Skinny Chicken Taco Casserole Recipe: Healthier Ingredients, Lower Calories by Donna John
Mexican casseroles are one of my weaknesses. What's not to love about a hot-out-of-the-oven casserole full of Mexican flavors and ingredients? But my husband and I are trying to eat healthier and cut calories to shed of few of these unwanted pounds that keep hanging around. This easy skinny chicken taco casserole recipe is full of those flavors we love without so much fat, calories and salt.
To make this low-calorie, healthier chicken casserole, you will need to gather the following ingredients: corn tortillas, riced cauliflower, brown rice, taco sauce or enchilada sauce, a green pepper, a fresh tomato, red onion, cooked shredded chicken, cheddar cheese and optional fresh cilantro (I'm always on Team Cilantro!). The fresh, gluten-free ingredients bake up in about 30 minutes.
Serve this Mexican casserole for dinner with your favorite side dishes. I kept it simple and served mine with some fresh guacamole on the side. If you love Mexican casseroles, here's a few more to try:
- Skinny King Ranch Casserole
- Walking Taco Casserole
- Creamy Chicken Fajita Casserole
- Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole
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Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 6 corn tortillas, cut into quarters
- 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups taco sauce or enchilada sauce
- 1 poblano pepper or green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
Helpful Products
- Cutting Board
- Chef Knife
- Measuring Cups
- Baking Dishes
- Grater
- Nonstick Cooking Spray
- Aluminum Foil
- Airtight Containers
- Kitchen Towels
Recipe Notes
- To cut prep time, I used precooked brown rice.
- I used a Mexican salsa, but next time will use red enchilada sauce. Use whatever sauce you enjoy the flavor and heat of in this casserole.
- Because the vegetables go in raw and are not cooked in a skillet to soften first, chop them smaller so they cook faster.
- If you don't have leftover chicken meat, cook about two chicken breasts or four boneless chicken thighs. You could also use rotisserie chicken.
- If your casserole dish doesn't have a lid, cover with aluminum foil.
- You can use reduced-fat cheese for this recipe. Don't like cheddar? Try a Mexican blend, Monterey Jack or your favorite cheese.
Here's how to make it:
- Put one-third of the tortilla quarters onto the bottom of a lightly oiled casserole dish.
- Top with the cauliflower and brown rice. Drizzle with some of the taco sauce or enchilada sauce.
- Add more tortillas on top.
- Top with the chopped peppers, tomatoes, onions and chicken. Drizzle with some of the taco sauce or enchilada sauce.
- Top with the remaining tortillas. Cover with the remaining taco sauce or enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the cheese.
- Cover and bake in a preheated 400-degree F oven for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake about 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving
Calories: 286
Total Fat: 7.3g
Saturated Fat: 3.3g
Cholesterol: 52mg
Sodium: 305mg
Total Carbohydrate: 33.6g
Dietary Fiber: 4.2g
Total Sugars: 4.9g
Protein: 22.1g
Vitamin D: 2mcg
Calcium: 149mg
Iron: 2mg
Potassium: 357mg
Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by VeryWellFit. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.
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