Chicken and rice casseroles are classic, kid-friendly, and feed a crowd. This makes it a long-time family favorite. We had a traditional version of this casserole in the regular dinner rotation growing up, as did most everyone else. That version was made with rice, chicken, and an array of canned condensed soups. It tasted great but was far from low carb. This keto chicken and rice casserole recipe is much healthier, uses simple ingredients, and still feeds a crowd.
It uses some of my favorite low-carb convenience foods to save on prep time like pre-riced cauliflower and rotisserie chicken. I almost always grab a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store. It’s quick, easy and can be used for a million different dishes. Pre-riced cauliflower can be found in the produce section of most stores and is a fabulous low carb staple and substitute for rice.
This recipe uses a butter-based roux made with xanthan gum to recreate a rich creamy sauce similar to the original version. It also makes use of a ground pork rind and Parmesan topping that adds a crunchy texture to balance the rich base. Serve this with a simple green salad or green vegetable side for a complete and filling meal.
Prepare the unbaked casserole up to a day in advance, and keep in the refrigerator. Then just bake and serve for an easy weeknight meal! Leftovers are great to heat and eat for lunches as well.
Yields 8 servings of Keto Chicken and Rice Casserole
The Preparation
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 stick butter
- 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 5 cups riced cauliflower
- 3 cups pre-cooked chicken (rotisserie)
- 3 ounce pork rinds, crushed
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
The Execution
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a casserole dish.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the sour cream, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat.
4. Whisk in the xanthan gum, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns golden brown. It should take about 5 minutes. Watch carefully as it can burn easily. Whisk in the chicken broth.
5. Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir the riced cauliflower into the sauce mixture to combine.
6. Add the cauliflower, cooked chicken, ground pork rinds, Parmesan cheese, and the sour cream mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Stir well to combine.
7. Combine the remaining ground pork rinds and the reserved Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
This makes a total of 8 servings of Keto Chicken and Rice Casserole. Each serving comes out to be 365.63 Calories, 25.07g Fats, 4.52g Net Carbs, and 28.63g Protein.
| Keto Chicken and Rice Casserole | Calories | Fats(g) | Carbs(g) | Fiber(g) | Net Carbs(g) | Protein(g) |
| ½ cup sour cream | 228 | 22.25 | 5.32 | 0 | 5.32 | 2.81 |
| 2 large eggs | 143 | 9.51 | 0.72 | 0 | 0.72 | 12.56 |
| ½ tablespoon garlic powder | 16 | 0.04 | 3.53 | 0.4 | 3.13 | 0.8 |
| ½ tablespoon onion powder | 12 | 0.04 | 2.73 | 0.5 | 2.23 | 0.36 |
| ½ teaspoon pepper | 3 | 0.04 | 0.74 | 0.3 | 0.44 | 0.12 |
| 1 stick butter | 810 | 91.65 | 0.07 | 0 | 0.07 | 0.96 |
| 2 teaspoons xanthan gum | 10 | 0 | 2.31 | 2.31 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 cups chicken broth | 156 | 5.24 | 3.78 | 0 | 3.78 | 22.28 |
| 5 cups riced cauliflower | 134 | 1.5 | 26.59 | 10.7 | 15.89 | 10.27 |
| 3 cups pre-cooked chicken (rotisserie) | 794 | 31.12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 121.51 |
| 3 ounce pork rinds, crushed | 480 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 |
| ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese | 139 | 9.19 | 4.59 | 0 | 4.59 | 9.38 |
| Totals | 2925 | 200.58 | 50.38 | 14.21 | 36.17 | 229.05 |
| Per Serving(/8) | 365.63 | 25.07 | 6.3 | 1.78 | 4.52 | 28.63 |
Keto Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 stick butter
- 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 5 cups riced cauliflower
- 3 cups pre-cooked chicken rotisserie
- 3 ounce pork rinds crushed
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a casserole dish.
- In a small bowl whisk together the sour cream, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat.
- Whisk in the xanthan gum, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns golden brown. It should take about 5 minutes. Watch carefully as it can burn easily. Whisk in the chicken broth.
- Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir the riced cauliflower into the sauce mixture to combine.
- Add the cauliflower, cooked chicken, ground pork rinds, Parmesan cheese, and the sour cream mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Stir well to combine.
- Combine the remaining ground pork rinds and the reserved Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
