Low Carb Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl
Published January 5, 2020 • Updated July 20, 2026
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I built this low carb chicken fajita rice bowl around Spanish cauliflower rice that actually tastes like rice, not cauliflower. 31g protein and 6.2g net carbs per serving, and the whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes.
I have been making this keto chicken fajita bowl for years, but it took a reader named Gina to teach me the trick that changed everything. She started roasting the cauliflower rice at 425°F for 12 minutes before it ever hits the skillet, and those toasted edges give it an actual chew that makes you forget you are eating cauliflower. I tried it once and never went back to the skillet-only version.
The base is my Spanish cauliflower rice, which I make by pureeing tomatoes, onion, and garlic into a sauce and cooking it down with the riced cauliflower, broth, cumin, and diced zucchini. The zucchini kind of disappears into the rice but adds body you would not expect. I finish it with fresh cilantro right off the heat.
For the chicken, I use whatever I have. Grilled chicken is my first choice, but rotisserie chicken works just as well and cuts the active cooking time in half. I have also used leftover chicken thighs from the night before. If you want more Mexican-inspired protein ideas, try my keto chicken taquitos or BBQ chicken tostada for a different spin on the same pantry staples.
The sauce upgrade I cannot stop making: one minced chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo, stirred into the tomato puree before cooking. Just one. It adds a smoky depth that is exactly right for fajita flavors without making the dish spicy. I picked this up from a reader comment and now I add it every single time.
This is a meal prep staple in my house. I portion out four servings on Sunday, store the cauliflower rice and chicken separately so nothing gets soggy, and reheat through the week. The rice holds up for 4 days in the fridge. If you are looking for more bowl-style keto meals, my spicy chicken and rice bowls use a similar approach with different seasoning, and Mexican lasagna bowls hit the same craving when you want something layered instead.
I top each bowl with sour cream, salsa, and sometimes guacamole. The macros on the recipe card do not include the guacamole, so add that separately if you are tracking. At 31g of protein and 6.2g net carbs per serving, this is one of the highest-protein low carb dinners on my site.
How to Make This Keto Fajita Bowl with Cauliflower Rice
The biggest difference between soggy cauliflower rice and rice with actual texture is one extra step. I spread the riced cauliflower on a sheet pan and roast it at 425°F for about 12 minutes before it goes into the skillet with the tomato sauce. Those toasted edges hold up under the sauce and toppings instead of turning to mush.
From there, the timing breaks down like this: 12 minutes for the cauliflower to roast, about 10 minutes to cook the sauce and saute the peppers, and 5 minutes to assemble. Under 30 minutes total, and most of that is hands-off while the oven does the work.
For the smoky fajita flavor, I stir one minced chipotle pepper (from a can of chipotles in adobo) into the tomato puree. Do not skip this. It is the single ingredient that makes the sauce taste like it came from a real kitchen, not a diet cookbook. If you like this kind of bowl meal, my lettuce wraps are another favorite when I want something lighter with the same prep-ahead approach.
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Spanish Cauliflower Rice Ingredients
4 cups riced cauliflower -
1/2 cup diced tomatoes, canned or fresh
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1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
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2 tablespoons minced onion
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1 clove garlic
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3 tablespoons avocado oil
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1 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon cumin
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1/4 cup chicken broth
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1/2 cup diced zucchini
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1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Toppings Ingredients
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1 pound cooked chicken, grilled, rotisserie or leftover
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1 bell pepper, sliced
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1/2 cup sour cream
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Puree sauce
Start by making the Spanish cauliflower rice. Add tomatoes, onion and garlic to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Set aside.
Cook the cauli rice
Over medium high heat, add avocado oil to a skillet. Then add cauliflower rice and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add sauce
Add tomato mixture and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Mix in flavor
Add broth, salt, cumin and zucchini to the skillet. Cover and continue to cook until cauliflower rice and zucchini are softened and most of the liquid is gone. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
Sauté bell pepper
Add sliced bell pepper to the skillet with a splash of avocado oil. Sauté over medium high heat until softened. Optional: roast bell pepper in the oven at 425 degrees.
Assemble the bowl
Scoop Spanish cauliflower rice into a bowl. Top with cooked chicken, bell pepper and sour cream. Add additional cilantro, salsa and guacamole if desired.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen cauliflower rice for this fajita bowl?
I use frozen cauliflower rice all the time for this recipe. The key is to thaw it first and squeeze out as much water as you can with a clean towel. Frozen rice holds more moisture, so if you skip that step, the Spanish rice turns out mushy. Once it is squeezed dry, I roast it at 425°F just like fresh, and you honestly cannot tell the difference.
How do I meal prep this keto fajita bowl for the week?
I meal prep this almost every Sunday. The trick I have learned is to store the cauliflower rice and chicken separately in the fridge. When they sit together, the rice absorbs moisture from the chicken and gets soft by day three. Kept separate, everything stays good for 4 days. I reheat the rice in a skillet (not the microwave) to get some of that crispiness back, then pile on the chicken and toppings. Four servings takes me about 30 minutes to prep.
Can I make this with steak or shrimp instead of chicken?
I have made this with sliced flank steak and it is fantastic. I sear it hard in a cast iron skillet for about 3 minutes per side, then slice thin against the grain. The fajita seasoning on steak with the Spanish cauliflower rice is a completely different experience but equally satisfying. Shrimp works too, though I only saute it for 2-3 minutes so it does not get rubbery. Either swap keeps the macros in a good range.
How do I get crispy, non-soggy cauliflower rice?
I fought soggy cauliflower rice for years before I figured this out. Roast the riced cauliflower at 425°F for 12 minutes on a sheet pan before it hits the skillet. The high heat drives off the extra water and gives the edges a toasted, almost nutty flavor. A reader named Gina taught me this trick, and I have not made skillet-only cauliflower rice since. Spreading it thin on the pan is important so it actually roasts instead of steaming.
Can I use rotisserie chicken to make this faster?
Rotisserie chicken is my shortcut for this recipe at least half the time. I shred about a pound of it (roughly half a store-bought bird) and it cuts the active prep time down to maybe 15 minutes total. The pre-seasoned skin adds flavor you do not get from plain grilled chicken. If you want other ways to use rotisserie chicken, my avocado chicken salad and Thai chicken salad both work the same way.
Is this recipe dairy-free compatible?
I have made this dairy-free by skipping the sour cream and topping with sliced avocado instead. The avocado gives you the same creamy contrast without the dairy, and honestly some weeks I prefer it that way. Coconut yogurt works as a sour cream swap too, though I would go for an unsweetened one so it does not clash with the fajita seasoning.
Can I freeze this fajita bowl for longer storage?
I have frozen the cauliflower rice and chicken together and the rice does lose some of its texture when it thaws. It is still good, just softer. My approach is to freeze only the cooked chicken and sauce, then make fresh cauliflower rice when I reheat. The rice only takes 12 minutes in the oven so it is not much extra work, and the texture difference is worth it. Frozen portions keep well for about 6 weeks.
Chicken fajita rice bowls are something I like to make when I have leftover chicken. It’s easy to make up a batch of Spanish cauliflower rice. Then top with chicken, sautéed bell pepper, and sour cream. Enjoy as a quick keto lunch or dinner – especially when you meal prep all the ingredients ahead of time.
Often, I will make the keto Mexican rice ahead of time. Along with grilling chicken or using a rotisserie chicken, this recipe can come together quickly if you have all the ingredients pre-made.
The easiest route to take when making Spanish cauliflower rice is to buy cauliflower rice at the store. You can find it in the produce section or the frozen foods section of the grocery store.
It’s more cost-effective to make your own cauliflower rice from a whole head of cauliflower. Take a whole cauliflower and cut off the stem and cut into large chunks. Use a cheese grater or food processer to chop into rice pieces.
Any type of chicken works well for this recipe. You can prepare it with your favorite method – grilled, shredded, baked. Or get a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
I have also used leftover 
Drain the zucchini first if yours runs wet, or everything goes soupy. I almost cut it thinking it was filler, but it holds structure the cauliflower alone doesn't.nnI came in convinced cauliflower rice was something you learned to live with on keto, not actually want. The tomato purée step changed that. Coats every piece instead of pooling at the bottom, so it eats like one dish. Other versions I'd made tasted like two things sharing a bowl.nn31g protein, 6.2 net carbs for something I actually look forward to. Pretty good trade.
That cumin bloom. Every Friday growing up.
Cumin in hot oil is one of those smells. I usually let mine go another 30 seconds just to get there.
6.2 carbs, potluck disaster (in the good way).
First cauliflower rice I've made and it didn't taste like settling.
That's the goal, Dina. Stone ground mustard is the one I almost left out the first time, but it's what keeps it from just tasting like seasoned vegetables.
Something I wish someone had told me the first time: squeeze the riced cauliflower in a clean dish towel before it goes in the pan. Fresh cauliflower holds way more water than it looks, and if you skip that step the whole thing goes soupy. Once I started doing it, the tomato mixture actually stuck to every piece instead of pooling at the bottom. Cumin and broth absorbed into the rice. That's when the Spanish cauli rice thing finally clicked for me. Probably obvious if you cook with cauliflower a lot, but I had to mess up one batch to figure it out.
The water thing gets everyone once. I roast at 425 for 12 minutes on a sheet pan before the skillet, same idea, and the broth and tomatoes absorb instead of pooling.
Started serving this and my partner stopped mid-scoop to ask if I'd switched to actual rice. Cauliflower. Still cauliflower. Four stars only because I'd add more bell pepper next time, but that reaction was the whole point.
Mid-scoop pause is exactly what I was going for. Bell pepper can go way higher in this one, it just absorbs into everything without throwing off the rice.
Didn't know it would absorb like that without throwing things off. Going heavier next time.
31g protein at 6.2g net carbs on a cauliflower base. That ratio isn't something you see in most keto bowls. Blending the tomatoes, onion, and garlic first, then cooking it into the rice, is what saves the cauli from reading like seasoned vegetables. Bell peppers in at the end only, or they'd lose their bite. Would push the heat next time, but I'm making this again. Four stars.
Jalapeño straight into the tomato blend. I added one last time I made this and the whole base carries the heat instead of just the top layer.
Batch six (lost count for a sec) and the Spanish cauli rice with tomatoes and cumin is SO good on a hot day.
Six batches in, you know this one. Cold the next day in summer, the cumin gets stronger overnight.
Batch four or five here. Started adding smoked paprika to the cauli rice alongside the cumin and it deepens the whole base noticeably. The stone ground mustard surprised me the first time I made it, but now I wouldn't skip it.
Smoked paprika fits right in there. Cumin's already doing the earthy work, paprika just adds the smoky edge without changing the direction of the whole bowl.
Two years of keto and I'd already written fajita bowls off my list. Made this on a whim and I'm genuinely annoyed I waited this long. The cauliflower rice pulls in the cumin and tomato sauce and doesn't taste like a substitute, it just tastes like the bowl.
Yeah, 'just tastes like the bowl' is the whole goal. Two years is a long time to miss it.
Loved the cauliflower rice, actually couldn't tell it was cauliflower which for me is a big deal (I've been burned by that before), but the seasoning felt a little flat so I ended up adding extra cumin mid-cook. Still really good, just taste it before you plate.
Extra cumin mid-cook was the right call. The base runs mild by design since the fajita chicken usually carries the seasoning, but eating it as a standalone bowl it wants a full teaspoon.
Tried probably four or five cauliflower rice bowl recipes before this one and the Spanish cauli rice is what gets me. Something about the tomato sauce cooked in makes it actually taste like rice instead of just cauliflower in a bowl. This one replaced all of them.
Nobody ever guesses the mustard. Take it out and you're back to cauliflower in tomato sauce.
I've tried probably five different cauliflower rice bowl recipes and they all have that steamed-vegetable quality I can't get past. The tomato puree step here is what changes things, it coats the cauliflower instead of sitting on top of it. Four stars because I'd want more heat, but this is the one I'm keeping.
That tomato coating is the whole point. Add 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder with the cumin. Four stars going to five after that.
My son has caught me swapping cauliflower for rice before and made a whole thing about it. Made this for dinner last week and he cleaned his bowl without a word. I actually asked if he noticed anything different and he said 'noticed what?' The tomato sauce cooked into the cauliflower is what I think does it, it completely takes over.
Yeah, the tomato is exactly it. Once it cooks in, the cauliflower is just a vehicle. 'Noticed what?' is the whole goal.
Used frozen riced cauliflower instead of fresh and added an extra splash of broth so it wouldn't dry out, and the Spanish rice flavor still came through so strong I was genuinely shocked it worked.
Frozen is fine. Smart to add the extra broth. It cooks off fast once the tomato goes in.