Layered with deli chicken 'noodles', this keto enchilada lasagna casserole is mildly spicy, loaded with melty cheese, and holds together better than any tortilla version I've tried. 4.1g net carbs and 23.5g protein. It's on my table at least twice a month.
I’ve made a lot of enchilada casseroles over the years, and this is the one that stuck. The deli chicken layers act as noodles, holding the beef and cheese together without falling apart the way low-carb tortillas always did for me. One of my readers, Wendy, actually tested four different keto enchilada casseroles over a year before landing on this one. Her review sold me on the fact that I wasn’t imagining things.
The other thing that makes this different is where the sour cream goes. I stir it directly into the sauce instead of dolloping it on top. It keeps the casserole from drying out during baking, which was always my biggest frustration with other versions. The sauce stays creamy all the way through, even after 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
This is also one of my favorite keto freezer meals. I assemble the whole thing, cover it tightly, and freeze it unbaked. When I pull it out, I go straight from freezer to oven (covered with foil for the first 30 minutes, then uncovered to let the cheese brown). If you like batch cooking, you can easily double this and freeze the second one. I use an 8×10 casserole dish, which gives you thicker layers than a 9×13 would.
For toppings, I set out sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, pickled jalapenos, and extra sour cream so everyone can customize their plate. My kids skip the jalapenos. I add extra.
Drew, one of my readers, told me his son ate three pieces, renamed the deli chicken layers “chicken noodles,” and then he had to yell at him to stop eating all of it. That’s the review I care about.
This casserole takes 28 minutes from start to finish, so it lands on our table at least twice a month.
Chicken or Turkey Both Work
You can use sliced deli chicken or deli turkey. Both have a mild flavor that won’t overpower the casserole. Skip anything sweetened, like honey turkey or mesquite chicken.
I bake one pan for dinner and freeze a second one for later.
How to Make Enchilada Lasagna Casserole
The layering order matters. I start with a third of the beef mixture on the bottom, then two slices of deli chicken laid flat, then sliced cheddar. Repeat that once and finish with the remaining beef and shredded Mexican cheese on top. An 8×10 dish gives you three thick, distinct layers. A 9×13 works but your layers will be thinner.
From the fridge, I reheat individual portions in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or the whole dish in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. From frozen, I bake it covered at 375 for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 15-20 until it’s bubbly. If you’re making this ahead, I assemble the full casserole the night before and refrigerate it unbaked. It goes straight into the oven the next day. My keto skillet lasagna is another good option when you want the same flavors but faster.
Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium high heat until beef is browned.
3
Make sauce
Stir in salsa, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, olives and sour cream. Remove from heat.
4
Beef layer
In a large casserole dish, spoon 1/3 of the beef mixture on to the bottom of the pan.
5
Noodle layer
Lay down two slices of deli chicken on top of ground beef mixture.
6
Cheese layer
Lay down sliced cheddar cheese on top of sliced chicken.
7
More cheese!
Repeat layers. Top with remaining beef mixture and shredded Mexican cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/8 of recipe
Calories
384
Fat
29.4g
Protein
23.5g
Total carbs
4.9g
Net carbs
4.1g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I freeze this casserole baked or unbaked?
I freeze mine unbaked. I assemble the full casserole, cover it tightly with foil, and put it straight in the freezer. When I'm ready to cook it, I bake it from frozen at 375 degrees, covered for the first 30 minutes, then uncovered for another 15-20 until the cheese is bubbly. I've tried freezing it after baking too, and it works, but the deli chicken layers hold up better when you freeze before the first bake.
How long does this last in the fridge?
I wouldn't push it past 3 days. After that, the deli chicken starts to change texture and taste a little off. My move is to make it on Sunday, eat it Monday through Wednesday, and freeze a portion for later in the week if I need it.
How do I keep the deli chicken layers from melting into the beef?
I lay the slices flat in a single layer, edge to edge with tiny gaps and no overlap. When slices stack on top of each other, steam pools underneath and they dissolve into the beef during the bake. I also let the finished casserole rest 10 minutes before cutting so the layers firm up and you get clean slices.
Can I use enchilada sauce instead of salsa?
You can, but I chose salsa on purpose. Most keto enchilada recipes use enchilada sauce, and I found that salsa gives you more texture from the tomato chunks and a fresher flavor. Enchilada sauce works if you prefer a smoother consistency. Just check the label for added sugar, since some brands sneak in more carbs than you'd expect.
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?
I've made this with ground turkey and it's good, just a little leaner. The sour cream in the sauce helps keep everything moist even with the lower fat content. I cook the turkey a minute or two longer than beef, until it reaches 165 degrees, since it doesn't brown as visibly. My keto taco pie also works well with the turkey swap if you want another option.
Can I add more vegetables to this casserole?
I've thrown in diced bell peppers and spinach at different times. Bell peppers go in with the onions so they soften up. Spinach I add right at the end of cooking the beef so it just wilts. I wouldn't add anything too watery like fresh tomatoes, since the sauce already has plenty of moisture from the salsa and sour cream.
On my third batch and the seasoning is exactly right, but one note on the olives: half a cup is genuinely a lot. By the time the casserole rests the brininess bleeds into the sauce in a way I don’t think adds much, so I’ve been doing closer to a third and the beef comes through cleaner without it. The chili powder and cumin smell incredible while it’s in the oven, kind of punchy and warm, more like a long-cooked thing than something that took 25 minutes. I kept second-guessing the deli chicken until the first slice came out of the dish intact, and it holds the layers unlike tortillas, which always went to mush on the bottom before I got around to serving. The 4.1 net carbs means I’ve been eating this for a Tuesday dinner and also a Wednesday breakfast without feeling bad about either. If you’re using olives packed in a lot of liquid, definitely pull back the amount.
Cumin and chili powder in a hot skillet smells exactly like a good taco place, which helped me ignore the deli chicken situation before I could overthink it. First keto recipe that didn’t feel like a consolation prize. Cheese needed another five minutes though, came out pale.
Made this three times and the flavor’s spot on, but the deli chicken layers always melt into the beef after baking. Are you overlapping the slices or leaving gaps? Can’t figure out how to keep those layers distinct.
Dina, I go edge to edge with tiny gaps, no overlap. When slices are stacked over each other, steam pools underneath and they just dissolve into the beef. Single layer, laid flat, small space between each piece and they hold through the whole bake.
Oregano in an enchilada-style casserole read like a typo when I went through the ingredient list. Once it’s baked into the beef mixture it rounds out the chili powder the same way it does in a tomato sauce, softening the heat instead of adding more. I’ve been on keto two months, this was my first casserole attempt, and the deli chicken layers held together better than I expected. Four stars because I’m still dialing in my timing. Annie, how do you tell when the center is set if the top is already browning?
Foil tent it if the top’s browning too fast. Lay it loosely over and keep going, then check by giving the dish a nudge. When the center barely moves and the cheese is fully bubbling through, you’re done.
Subbed in chorizo for half the ground beef and the smoky fat rendering into the sauce with the cumin was something else entirely. Made it twice in the last two weeks and I’m already planning a batch with green salsa next.
I went into this nervous. I’m not a confident cook, and the chicken-as-noodles concept seemed like it was going to fall apart on me. I swapped the ground beef for shredded rotisserie (already cooked, and I was chasing every shortcut I could find) and added an extra half cup of salsa because I wanted more sauce running through the layers. What came out was the sauciest, most deeply seasoned thing I’ve ever made. The chicken absorbed every bit of the cumin and chili powder, and the cheese went this dark caramelized golden I’ve genuinely never pulled off before. I make a lot of recipes that are fine. This wasn’t fine. I texted three people before I even sat down to eat, and I’m already trying to decide if ground beef would make it even better or if I accidentally stumbled onto my version.
Rotisserie soaks up the cumin and chili powder better since it’s already shredded. Beef makes the sauce fattier, different texture. Try it once with beef to compare. You might end up keeping both.
Swapped the salsa for Rao’s and added a can of fire-roasted green chiles to the beef. Wasn’t ready for how much it changed the sauce. The deli chicken layers held tighter with the extra moisture too, which surprised me. Making this on repeat.
Rao’s salsa has way less water so yeah, that sauce would be totally different. Green chiles in the beef with the cumin and chili powder already in there. Gotta try that version.
My husband clocked the deli chicken slices going in and said ‘that’s not pasta.’ He ate the whole thing without another comment, which in my house is actually the higher bar. The cumin and salsa in the beef layer tastes exactly like real enchiladas, and the layers hold together better than I expected for something without tortillas. This one’s staying in the Sunday dinner rotation.
Husband finishing without a word is a better review than anything he could have said. The cumin ratio in that beef layer took me a few tries to nail, so glad it reads as actual enchiladas.
My husband requested this by name on a Tuesday, which means nothing until you know he thinks casseroles are a last resort. The deli chicken ‘noodle’ layer got him.
Made this during a snow day with ground beef and nothing else planned. My son ate most of it before asking what the ‘noodles’ were. Told him it was deli chicken, he didn’t believe me until I showed him the package. Going in the rotation.
I wouldn’t push it past Wednesday. After 3 days the chicken starts to get a little funky. But this freezes great, so I’d make it Sunday, eat it Mon-Tues-Wed, and freeze a portion for later in the week.
Smart move on the portions. I actually freeze mine before baking – just assemble, cover with foil, and straight in the freezer. Bakes at 375 from frozen. Might save you a step next time.
I made this for lunch today. I am so impressed with the flavor of the sauce. I would never have thought to combine sour cream with salsa. Thank you, Annie.
Took me a couple versions to land there. Enchilada sauce seemed right at first, but the salsa gives you more texture from the tomato chunks. It’s a fresher flavor too.
