Saturday, January 9, 2021

KETO CHICKEN ALFREDO CASSEROLE

Eating keto does not mean that you should abandon the traditional comfort food. This super easy Alfredo Keto Chicken Pan is a low-carb version of the preferred Italian classic.

Even better, this recipe is quick and easy to put together making it perfect for busy weeknights any time of the year.

 

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

 

Cauliflower florets – Cut into small pieces before using. You can get either pre cut florets or a full head of cauliflower.

 

Chicken breast – We seasoned and cooked chicken breast for this recipe but you could easily use chicken thighs instead, or a mix of the two. You could also make a batch of Crock Pot Shredded Chicken and use that instead!

 

Seasoning – To give the chicken a punch of flavor we used a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

 

Mozzarella cheese – Mozzarella is one of my favorite cheeses because it is so stretchy! We used a pre-shredded variety to save time.

 

Keto Alfredo Sauce – You can use a store-bought alfredo sauce- just read the label to make sure it’s low carb.

HOW TO MAKE IT

Prepare the cauliflower. Place the pre cut cauliflower pieces and one cup of water in a microwave safe bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp paper towel and microwave on high for about 3-5 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender enough to easily put a fork in it. Don’t over cook the cauliflower!

 

Carefully drain the water from the bowl. Place the cauliflower on a paper towel and pat the pieces dry using additional paper towels in order to remove as much extra moisture as possible.

 

Prepare the chicken. Cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes (no need to be precise you just want them bite size) and sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then heat a skillet over medium high heat add your olive oil and the cubed chicken. Cook for approximately 10 minute, or until chicken is cooked through. Set the chicken aside.

 

Prep the oven and dish. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. As it heats, spray a 13×9 inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour about a 1/2 cup of the alfredo sauce and spread it around the bottom of the pan.

 

Prepare the sauce. In a small pot heat the keto alfredo sauce over medium low heat. When it is hot add 3 ounces of mozzarella cheese to the sauce and stir until it is melted and the sauce is smooth.

 

Assemble. For this part we’re going to make layers. Start by adding half of the cauliflower to the dish making a layer of it on the bottom. Then add half of the cooked chicken. Let the chicken fill in the spaces between the cauliflower to make a mixed layer of chicken and cauliflower.

 

 

Pour ¾ cup of keto alfredo sauce over the cauliflower and chicken and then top it with half of the mozzarella.

 

Repeat steps using the remaining cauliflower and chicken to make a layer, followed by the remaining keto alfredo sauce, and topped with the last of the mozzarella cheese.

 

Bake and serve. Place the prepared casserole in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole is warmed through. The cheese should be fully melted and gooey. Allow the casserole to sit for a few minutes before slicing and serving hot.

 

MAKE SURE TO DRY YOUR CAULIFLOWER

Drying your cauliflower is an important step that you should not skip! Cauliflower releases a lot of water when it cooks, which is one of the reasons we steam it first to help release some of the moisture before placing it in the casserole. Straining and then patting dry helps remove the excess moisture and helps prevent the casserole from becoming a watery mess.

 

CAN I USE CAULIFLOWER RICE?

Yes, you can use cauliflower rice instead of bite-sized pieces of cauliflower. If you want to do this, there is no need to cook it ahead of time. Cauliflower rice cooks very quickly because it is so small. Just toss the raw cauliflower rice with the chicken and then follow the rest of the instructions as written. It will cook up nicely without getting too watery.

 

INGREDIENTS

 

14 ounces Cauliflower florets, cut into bite-size pieces

32 ounces Chicken breast

1 teaspoon Onion powder

 1 teaspoon Garlic powder

½ teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Pepper

1 tablespoon Olive oil

2 cups Keto Alfredo Sauce

12 ounces Shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

INSTRUCTIONS

Steam the cauliflower. Place cut cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl with 1 cup of water. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave on high for approximately 3-5 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender. Don’t overcook!

Drain the cauliflower pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside.

Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch cubes and sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

In a skillet over medium high heat add your olive oil and the cubed chicken. Cook for approximately 10 minute, or until chicken is cooked through. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small pot heat the keto alfredo sauce over medium low heat. When it is hot add 3 ounces of mozzarella cheese to the sauce and stir until it is melted and the sauce is smooth.

Prepare a 13×9 inch casserole dish by spraying it with non-stick spray then spread ½ cup of keto alfredo sauce on the bottom.

Next add half of the cauliflower to the dish making a layer of it on the bottom.

Top with half of the cooked chicken. Let the chicken fill in the spaces between the cauliflower to fill the dish.

Pour ¾ cup of keto alfredo sauce over the cauliflower and chicken.

Sprinkle 4.5 ounces of mozzarella on top.

Repeat steps using the remaining cauliflower and chicken to make a layer, followed by the remaining keto alfredo sauce, and topped with the last of the mozzarella cheese.

Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the casserole is warmed through and the cheese is fully melted.

NUTRITION

calories: 459kcal, carbohydrates: 6g, protein: 18g, fat: 41g, saturated fat: 25g, cholesterol: 140mg, sodium: 775mg, potassium: 246mg, fiber: 1g, sugar: 2g, vitamin a: 1444iu, vitamin c: 25mg, calcium: 479mg, iron: 1mg

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