Cheesy Tex-Mex Keto Chicken Cabbage Casserole

A delicious Cheesy Chicken and Cabbage Casserole loaded with Tex-Mex flavors that makes for an easy and comforting keto-friendly dinner. Low-Carb, Gluten-free and healthy too!

This recipe was my go-to when I started following Keto in college. I would bulk cook it 4x or 5x the recipe at once, and have it days on end!

I’d spice it a ton with a from-scratch seasoning blend, and it was just so good! The few friends that tried it also got hooked. Even my parents – super picky eaters btw – tried it when they came over for graduation and loved it! My dad still says that’s the one thing I cooked him that he really enjoyed! 

I think this was also the dish that actually got me started with cooking something more than just an omelette. A lot of history here.

Since I’m not on Keto anymore, I decided to create a slightly healthified version of this chicken and cabbage casserole making it slightly less cheesy than I previously would have, but with the same amount of flavor!

What do you need for this keto-friendly stuffed cabbage casserole?

• Cabbage
• Chicken Breast (or even turkey or ground beef)
• Butter (just a very slight bit)
• Cheese (a lot less than the usual, but just the right amount!)
• White Wine or Distilled White Vinegar
• Salt & Pepper
• Chicken breast
• A bunch of spices: Chili Powder, Crushed Chili Flakes, Paprika, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder. Cumin, Oregano, Cayenne Pepper

That is a long list of spices, but it’s what gives this chicken and casserole that Mexican/Tex-Mex flavor, and a little on the spicy side too!

How to make this healthy low carb cheesy chicken casserole?

• Chop the chicken breast into large chunks and bake it for about 20 minutes at 400°F. Then shred it using forks.
• While the chicken is cooking, prepare the cabbage: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium, and fry the cabbage in it until its soft. Cover it so it cooks, but be sure to stir every now and then.
• Combine all the spices in a small bowl to make the seasoning blend.
• Add in seasoning and vinegar, give it a good mix and let it cook another 3-4 minutes.
• Add in the shredded chicken, season the mix with salt and pepper, and stir.
• Take the pot off the heat and fold in 1 cup of the shredded cheese.
• Transfer the cheesy cabbage and chicken casserole mix to an 8×8” baking dish or 1½ quart casserole dish, top it with the remaining cheese and bake for 15 minutes at 400°F.

No tomato sauce, no rice!

Yes, you read that right. This chicken stuffed cabbage casserole is made with no rice and no tomato or tomato sauce (basically no high carb ingredients), so it’s the perfect low carb and keto friendly recipe.

Does this cabbage casserole freeze well?

Yes! I’ve bulk-cooked this recipe, making about 3x this quantity, and stashed it away in the freezer for months. After cooking the casserole, let it cool before you freeze it. Slice up the fully cooled dish and then line the pieces flat in freezer-safe bags with a little space in between each piece. Then place the bags in the freezer; You can stack bags on top of each other too. It should keep for even 4 months.

Thaw it before reheating. You can either use the microwave or bake it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes at 350°F.

Can you keep this keto casserole in the fridge?

Of course. Again, let the casserole cool completely and then put it away in the fridge in an airtight container. It should last about 4 days. To reheat the casserole out of the fridge, you can microwave it on high for about 2 minutes depending on the size of the piece, or heat it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes at 350°F.

Can you make this ahead of time?

Yes. Cook this casserole a fay ahead and keep it in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap. Don’t add the cheese on top though.

When its time to cook, keep it out for about 20-30 minutes to get to room temperature, top with shredded cheese and then bake. 

A super easy, filling, delicious and healthy dinner!

Another Chicken Casserole Idea?

Healthy Creamy Chicken & Green Bean Casserole (Fresh & No Canned)

Cheesy Tex-Mex Keto Chicken Cabbage Casserole

4.67 from 3 votes

Print recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Servings: 6 2⅔ x 4” pieces

Calories: 256kcal

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

A delicious Cheesy Chicken and Cabbage Casserole loaded with Tex-Mex flavors that makes for an easy and comforting keto-friendly dinner. Low-Carb, Gluten-free and healthy too!

Ingredients

• 1 small head Cabbage, about 756g, 1⅔ lbs
• 1 lb Chicken Breast, 454g
• 1 tsp Butter
• 1 Tbsp White Wine or Distilled White Vinegar
• 1 tsp Salt
• ¾ tsp Black Pepper
• 1 + ½ cups Shredded Cheddar, 168g

Seasoning:

• 1½ tsp Chili Powder
• 1½ tsp Onion Powder/Dried Minced Onion
• 1½ tsp Crushed Red Chili Pepper Flakes
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Cumin
• ½ tsp Garlic Powder
• ¼ tsp Dried Oregano
• ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper

Instructions

Prep:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Shred the cabbage using a sharp knife.
• Trim off excess fat from chicken, cut into large pieces, about 4” in size.

Cook:

• Place chicken on a greased or foiled baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes until no longer pink on the inside. Use 2 forks to shred.
• While chicken cooks, melt butter a large nonstick pot saucepan over medium, add cabbage, and toss. Cover and let cook, stirring occasionally. Cook until softened but but browned, takes about 7-10 minutes.
• In a small bowl or dish, combine spices to make the seasoning blend: chili powder, onion powder, crushed red chili pepper flakes, Paprika, Cumin, Garlic Powder, Oregano and Cayenne Pepper.
• Add vinegar and seasoning blend to cabbage and stir until uniform. Let cook another 3 minutes.
• Add shredded chicken, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
• Remove from heat and fold in 1 cup shredded cheese.
• Transfer mixture to a 1½ quart casserole dish or 8 x 8 baking dish, and sprinkle on remaining cheese.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly.

Notes

Recipe adapted from DietDoctor.

• Chicken can be replaced with any other cooked meat – Shredded Turkey or Ground Beef work well too.

Nutrition:

• Servings: 6 2⅔ x 4” pieces | Serving size: 1 piece
• Calories: 256kcal
• Fat: 13.1g | Saturated fat: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 9.7g | Fiber: 3.8g | Sugar: 4.2g
• Protein: 25g