Bariatric Low Carb Chicken Enchilada Casserole - Bariatric Meal Prep
This low carb chicken enchilada casserole is a super easy meal that you can make ahead of time. It’s perfect for freezing or eating right away and can easily be modified to meet your current diet restrictions after weight loss surgery.
Ingredients you need to make a low carb chicken enchilada casserole
In this recipe there are two main ingredients that you need; enchilada sauce and chicken. You can either bake your own chicken ahead of time or use a rotisserie chicken. As for the sauce, if you’re feeling ambitious then you can make your own or you can purchase a canned enchilada sauce. The choice is yours. You can make this recipe as simple or as complicated as you like.
To boost the flavor of this meal I also included other ingredients to the enchilada casserole. In addition to the enchilada sauce and chicken, I used shredded cheese, black beans, green chilis, and cilantro. I omitted the tortillas to reduce the carb load but you can easily add this on the side for family members (or for yourself if you can tolerate them).
I really want to encourage you to make this your own. Other ingredients that you can include in this casserole are:
Corn (if a higher carb diet is okay and within your diet restrictions)
Is this low carb chicken enchilada keto friendly?
Keto is a popular diet I see many post-ops pursuing after weight loss surgery. Although this recipe is low carb it is not officially a keto recipe. Keto recipes are very high in fat in addition to being low carb. This recipe is more geared towards high protein and low carb.
If you need to modify this recipe to be keto friendly you can increase the cheese and remove the black beans. I included the black beans to add fiber and additional nutrients to the meal. It still remains low carb with one can of black beans added.
Sour cream or cream cheese can also be added to increase the fat content and flavor. Many post-ops may suffer from dumping with a high fat diet after surgery so please talk to your health care team about what is best for you.
How to make low carb chicken enchilada casserole
I can’t express enough how easy this recipe is. I chose to roast my chicken breasts in the oven @ 375 F for 40 minutes. This was the longest part of the cooking process but you can also buy shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery to help keep things simple and easy.
Once you have the chicken prepared, then add the enchilada sauce, ½ of the cheese, rinsed canned black beans, green chilis and cilantro. Next pour the contents into an 8×8 pan. Top with remaining cheese and cook at 375 F for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Remove from the oven and garnish with additional cilantro. You can also garnish with Greek yogurt or sour cream if you like. It’s so good and satisfying.
What type of enchilada sauce is best?
Of course homemade enchilada tastes the best but I tend to use the canned version because I like to keep things easy. I look for one with no added sugar such as La Victoria or Rosarita.
You can also use a green verde sauce such as Las Palmas for a different flavor. Both red sauce and green sauce taste good in this dish.
Each grocery store has different options so I encourage you to try different low sugar options that work for you.
What to serve with the enchiladas
This chicken enchilada casserole will likely meet your requirements for protein, carbs and fat but one thing it is lacking is a non-starchy veggie. This meal would taste good with any of the following non-starchy veggies:
If you’re eating this with family members you could also add additional tortillas or canned refried beans on the side. This will help boost their satisfaction with the meal and allow everyone to eat the same thing.
Consider omitting chilis. Once prepared, puree to desired consistency in the blender.
Prepare as directed. Consider omitting chilis if your tummy is sensitive or your surgery center does not allow.
Prepare as directed. Consider adding corn tortillas to the side or refried beans for family.
Disclaimer: Please follow your bariatric surgery center’s guidelines.
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Keywords: low carb chicken casserole
April 19, 2020	in	Bariatric Recipes	,	Pureed	,	Regular Food	,	Resources	,	Soft Diet	