Chicken, cauliflower, and a creamy, spicy cheese sauce come together deliciously to make up this Low Carb Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole. It’s a rich, filling meal with only 8 net carbs per serving.
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Following a low carb diet does take a little more effort. There aren’t as many grab and go foods, so preparing meals is pretty much a necessity. Changing up the menu regularly can help you keep from getting bored and introduces familiar flavors in new and unexpected ways.
My recipe for Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole has been really popular, so I decided to take that same concept and add a different spin to it. I swapped out the Buffalo sauce, for jalapeño peppers, and added bacon to create this Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole.
Cauliflower rice takes the place of the usual, carb-heavy rice you’d find in a traditional casserole dish, and gives you a healthy serving of vegetables, as well.
If you have extra chicken or are looking to make a different variation, you should try this Low Carb Chicken Casserole – this one isn’t spicy and a great option for kids too!
Why This Recipe Works
Cauliflower “rice” takes the place of the rice or pasta you would typically find in a casserole dish. It doesn’t absorb liquid well, so I keep the cheese sauce on the thicker side to prevent the dish from becoming too “soupy.”
Not using flour to thicken the sauce not only keeps this dish low in carbohydrates (there are approximately 8 net carbs per serving), but also gluten free.
A combination of cream cheese and sharp white cheddar cheese makes up the base of the cheese sauce – similar to what you might find in traditional jalapeño poppers.
Diced jalapeños and bacon give the sauce even more flavor and a little spiciness!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bacon, diced
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (cut into bite size pieces)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 5 cups cauliflower rice (from one large head)
- 5 jalapeño peppers (4 diced, 1 sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese (shredded and divided)
The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.
Prep!
There is a little bit of prep work with this recipe and it does help to do it all before you begin cooking.
You will need to rice the cauliflower (see this post on How to Rice Cauliflower, if needed), cut your chicken into bit sized cubes, dice the bacon and 4 of the jalapeños, and cut the remaining jalapeño pepper into slices.
Mince the garlic, and shred the cheddar cheese. Cut the cream cheese blocks into about 8 cubes each. Line a small plate with a couple of paper towels.
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Create!
Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add the diced bacon. Cook until just crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on the paper-towel lined plate. Set aside 1/2 cup of the bacon to use as part of the casserole topping.
Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease from the skillet, place it back on the burner and increase the heat to medium-high. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper and add to the skillet.
Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally for about 5-7 minutes or until just cooked through and no longer pink in the middle. Remove from the pan and place it in a large casserole dish along with the riced cauliflower and bacon (minus the reserved bacon).
Place the skillet back on the burner and lower the heat back to medium. If there is not enough bacon grease left in the pan, add a drizzle of olive oil along with the diced jalapeño peppers. Cook until just tender, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
Slowly pour in the heavy cream and heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese. Whisk constantly until the cheeses are completely melted and smooth. This may take a few minutes. You can raise the heat a little, if needed.
Once the cheese is ready, pour it into the casserole dish with the chicken, cauliflower, and bacon. Stir until everything is well combined.
Top the prepared casserole with the remaining cheddar cheese, reserved bacon, and jalapeño pepper slices.
Cover and cook for 35 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 10 minutes or until the casserole is hot and bubbly.
Present!
Serve hot right from the casserole dish.
Tips and Techniques
- Save time making this recipe by using riced cauliflower from the produce department. Frozen riced cauliflower is not recommended.
- Use leftover chicken and/or bacon can be used to save time.
- Completely remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeño peppers for a more mild dish, if desired.
- Do not use pre-shredded, bagged cheese. It contains a starch that doesn’t melt well and increases the carb count.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3-4 days.
FAQ’s
Can You Make This Casserole Ahead Of Time?
Yes. You can assemble this casserole ahead of time and store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Bake within 1-2 days.
Can You Freeze This Casserole?
Yes, you can freeze this casserole either before or after baking it. For an unbaked casserole, either thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking, or add 10-15 minutes to the total bake time. For a previously baked casserole, it’s best to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
More Low Carb Casserole Recipes
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Low Carb Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bacon (diced)
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (cut into bite size cubes)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 5 cups riced cauliflower (from about 1 large head)
- 5 jalapeño peppers (4 diced, 1 sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese (shredded, divided)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add the diced bacon. Cook until just crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper-towel lined plate. Set aside 1/2 cup of the bacon to use as part of the casserole topping.12 ounces bacon
- Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease from the skillet, place it back on the burner and increase the heat to medium-high. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper and add to the skillet.1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally for about 5-7 minutes or until just cooked through and no longer pink in the middle. Remove from the pan and place in a large casserole dish along with the riced cauliflower and bacon (minus the reserved bacon).5 cups riced cauliflower
- Place the skillet back on the burner and lower the heat back to medium. If there is not enough bacon grease left in the pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and the diced jalapeño peppers. Cook until just tender, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds longer.5 jalapeño peppers, 2 cloves garlic
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream and heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese. Whisk constantly until the cheeses are completely melted and smooth. This may take a few minutes. You can raise the heat a little, if needed.1 cup heavy cream, 16 ounces cream cheese, 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese
- Pour the cheese sauce into the casserole dish with the chicken, cauliflower, and bacon. Stir until everything is well combined.5 cups riced cauliflower
- Top the casserole with the remaining cheddar cheese, reserved bacon, and jalapeno pepper slices.
- Cover and cook for 35 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 10 minutes.
Notes
Tips and Techniques
- Save time making this recipe by using rice cauliflower from the produce department. Frozen riced cauliflower is not recommended.
- You can also use leftover chicken and bacon to save time.
- Completely remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeño peppers to greatly reduce the spiciness, if desired.
- Do not use bagged shredded cheese. It contains a starch that doesn't melt well and increases the carb count.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3-4 days.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on April 10, 2018. The recipe was updated in January 2023 with new photos, step-by-step instructions, tips, techniques and FAQ’s.
