Keto Fajita Casserole

By Ashley Jean April 5, 2023 41 mins read 123 Views

Spice up your next low-carb Taco Tuesday with this Keto Fajita Casserole! Packed with sizzling flavor, this Mexican-inspired keto casserole tastes indulgent but is guilt-free with just 7 net carbs per serving.

Spice up your next low carb taco Tuesday with this keto fajita casserole. A Mexican inspired keto casserole that is just 7 net carbs per serving.

Casseroles, or covered dishes as we call them down South, are one of my favorite recipes to create. A full meal that only requires a handful of ingredients, minimal hands-on time, and zero babysitting? Yes, please!

The thing about casseroles is that folks tend to assume they’re full of canned soups, butter crackers, and sour cream. These aren’t exactly healthy, let alone carb-free. But it turns out that healthy casseroles are possible, you don’t have to sacrifice taste just to make sure a recipe is keto-friendly.

Take this casserole, for example; I had chicken, peppers, and some onion that I needed to use up before they went bad. Since Mexican is my favorite, I knew what I had to try.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Casseroles are perfect one-pot weeknight dinners for busy families! With only about a 30-minute prep time that can be done days or weeks beforehand, you can have a keto fajita casserole waiting in your fridge or freezer, ready to bake.
The Keto Fajita Casserole is a family favorite that’s easily customizable around allergies and picky eaters. Already low carb, the Keto Fajita Casserole is also gluten-free and can be altered to be dairy-free or vegetarian.
You can stretch leftovers out by reheating your casserole and serving it over Keto Mexican Style Cauliflower Rice.

What Make Makes This Fajita Casserole Keto-Friendly?

One of the reasons casseroles are so great is because of how versatile their recipes are. To make a keto-friendly casserole, all you need to do is pay attention to the macronutritional contents of the ingredients you’re using. For those of us on Ketogenic diets, we want to make meals with low-carb, high-fat ingredients like high-fat meats and vegetables. Potatos and rice, while typically casserole ingredient staples, are high in carbs, so leave these out.

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless (3 to 4 large breasts)
1.5 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons butter, divided (or oil, for frying)
4.5 ounces chopped orange bell pepper
4.5 ounces chopped red bell pepper
2.5 ounces chopped red onion
2 cups cauliflower rice (frozen or fresh)
8 tablespoons store-bought queso, not melted (I used Gordo’s brand)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Cilantro (optional)

How to Make Keto Fajita Casserole

Think of this casserole as a plate of keto fajitas with all the fixings. Just like when you make or order normal fajitas, this dish is completely customizable. If you don’t want chicken, you can easily turn this into a keto beef or steak fajita casserole.

To bulk give the casserole its melty gooyness, you have the white queso and Monterey Jack cheddar, as well as the cauliflower rice (instead of normal rice or potatoes).

You can use frozen cauliflower rice, but just be aware you’ll have extra liquid at the bottom of your Keto Fajita Casserole when you’re done baking. But don’t worry! The extra water won’t affect the taste or ruin the meal.

Pro-tip: After you serve the first plate, you can drain excess liquid from the casserole dish into the sink.

FAQ

Can I make vegetarian Keto Fajita Casserole?

Yes! You can either substitute the chicken breast with either plant-based u0022chickenu0022 strips or a block of tofu. Adding black beans or lentils are other great ways to pack your keto casserole with protein.

Can I make a dairy-free Keto Fajita Casserole?

Yes! There are many dairy-free substitutes for queso and Monterey Jack cheese. In place of cheese queso, you can create your own cashew, roasted cauliflower, black bean, or vegan queso dip. You can also swap out traditional Monterey Jack for either something like Daiya Jack Style Shreds, a shredded cheese-alternative, or other vegan substitutes. To capture the same flavors cheese adds to a dish, you can also sprinkle the casserole with Nutrional Yeast before baking.

What is a keto friendly dessert to have with Keto Fajita Casserole?

Pairing desserts with the flavors of chicken fajitas can feel daunting, but it’s easy. This Easy Keto No Bake Cheesecake is always a crowd pleaser, but you can also serve keto-friendly ice cream or berries with Sugar-Free Keto Cool Whip.

How far in advance can I meal prep a Keto Fajita Casserole?

You can prep you Keto Fajita Casserole days or months before you bake, depending on how proactive you want to get about meal planning. After assembling your casserole, you can leave the dish either in the fridge for 3 – 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just be sure the dish is covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and you thaw your frozen casserole before baking.

My family really enjoyed this nonconventional keto Taco Tuesday and I hope yours does too!

Spice up your next low carb taco Tuesday with this keto fajita casserole. A Mexican inspired keto casserole that is just 7 net <a href=

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Low Carb Fajita Casserole

Spice up your next low carb taco Tuesday with this keto fajita casserole. A Mexican inspired keto casserole that is just 7 net carbs per serving.

Course Casseroles

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 522kcal

Author Anna Hunley

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless (3 to 4 large breasts)
1.5 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons butter divided (or oil, for frying)
4.5 ounces chopped orange bell pepper
4.5 ounces chopped red bell pepper
2.5 ounces chopped red onion
2 cups cauliflower rice frozen or fresh
8 tablespoons store bought queso not melted (I used Gordo’s brand)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Cilantro optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces. In a small bowl, combine the spices. Season the chicken with half of the seasoning.
In a large skillet, heat half of the butter (or oil). Once hot, add half of the chicken. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until browned. They do not have to be cooked through as they will finish cooking in the oven. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with remaining chicken.
Add the peppers, onions, and cauliflower rice to the bowl with the chicken. Season with the remaining spices and toss to coat.
Add half of the mixture to a medium sized casserole dish. Add half of the queso to the top of the mixture. Repeat once more with remaining mixture and queso.
Top the casserole with the shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Let the casserole rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.

The post Keto Fajita Casserole appeared first on Keto In Pearls.

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Title: Keto Fajita Casserole
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Published Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:53:24 +0000

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you eat fruit on keto?

Do you want to know if fruit can be eaten on a low-carb diet? Yes, but be careful.

To stay in ketosis and burn fat, the idea is to keep carbs to a minimum. You can still eat certain fruits if you follow a balanced, healthy keto diet.

Although low-carb fruits may be included in a keto meal plan they should only be consumed sparingly and in moderation. The carbohydrate contents of different fruits vary. For example, avocados are relatively low in carbohydrates, while bananas have significantly more carbs.

You can find sugar in fruits. Your body converts it into glucose to make energy. A high intake of sugar can lead to blood sugar spikes that can slow down your progress towards nutritional ketosis. You need to be mindful of the serving sizes and avoid overindulging in sugary treats.

Choosing fresh fruit over processed or sugary snacks will provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre which help fuel our bodies without adding too many extra carbs associated with desserts or processed snacks like candy bars or pies.

You should consider whether or no fruit is better than sugary treats when deciding whether the keto diet is right. However, you must remember that fresh fruits are more nutritious than sugary treats.

Is the first week of keto the hardest?

The first week of a ketogenic diet can be difficult. This diet requires major lifestyle changes that push most people outside of their comfort zones. It can be scary to consider that you are saying goodbye to high-carb food favorites.

But don't fear! You can make this one of the most fulfilling weeks of your entire life with the right information. The ketogenic diet can be managed with dedication and consistent effort.

Take it slow. Transitioning to a new diet takes time. While you may feel groggy while you adjust to the lower-carb lifestyle, don't despair! Healthy fats and low-sugar veggies will replenish your energy while helping you keep your portion sizes under control.

It is important to remember that this won't last forever. Once your body adjusts, your cravings for high sugar carbs will ease. Hunger will naturally subside and your metabolism will remain energized throughout your day.

Mental fortitude and concrete steps can make a huge difference in making the daunting task seem less daunting.

What is the best lazy keto diet for beginners to follow?

It can be daunting to begin your keto journey. It's easy for people to become overwhelmed by the amount of information available online. Here's where the "lazy-keto diet" comes in.

Instead of tracking all your macros, lazy keto diets focus on reducing net carbohydrates to 25-50g per day in order to enter and maintain ketosis. Because you don't need to monitor your macronutrients or caloric intake, this approach is much more flexible than traditional keto diets.

In essence, with a lazy ketogenic diet, you forgo tracking macros and opt for whole low-carb foods that you love most - things like meats, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, and some vegetables are encouraged in moderate amounts while avoiding starchy carbohydrates and added sugars all together.

Lazy Keto is a great way to get low-carb lifestyle without sacrificing your favorite meals or compromising important nutrients. Lazy Keto is ideal for people starting to lose weight, who do not have the time or knowledge necessary to follow a keto diet.

Is keto right in your situation?

You must make the conscious choice to ask tough questions, do your research, and find out what "right" is for you. That is why the age-old keto diet has been around for so long and remains popular today - it is believed to offer health benefits far beyond just weight loss.

Ask yourself these questions: What are your health goals? Do I want to lose weight, improve mental clarity or balance my gut microbiome? If done with care, keto can be a great place for a start.

Keto works to reduce the amount of carbohydrates we consume, and is best when there are 20 grams a day. This pushes our bodies into a biochemical state known as nutritional ketosis - basically using fat as our energy source instead of sugar or glucose. While it might be hard to stick to a strict carbohydrate limit at first, it will become easier over time.

As long as you maintain strong nutritional quality and intake of certain healthy fats, such as Omega 3 fatty acids and other beneficial mono/polyunsaturated fats found in avocados, salmon, or nuts, you should see beneficial metabolic effects from following a ketogenic diet, whether you want body composition changes or general internal health improvements.

You can make keto a sustainable diet if you have the right nutrition intake. If done correctly, keto could be very beneficial for your individual needs, so take the time to learn more about it through reliable sources before taking any big steps forwards (or backward).

Can I consume alcohol while on the keto diet?

Questioning what you can and cannot do while limiting carbohydrates is a sensible way to approach the keto diet. A careful look should be taken when consuming alcohol.

The answer is - it depends. There are many alcoholic beverages that are not keto-friendly. Some are better suited to this diet than others. It is dependent on factors like sugar levels, carbohydrate content, and even type of alcohol that a drink's consumption will have an effect on how much you are able to consume.

You need to make wise choices and be aware that even though an alcoholic beverage may not have visible carbs, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's compatible with keto. It might increase your blood sugar levels. Besides, other elements, such as calorie content, should also be considered before making your choice.

Moderation is important for alcohol consumption on a low-carb lifestyle to maximize its benefits while avoiding potential drawbacks that could hamper your weight loss and fitness.

Information is key to making better decisions. Make sure you pay close attention before you decide to drink a low carb beverage.

What happens if your keto diet includes more than 20 carbs?

You might be wondering what the consequences could be if you consume more keto carbohydrates than you should. It's an important idea that should be carefully considered. Eating too many carbohydrates can slow weight loss, or even cause weight increase.

Understanding how carbs interact with your body and how fast they are processed is key to unraveling the mystery of how much is too many.

It is crucial to not eat too much processed carbohydrates while on a low carbohydrate diet, such as the ketogenic. The rule of thumb is to limit your body's energy needs. This means limiting your total carbohydrate intake to less than 20g per person. When trying to maintain ketosis, it is important to remain vigilant about this number, as exceeding this can sometimes create an imbalanced state in the body and hinder progress.

It pays to be within the guidelines of a ketogenic Diet for optimal health. This will help you to understand how your body processes these macro nutrients for energy production, which is essential for anyone who wants to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Statistics

But, a 1-ounce slice of cheese delivers about 30% of the Daily Value for saturated fat, so if you're worried about heart disease, consider portion size when eating cheese. (eatingwell.com)
It typically contains 70% fat, 20% protein, and only 10% carbs (9Trusted (healthline.com)
Around 35% of total calorie intake is probably the upper limit. (healthline.com)
Carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy, but on a strict ketogenic diet, less than 5% of energy intake is from carbohydrates (learn more in our beginner's guide for the ketogenic diet). (eatingwell.com)
Fats should replace the majority of cut carbs and deliver approximately 60–80% of your total caloric intake. (healthline.com)

External Links

How To

Calculating your Macros on a Ketogenic Diet

Finding the right way to live keto is key to maximizing your results. Calculating your macros with a ketogenic diet is both easy and challenging at the same time.

Understanding macro nutrition will help you understand the meaning of Macros in a Keto Diet. Further explanation is provided by this term. It refers to three vital nutrients - carbohydrates proteins and fats – that are required for our bodies to function correctly and thrive. Our bodies can benefit from each nutrient's functions by measuring how much we consume.

It is important to plan your meals and keep track of your progress. You can ensure that you are making the right deductions in order to determine what is best for you and your journey.

When considering all aspects related to macro tracking, patience is essential! Flexibility allows room for improvement while learning your own specific body's needs so that you have the space to make corrective adjustments if need be. This will allow you to shine and understand macronutrition in new ways.

Resources: