil. Remove them from the pan and set them aside.
Then, add your diced chicken, seasonings, and chicken broth and allow to cook. Once the chicken is cooked you’ll add back your sauteed onions and peppers as well as the cauliflower rice and cilantro.
And that’s really it! Serve with a lime wedge and top with some avocado!
Other Keto-Friendly Mexican Recipes
Who doesn’t love some good Mexican food, right? Especially if it’s keto!
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It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of Mexican and Tex-Mex flavors here and therefore have created tons of different recipes for you to try.
The following are just a few:
- Keto Mexican Skillet
- Tamale Pie (Chili With Cornbread)
- Easy Keto Chicken Taco Slow Cooker Soup
- Keto Bacon Wrapped Tex Mex Chicken Sheet Pan Recipe
- Easy Keto Chicken Chili
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It’s what encourages this girl to keep sharing and perfecting her recipes.
Be sure to visit our Keto Hispanic Food for more Latin recipes!
Also, check out our Amazon Store for our recommendations. You might be surprised by how many great keto options are at your disposal.
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Keto Mexican Cauliflower Rice And Chicken
This Keto Cauliflower Rice and Chicken is the perfect one-pan dinner any night of the week! Quick and easy and jam-packed with flavor, this keto Mexican dinner is sure to be a new favorite!
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups of riced cauliflower (I use the frozen kind)
- 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2.5 teaspoons cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon jalapeño pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon of smokey paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped, finely
- 2 tablespoons garlic finely minced
- ½ a medium yellow pepper, chopped
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup of chopped tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onion, green pepper, tomatoes, and garlic.
- Sauté for 5-7 minutes and set aside.
- Add the riced cauliflower to the green pepper, tomatoes, and garlic. (remove from pan and set aside)
- Next, add chicken and chicken broth to the hot pan. Stir in the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin powder, chipotle powder, jalapeno powder, and chili powder.
- Sauté chicken until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.
- Lastly, add back in the cooked riced cauliflower, cilantro, and lime juice. Combine well and serve with a lime wedge and avocado slices.
Notes
If you choose to make the cauliflower rice yourself, first chop the raw cauliflower finely using a grater or a food processor. Be sure to pulse the cauliflower until it resembles rice. Be careful to not over pulse the cauliflower or it will become mush.
Instant Pot instructions:
- Add the whole chicken breast (or thighs) into the bottom of the pot, add in chicken broth, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and seasonings. Set to Manual, High Pressure for 15 minutes. Quick-release the steam and shred into larger chunks with a fork.
- Add in the cooked cauliflower rice and cilantro. Serve with a lime wedge and avocado slices.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 211Total Fat: 11.6gUnsaturated Fat: 1.6gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 110mgCarbohydrates: 11.2gNet Carbohydrates: 6.4gFiber: 4.8gSugar: 4.9gProtein: 18.1g
Michelle
Sunday 1st of January 2023
Hello I have a hard time with cauliflower rice. It turns out soggy and my family hates it. Especially since their favorite meal is chicken taco rice. I have tried to use frozen cauliflower rice only for it to be just soggy cauliflower nothing rice like. What am I doing wrong??
Hilda Solares
Tuesday 3rd of January 2023
Hi Michelle, The key is to pan-dry the cauliflower rice once you cook it in the microwave. In our home, we eat cauliflower rice at leat 3 times a week and even our non-keto family likes it. I recommend you pan-fry and add a little salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil to finish it off. Hope this helps.
Mary
Saturday 7th of May 2022
Thanks so much for this recipe. I made it yesterday for my husband and myself. It has a lot of good flavors, and we had plenty of leftovers for tonight's dinner. After working in the yard all day it was nice to just reheat and eat. Although, I had the lime juice and cilantro ready I forgot to add it in at the last minute to yesterdays meal. I added it to dinner tonight, and it really added some extra brightness to the taste. This is a very good recipe. Thanks so much for sharing.
Hilda Solares
Monday 9th of May 2022
Awesomeness Mary! So happy you and your hubby enjoyed the recipe.
Mariam
Sunday 2nd of August 2020
Thank you for this recipe! When should the cauliflower actually be cooked? It reads as if it’s added to the sautéed veggies but removed from heat & not cooked. Thanks!
Hilda Solares
Wednesday 5th of August 2020
Hi Mariam, When you add the riced cauliflower to the sauteed vegetables you will be cooking the cauliflower. Note that it does not take long for cauliflower to cook.