Dinner doesn’t get any easier than this Chicken Enchilada Skillet. It’s creamy and cheesy, with all the bold flavor of classic enchiladas but without the heavy carbs. It’s an ideal low carb high protein recipe when you’re craving Mexican flavors. And it’s a guaranteed hit with the whole family!
Hey party people, it’s time for a little fiesta! This fun and easy meal is one of our favorites out of my popular cookbook, Easy Keto Dinners. While the kids enjoy theirs with some rice, I serve mine over Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice for even more great flavor.
Enchiladas are a well loved Mexican dish but those carb-filled tortillas don’t do us any favors. It also takes a lot more work to put together, rolling and filling the tortillas, topping them with sauce and cheese, and then baking. But this one-pan meal simplifies the process considerably!
I recently decided to re-visit this popular recipe and lighten it up a bit. I reduced the fat and increased the protein, but kept all the flavor. Now it’s better than ever. And make sure you check out my recipe for Chicken Enchilada Soup too!
Why we love this recipe
These keto chicken enchiladas bring my whole family to the table without complaint. And I always end up wishing I’d made more!
- Easy meal: This really is one of the easiest keto dinner recipes you will ever make. It takes only a handful of ingredients and is ready in 15 minutes!
- One pan recipe: You’ve got to love a meal that dirties only one pan. Less clean-up always makes me happy.
- Flavor: It really has all the bold Mexican flavor of chicken enchiladas.
- Great leftovers: I absolutely adore having the leftovers for lunch the next day. It heats up really nicely.
- Nutritional profile: This meal is packed with protein and has less than 4g of carbs per serving.
Reader’s Thoughts
“This recipe has been in my regular rotation for years. It’s delicious and easy. My husband calls it crack chicken and once requested it as his birthday meal.” — Pan
Ingredients you need
- Cooked chicken: You can use all chicken breast or a mix of light and dark meat. Cut the meat into cubes or shred it all together.
- Chicken broth: This creates a wonderful sauce for the skillet.
- Tomato paste: A little tomato paste adds flavor and color.
- Sour cream: This adds creaminess and body to your enchilada sauce.
- Cheese: Use shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese, which is a combination of Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack and cheddar.
- Seasonings: Chili powder, garlic powder, ground cumin and cayenne. These seasonings are the heart of the dish. You can make it as mild or as spicy as you like by controlling the chili powder and the cayenne.
Step by Step Directions
- Simmer the broth: In a large skillet over medium heat, add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Make the sauce: Whisk in the tomato paste, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne until smooth.
- Stir in the sour cream: Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the sour cream until well combined.
- Add the cooked chicken: Stir in the chicken and toss to coat. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and cover the skillet until melted, about 4 minutes.
- Add toppings: Serve with chopped tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, chopped avocado, jalapeños, or cilantro.
Tips for Success
Using pre-cooked chicken makes it extra easy. Rotisserie chicken is perfect for these keto chicken enchiladas. If you happen to have some leftover grilled chicken, that works too.
If you don’t have any cooked chicken, you can cook it quickly and easily by simmering it in 1 cup of broth for about 15 minutes. Then remove from the pan and shred. Remove about half of the cooking broth as well, and leave the other half for making the sauce.
You can adjust the heat to your liking. Add more chili powder and cayenne if you prefer it spicier. A little bit of chipotle powder is delicious as well.
Top with any of your favorite enchilada toppings: salsa, guacamole, chopped avocado, jalapeños, cilantro. So many delicious ways to serve it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional enchiladas are not appropriate for the keto diet. And many of the “low carb” tortillas have too many carbs for people on a keto diet, as well as quite a few questionable ingredients. This Chicken Enchilada Skillet, however, has no tortillas and doesn’t contain other high carb ingredients like rice or beans. It’s a fabulous way to enjoy enchiladas on a low carb diet.
This recipe for Keto Chicken Enchiladas has 3.4g of carbs and 0.7g of fiber. If you calculate net carbs, then this recipe has only 2.7 grams.
Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
More Mexican Inspired Keto Recipes
Chicken Enchilada Skillet Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) chicken broth
- 2 tbsp (32.46 g) tomato paste
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 3/4 cup (172.5 g) sour cream
- 1 1/2 lb (680.39 g) cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
- 1 cups (113 g) shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese, (about 6 ounces)
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, bring the broth to a simmer.
- Whisk in the tomato paste, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne until smooth.
- Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the sour cream until well combined.
- Stir in the chicken and toss to coat. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and cover the skillet until melted, about 4 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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comes out great every time. beef or chicken.
I make my own enchilada seasoning; can I leave out the spices and use it instead?
Pretty good . I have Bon Appetit recipe for chicken and cheese enchiladas that is easily made low carb by using arrowroot for thickening and low carb wraps. Many “regular” recipes can be low carb with a few substitutions.
I would have given 4 1/2 if I could. It was very, very good. But, I am a person who thinks anything hotter than ketchup is toooo hot! So, my non keto husband loved it! I thought it tasted very, very good, but a little hot. I put sour cream on top of it and then I could handle the heat! I think I may cut down on the cayenne next time. It will be made again!
I made this for the first time tonight. It was quick, easy, and delicious. It was a different way to use chicken, and a good way to get some protein. I will definitely make it again.
Thanks so much!
I made this recently, with two minor changes. I added a can of rotel with green Chiles instead of the tomato paste. I didn’t add the shredded cheese at the end because I made it around noon and it was dinner. I waited to add the cheese to our individual plates when it was about 3/4 of the way heated up..LOVED it, and I have sensitive taste buds . Im a wimp when it comes to spicy.
This recipe was so quick and easy, which is always what I’m looking for!! It was so good! I know I’m going to be making this one a lot! Thanks Carolyn!
This is delicious!! We like all things spicey so I added some extra heat to it and we loved it!! I will be adding this to our list of favourites for sure! Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is delicious! Easy to make and quickly ready to serve. I didn’t have tomato paste so I used sugar free ketchup.
What a fabulous tasting and easy to put together meal! I modified it for my dairy sensitive husband by using about 3/4 vegan sour cream and 1/4 low fat regular sour cream. Even with those modifications, it was so good! Thank you, Carolyn for all you do.❤️