Jan 3, 2019 by Dom Geracia
If you thought that Keto enchiladas were off the table, think again! Thanks to a couple shortcut ingredients, you can whip a tasty batch of this Mexican favorite in no time at all!
In most traditional enchilada recipes, the delicious filling is stuffed inside corn tortillas. You could easily swap this out for a low carb tortilla, but I know not everyone includes those in their diet.
My version uses something a little different — sliced chicken deli meat. I’ll be honest, chicken is not a deli meat I buy regularly. To me, it tends to smell a little funky and it’s a little off-putting. In this recipe, however, you can’t even taste or smell it! It’s the perfect vehicle for all of the delicious flavors we’re going to add in. This recipe is also gluten-free and suitable for those with Celiac disease, as well!
Keto Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 8-12 slices chicken deli meat
- 8 oz red enchilada sauce
- ½ cup monterey jack cheese
- 4 oz diced green chiles
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375º F.
- Begin by preheating a skillet to medium-high heat. Add in ground beef and begin to brown the meat.
- While meat is cooking, add in green chiles, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir to combine.
- Once the meat is cooked through, put the skillet on the back burner and let cool.
- While the beef mixture is cooling, spoon about 1/4 of your enchilada sauce on the bottom of a loaf pan. This will help prevent sticking.
- Lay out each individual slice of chicken in preparation for filling.
- Spoon the beef mixture onto each slice of chicken and roll like a cigar. Place each roll seam-side down in the loaf pan. The amount of filling will vary depending on the size of your deli meat.
- Do this for all slices until you have a full loaf pan. Add any excess meat mixture directly on top of the rolled enchiladas.
- Cover the entire dish with the remainder of the enchilada sauce. Then add the cheese on top.
- Pop into the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is done to your preference.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @nobunplease or tag #nobunplease on Instagram!I love to finish mine with a big dallop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro before eating. You can also serve this over cauliflower rice to make it a more complete meal!
Keto Enchiladas Tips
- The chicken deli meat can be a little delicate, so be careful when filling and rolling. I tend to use the Applegate Farms brand because it will keep a while unopened in the refrigerator. Even if it tears a little bit, you can just piece it together. It’s going to get covered with cheese and sauce, anyways!
- While my recipe calls for red enchilada sauce, experiment with other varieties, such as green!
- The carb count for enchilada sauces do vary by company, so always check the labels. I find that most are 2g-3g carbs per serving.
- Another fun variation — make chicken enchiladas! Instead of beef, use shredded chicken breast or rotisserie chicken as the base for the filling.
- In the mood for something creamy and comforting? My Fiesta Lime Chicken Chowder is equally easy and yummy!
- If convenience is more your thing, I really enjoy the low carb enchiladas offered by Real Good Foods. They are becoming more widely available in grocery stores and also use chicken in place of a tortilla.
- Nutritional information will vary slightly, depending on the enchilada sauce and chicken used.
Do you like Mexican food as much as I do? Comment below!
Dom Geracia is a passionate cat dad and Keto enthusiast from Pittsburgh. When he's not motivating the Keto community on Instagram, you can likely find him in the kitchen cooking up something delicious with his husband, Seth.
21 Comments
I love this idea w/the deli meat. I used blanched cabbage (from @TheStairLady) in my most recent attempt of enchiladas. I like the way tortillas tend to soak up the sauce but don’t want to use a ton of tortillas in one dish. So I just line the bottom of the casserole dish with 1 or 2 lc tortillas and I get a wee bit of that effect. I am most def trying this method lunch meat soon. Cheers Dom!
That’s an awesome idea! Isn’t Elena (@thestairlady) just the best?!
is there a reason why you use sliced chicken vs. say turkey? Does it hold together better?
Just what I had on hand! Turkey works great, too.
Sooo good!!!!
These easy keto enchiladas are stunning. I’m not a talented baker, but I would love to give these a try!
I made this and loved it! But the recipe didn’t list what a serving size is? I assumed it was 2 enchiladas but would really like to know for sure. And 5 net carbs per serving, correct? Thank you
It varies based on the type of deli meat you use, but mine are typically 2 enchiladas in a serving.
Just made this for my husband and I for dinner! AMAZING! Thank you!
Omg. Made this and it is wonderfull i cant thank you enou
Chicken deli meat???? Mind blown! You are a genius! Trying this soon.
It is shockingly good! Hope you love it as much as I do!
Dom
I come from a “strong enchilada game” background, and this Mexican and her clan approves! I have fun changing up the deli meat, the filling, and the spiciest of salsas. So delicious.
Hi Xochitl-
So glad you and your family enjoyed, thanks for the great feedback and ideas! 🙂
Dominic
Is the 6g of carbs for one single enchilada?
Hi there, it would depend on how many you got out of the recipe. With my ingredients, the 6g of carbs is for 1/4 of the total recipe. About 3 enchiladas in my case 😛
Hope this helps!
Amazing recipe! It’s super flavorful, but super easy to throw together on a week night. Definitely a keeper!
Wondering if you tried this using roast beef instead of chicken? My husband has a sensitivity to poultry. Thanks
I haven’t, but I imagine it would work just fine. If you try it out, let us know! It sounds delicious to me 🙂
Made these better then any I’ve had before family loved them
I know what you mean, why does chicken deli meat look and smell so gross? And it doesn’t keep well for long. So looking forward to trying this recipe out though, sounds awesome! Thank you!