This low carb taco casserole recipe is an easy gluten free dinner recipe that the entire family will enjoy! It’s loaded with tender shredded chicken, cauliflower, brown rice and peppers. Then topped with ooey gooey melted cheese, and then baked in the oven. Basically you get to enjoy the taste of tacos without ant of the carbs! If you ask me, thats a WIN!
I love making this recipe for Taco Tuesday! Its easy to throw together, only uses one pan and comes together in less than 30 minutes, just like my one pan chicken taco rice casserole and my easy deconstructed stuffed pepper skillet.
This casserole is also incredibly easy to make. It can be assembled in under 30 minutes and baked in the oven while you take care of other things. This makes it a perfect option for busy weeknights.
The low carb taco casserole is best served with your favorite taco toppings, such as shredded cheddar, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, chopped onions, and avocado.
This recipe is gluten free and has a low fat option, dairy free option, vegan option, vegetarian option and a low carb option.
why you’ll love this recipe
- I’m a big fan of casseroles!! They make for super easy cleanup, and you know I hate doing dishes! Casseroles are also great for potlucks, meal preps and family dinners.
- This low carb taco casserole is a great way to get your daily dose of vegetables. I’m always so focused on the taco flavors that I forget its actually packed with hidden vegetables.
- It’s easy to meal prep. I love making this for dinner on a sunday. I double the ingredients and have enough for easy lunches throughout the week! I store each serving in an airtight container and just pull it out of the fridge when I need to!
ingredients & substitutions
Rice: This recipe uses a blend of brown rice and cauliflower rice to keep it low carb. It calls for frozen rice because that holds up the best in a casserole so it does not over bake but you can also use already made rice, left over or instant rice. Just make sure the rice is fully cooked before adding it to the casserole since there is not enough liquid to cook the rice during the baking process. This will help cut down on time and make this an easy weeknight 30-minute meal.
Vegetables: I used corn, Peppers and onion in this version but you can use any vegetables you want! If you’re looking for a super low carb option omit the corn. If you do not have a bell pepper, you can substitute another type of sweet pepper, such as a poblano pepper or a jalapeño pepper.
Black beans: If you do not have black beans, I use kidney beans or chickpeas.
Taco Sauce: Taco sauce is a type of sauce that is made with tomatoes, chili peppers, and spices. It has a slightly spicy and tangy flavor. If you do not have taco sauce, you can substitute a mixture of salsa and taco seasoning or enchilada sauce in this low carb taco casserole recipe.
Shredded Chicken: If I do not have shredded chicken, I like to use ground chicken, ground beef or turkey for this low carb taco casserole recipe. You can also skip the chicken to make this recipe vegetarian and vegan. You can also use shredded jackfruit too.
directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Step 2
In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the rice, corn, black beans, bell pepper, onion, taco sauce, and shredded chicken. Mix well.
Step 3
Top with shredded cheese.
Step 4
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and bubbly.
Step 5
Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Step 6
Top the low carb taco casserole with sour cream, shredded lettuce, and chopped green onions/chives.
expert tips & tricks
- Serve the casserole with your favorite taco toppings, such as shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, chopped onions, and avocado.
- Time saving hacks: I always use pre-cooked rice, frozen rice or microwavable rice. This will save you a lot of time. Use canned or frozen corn. This will save you even more time.
- For a spicier low carb taco casserole, I add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder to the taco sauce. I also add a little hot sauce to each individual portion!
- To make the low carb taco casserole vegan, I substitute cooked lentils or black beans for the shredded chicken.
how to serve, store and meal prep
The low carb taco casserole can be served hot or cold. I love it with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole, and salsa! You can also serve it with a side salad or roasted vegetables.
To store the casserole in the fridge, I place the casserole leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
When storing the casserole in the freezer, I place the leftovers in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat the chicken taco rice casserole from the fridge, simply bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, or until it is heated through.
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Low Carb Chicken Taco Casserole (gluten free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice frozen
- 1 cup cauliflower rice frozen
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 bell pepper diced option to saute slightly beforehand to cut down on bake time
- 1 onion chopped option to saute slightly beforehand to cut down on bake time
- 2 cups taco sauce or enchilada sauce or salsa
- 1 chicken breast shredded
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or dairy free cheese
Optional for topping
- 3 tbsp Sour Cream or dairy free sour cream
- 1/2 cup lettuce shredded
- 3 tbsp green onions/chives chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the rice, corn, black beans, bell pepper, onion, taco sauce, and shredded chicken. Mix well.
- Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.
- Top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, and chopped green onions/chives.
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