Keto enchiladas rolled in deli chicken slices instead of tortillas — tender ground beef smothered in my homemade enchilada sauce. 5.3g net carbs and a hefty 36.5g protein, since the wrap adds zero carbs.
I've been making these enchiladas for years now, and wrapping them in deli chicken instead of tortillas is still the detail I'm most proud of. The idea came from running out of tortillas one night and grabbing what I had in the fridge.
The filling is a savory ground beef mixture with coriander and sauteed onions, rolled up in thin deli chicken slices, then smothered in a from-scratch enchilada sauce. The wrap adds zero carbs, which means all your carb budget goes toward the good stuff (cheese, sauce, toppings).
I tried store-bought tortillas for a while, but most of them get soggy under all that sauce. The deli chicken holds its shape through baking and actually adds protein. Each enchilada packs serious protein without any filler.
What made me switch permanently was the math. With deli chicken wraps, the only carbs come from the sauce, onions, and cheese. Nothing from the wrap itself. Store-bought tortillas add 4-6 net carbs per wrap before you even start filling, and that adds up fast when I'm plating two or three.
The homemade enchilada sauce is what makes this recipe mine. I blend fire-roasted tomatoes with chiles, cumin, and beef broth until it's smooth and slightly thick. You could use canned enchilada sauce, but I've done side-by-side tests and the homemade version wins every time. More depth, less sodium, and you control the heat level.
I make a double batch almost every time. These freeze beautifully. I assemble them in a foil-lined dish, wrap tight with plastic then foil, and they'll keep in the freezer for up to two months. When I'm ready to eat, I bake straight from frozen at 350 degrees with foil on for 30 minutes, then uncover for another 15-20 until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
I make these with ground beef because that’s what my family prefers, but shredded chicken works too. The filling is simple: browned meat, sauteed onions and garlic, coriander, cilantro, and a scoop of the enchilada sauce mixed right in with the cheese. The sauce in the filling is what ties everything together.
The tortilla swap
Store bought tortillas
Store bought low-carb tortillas work here. A few readers swear by Mission Zero Net Carb tortillas, and La Banderita street taco size is another option I’ve heard good things about. If you find one that holds up under sauce without getting soggy, go for it.
The deli chicken wrap (my preference)
I use sliced deli chicken as the tortilla. The big win: zero carbs from the wrap. A store bought tortilla can have up to 6 net carbs each, and that adds up fast when you’re rolling 8-10 enchiladas.
Deli chicken slices are flexible and roll up just like a tortilla. I was surprised the first time I tried it. They hold their shape through baking and don’t get mushy under the sauce. One tip: microwave the slices for 8-10 seconds before rolling. Cold chicken tears. Warm chicken rolls clean.
Homemade enchilada sauce
The homemade enchilada sauce is easy to pull together and I make it every single time now.
I start by sauteing onions and garlic, then add fire-roasted tomatoes, beef broth, chiles, and cumin. Once everything simmers down, I blend it until smooth. The whole sauce takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.
Canned enchilada sauce works in a pinch, but the homemade version has more depth. I’ve done the comparison and there’s no going back.
If you don’t have a blender, just dice your chiles small and use crushed canned tomatoes. The texture won’t be as smooth, but the flavor is still there.
Ground beef
Ground beef is my go-to for these enchiladas and that’s what I reach for every time.
I brown the beef with coriander, salt, and the onion mixture until it’s well seasoned throughout. Some people add taco seasoning, but I’ve found the spices plus the enchilada sauce give plenty of flavor on their own. The coriander is the secret here. It adds a warmth that regular chili powder misses. If you want to add taco seasoning too, it won’t hurt anything.
Make ahead and freezer meal
I assemble these in the morning and bake them that evening at least twice a month. The flavors actually get better as the filling sits in the sauce.
For freezing, I assemble everything in a foil-lined dish, cover with plastic wrap then aluminum foil, and freeze. They’ll keep for up to two months in the freezer. To reheat, bake at 350 degrees with foil on (plastic wrap removed) for 30 minutes, then remove foil and cook another 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. I like to broil for the last 2 minutes to get that golden, slightly crispy cheese on top.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic and continue cooking until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside in a small bowl.
3
Add tomatoes and other ingredients
Return pan to heat, add tomatoes, beef broth, chiles and cumin. Crush up the tomatoes as they cook. Cook over medium high heat until bubbly and slightly reduced.
4
Blend until smooth
Remove from heat and pour sauce in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.
5
Brown the ground beef
In the same skillet, brown the ground beef over medium high heat. Add coriander, salt and onion mixture. Continue to cook until meat is browned. Remove from heat and set in a bowl.
6
Mix the filling
Add cilantro, 1 1/2 cups of cheese, 1/4 cup of pureed enchilada sauce to the ground beef mixture. Mix until combined.
7
Pour a thin layer of sauce
To assemble the enchiladas, pour enough sauce to cover the bottom of a 8 x 12 casserole dish.
8
Assemble enchiladas
Grab a slice of chicken. Spoon the ground beef mixture in the center and roll up like a tortilla. Place into the dish and repeat with remaining chicken slices.
9
Cheese and bake
Pour the remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Nutrition
Calories
378
Fat
22.7g
Protein
36.5g
Total carbs
6.4g
Fiber
1.1g
Net carbs
5.3g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of meat instead of ground beef?
I've made these with ground turkey and shredded chicken, and both work. Ground turkey browns the same way and tastes great with the coriander. For shredded chicken, I usually poach two breasts, shred them, then mix with the sauce and cheese. My family slightly prefers the beef version, but I rotate through all three.
What low-carb tortillas work best for enchiladas?
I've tested a few. Mission Zero Net Carb tortillas hold up well under sauce and baking. A couple of my readers swear by La Banderita street taco size too. For keto enchiladas specifically, I look for whether the tortilla stays intact after 15 minutes in the oven with wet sauce on top. Some low-carb tortillas fall apart. My personal preference is still the deli chicken wrap because it's zero carbs and adds protein, but if you want a real tortilla, Mission is my pick.
Can I make these as a casserole without rolling?
I do this when I'm short on time. Just layer the deli chicken slices on the bottom, spread the beef filling, pour sauce, add cheese, and repeat. Same flavors, half the assembly work. I actually have a full enchilada casserole recipe built around this idea.
Can I use Egglife tortillas instead of deli meat?
I've tried Egglife wraps for these and they hold up better than I expected. They're zero carbs just like the deli chicken, and they roll without tearing as long as you don't overfill. The texture is slightly different (more like a crepe than a tortilla), but under all that sauce and cheese, my family didn't notice the difference. I still reach for deli chicken most of the time because it's easier to grab at any grocery store, but Egglife is a solid swap.
Can I use cabbage leaves as the wrap?
I've done this a few times and it works if you blanch the leaves first. I dip them in boiling water for about 30 seconds, just until they're pliable, and I trim the thick center rib so the leaf lays flat. The taste has a hint of sweetness from the cabbage, but once you load them up with the beef filling and sauce, it's barely noticeable. If you want to skip a wrap entirely, my cheese taco shells work great as an open-faced base, and zucchini taco boats are another option I've done with this filling.
How do I get a golden, bubbly cheese topping?
I bake at 400 for 15 minutes, then switch to broil for the last 2 minutes. That's when the cheese goes from melted to golden and slightly crispy on the edges. I watch it the whole time under the broiler because it can go from perfect to burnt in about 30 seconds.
Can I make these in the air fryer?
I've done individual enchiladas in the air fryer at 375 for about 8-10 minutes and they come out with crispier cheese than the oven gives me. I use a small baking dish that fits inside my air fryer basket and do 3-4 at a time. The only downside is batch size, so I save the air fryer for reheating leftovers or making a quick lunch portion.
How can I store leftover enchiladas?
I keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. They reheat well in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes. I avoid the microwave when I can because the cheese gets rubbery. If I know I'm making extra, I freeze a separate dish before baking. They taste better baked fresh from frozen than reheated after being baked twice.
My wife has basically zero heat tolerance, so the chipotle chiles are going to be a non-starter for her, but I really want to make these. Thinking of swapping in green chiles or ancho powder to keep some of that smokiness. Does the chipotle do anything structural in the sauce or is it mostly just heat and flavor?
Two chipotles run mild if you have any heat tolerance, I went three on my second batch and it finally tasted right. The wrap concept works better than it looks, though I’d check at 18 minutes, mine were pulling at the edges by 20. Coriander in the beef is doing real work here.
I stopped ordering enchiladas when I went keto three years ago. This sauce is what made that hard. The chipotle smell while the pan was cooling was the same as a Tex-Mex spot I used to walk to on Fridays, corner booth, same smooth red sauce. The coriander in the beef I wouldn’t have guessed, but it’s doing real work. 5.3 net carbs. The deli chicken wrap is strange as a concept and invisible once you’re eating. Three years was a long time to go without.
I was surprised the coriander made that much of a difference – I just use cumin in keto versions and the filling always ends up one-note. The wraps got a little wet by the time I served them, probably left them sitting too long before cutting.
Coriander really does change the filling, cumin alone reads flat. The wet wrap thing is real. I cut and plate mine right out of the oven, the sauce keeps soaking into the chicken the longer they sit.
Warm the deli chicken slices in the dry skillet for about 20 seconds before rolling, they go pliable instead of tearing at the seam. I also stirred a spoonful of leftover adobo sauce from the chipotle can into the beef while it browned. So smoky.
Tanya, the dry skillet trick makes sense. I’ve been rolling them cold and the thin slices tear right at the seam, especially when you’re trying to overlap at the end. Twenty seconds dry heat is nothing. And the leftover adobo sauce into the beef while it’s browning, I always have half a can left and never know what to do with it. That smokiness is probably why yours tasted better.
Blend the sauce longer than you think, even past the ‘probably smooth enough’ point. First time making these and pulled it early, ended up with a slightly chunky pour that was fine but not quite what the photos showed. Worth the extra 30 seconds.
Chunky is fine but the silky version coats the chicken completely differently. I watch for the color to shift, it goes from red and flecked to a smooth deep red when it’s actually ready. Good catch, Brittany.
Brought these to a spring cookout last weekend and when I told my brother-in-law the ‘tortillas’ were chicken slices, he picked one up off his plate to actually inspect it. That moment alone was worth making them. The homemade enchilada sauce is what sells it, the chipotle in adobo gives it that smoky depth I was worried would be missing. Doubling the batch next time.
The silent second one says everything. My husband does the same thing. He’ll never admit chicken slices work better than tortillas but he keeps eating them.
Third time making these and I finally stopped being scared of the chipotle chiles and added an extra one. That slow heat that builds up halfway through eating is the whole point, I get it now.
Three is the real number. Two is in there so it doesn’t scare people off on the first try, but that slow build is the whole reason chipotles in adobo beat chili powder for this.
I kept second-guessing the chicken-slice wrap before I finally made this. I’ve done lettuce wraps, zucchini boats, cabbage rolls (you name it), and something about deli chicken just sounded wrong to me, like it’d unravel or taste off against the sauce. It doesn’t. The enchilada sauce soaks right in, the whole thing holds together, and 36g protein per serving had me reading the nutrition twice.
36g got me the first time I tracked it. Most of that is the deli chicken. You’re basically adding a full chicken breast per enchilada without realizing it.
Made these last weekend and the flavor was spot on, but my chicken slices kept unrolling before the sauce could hold them. Any trick for keeping them seam-side down while they bake, or do I just need toothpicks?
Pack them tight against each other in the dish and they hold themselves in place. If your baking dish is too wide and they have room to roll, toothpicks work, just pull them before serving.
Enchiladas were the one thing I kept coming back to, the food I missed more than bread or pasta combined. Made these on a random Tuesday. When the chipotle sauce hit I genuinely had to sit down for a second. Three years keto and this is the first time a recipe made me feel like I didn’t give anything up.
That ‘didn’t give anything up’ feeling is exactly what I was going for. The deli chicken thing sounds weird until you’re eating it and just… not thinking about it.
The deli chicken slice thing had me so skeptical (chicken instead of a tortilla??) but once I smothered them in that sauce and they came out of the oven I completely got it. SO good. Going in the regular rotation.
Made a double batch Sunday to stretch into lunches through Wednesday. Wasn’t sure the chicken would hold after a day in the fridge. It held. Sauce soaks in overnight and day two is honestly better than fresh, which I didn’t see coming. At 36g protein per serving I’ve basically solved my whole week. One thing: make extra enchilada sauce. The recipe amount is exactly right but I wanted twice as much on every single one.
Enchiladas were the one thing I told myself I’d just have to grieve when I went keto. Made these last night and I’m a little shaken. The deli chicken wrap idea is so obvious in hindsight but I never would have landed on it myself, and the chipotle sauce has that same smokiness I remember from the place I used to order from every Friday. Thought that specific craving was just gone. Apparently not.
My husband was halfway through dinner before I told him the wrap was deli chicken, not a tortilla. He just stared at his plate. That chipotle sauce sells it.
On my fifth batch and I keep tweaking the sauce less each time because it really doesn’t need it. That chipotle-adobo base blends up so smooth and punchy it outshines enchilada sauces I’ve made with way more steps. Making a double batch this weekend.
I’ve been using Egglife tortillas for my enchiladas. They are ZERO carbs! Love this recipe, and will be making this soon! Thanks Annie. You are wonderful, fun to tune into. Great content delivered with humor, and a lot of down to earthiness.
Egglife holds up better than deli meat honestly. Do you roll them tight or more loose? I always worry about tearing but the zero carbs is hard to beat.
Great recipe! I will absolutely make these again. I will probably make an “enchilada casserole” and just layer the ingredients next time. And because I live in Texas, I will add some taco seasoning as well. Thank you again for sharing this recipe! It’s a winner!
The casserole version is so much easier honestly (I have a full casserole version on the site if you want it). And taco seasoning with the cumin already in there is going to be a lot of flavor, in the best way.
These were delicious. I used turkey lunchmeat as my protein wrap. The only thing I did differently was I add about 1/8 t of xanthan gum to the sauce at the very end of blending because mine was a little thin. It made the texture of the enchilada sauce really nice. Family loved these and I will make them again! Thank you for the great recipe!
The xanthan gum trick is smart. Thin enchilada sauce just slides right off and pools at the bottom. 1/8 tsp is the right call too – any more and it gets gluey fast.
Buy La Banderita street tacos in a package of 16. The macro is very minimal on carbs. Imo, These tortillas are the very best keto friendly wraps even better then Mission low carb tortillas.
Yeah, a few of my readers say the same. Holds up under that sauce better than Mission. I still go deli chicken for the protein but these are worth keeping around.
