One-Pan Keto Green Chili Chicken

Leftover or rotisserie chicken, a can of diced green chiles, and a cream cheese and sour cream sauce come together on the stove in about 10 minutes. Then the skillet gets a blanket of Monterey Jack and cheddar and goes into the oven until it bubbles. This keto green chili chicken has no flour, rice, beans, or tortillas, so it’s naturally low in carbs, and it serves 4 from one oven-safe pan in about 40 minutes, as long as the chicken is already cooked.

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Ingredient Notes

Cooked chicken. The recipe starts with 3 cups of chicken that’s already cooked and shredded, about the meat from one rotisserie chicken. If you’re starting from raw, poach 1 1/4 pounds of boneless breasts in simmering water for 20 to 25 minutes until they reach 165°F, then shred them. That adds about half an hour to the total time.

Green chiles. Use one 7-ounce can of diced mild green chiles, liquid and all. The liquid simmers off on the stove so the sauce isn’t watery. Hot diced chiles work if you want more heat.

Cheese and salt. Monterey Jack melts smoothly and stays soft; a little sharp cheddar adds flavor. Between the two cheeses, the cream cheese, the canned chiles, and a rotisserie chicken that’s usually seasoned, there’s already a fair amount of salt. Start with 1/4 teaspoon of salt in the sauce and taste before adding more. With plain poached chicken, you’ll probably want the other 1/4 teaspoon.

About the Keto Label

This keto green chili chicken is low-carb by design; it has not been certified or lab-analyzed. Its carbohydrates come mainly from the canned chiles, cream cheese, sour cream, cheeses, and the small amounts of onion powder and chili powder, and every one of those varies by brand. Some sour creams and canned chiles have noticeably more than others. If you’re tracking carbs closely, calculate them from the labels of the products you actually use. We don’t publish a carb count because it would only be accurate for one particular set of brands.

Step by Step

On the stove (about 10 minutes)

Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center. Warm the olive oil in the skillet over medium heat and cook the garlic just until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Pour in the green chiles with their liquid and the broth, add the cumin, chili powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. The liquid should reduce by about a third.

Turn the heat to low before the dairy goes in. Stir in the cubed cream cheese until it melts into the chile mixture, then the sour cream. Sour cream can curdle and separate at a hard simmer, so keep it at a gentle steam. The sauce should be creamy, pale green-flecked, and thick enough to coat a spoon.

In the oven (15 to 20 minutes)

Fold the chicken into the sauce until every piece is coated, spread it in an even layer, and take the pan off the heat. Scatter the Monterey Jack and cheddar over the top all the way to the edges.

Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the center of the chicken reaches 165°F. Cold chicken straight from the refrigerator may need the full 20 minutes. For browned spots on the cheese, broil for 1 to 2 minutes and watch it closely. Rest the skillet for 5 minutes so the sauce settles, then scatter the green onions over the top.

Choosing the Skillet

Any 10- to 12-inch skillet that can go from burner to oven works: bare or enameled cast iron, or stainless steel with a metal handle. A 12-inch pan gives a thinner layer and more browned cheese; a 10-inch pan gives a deeper, saucier layer that may need a few extra minutes. Most nonstick skillets aren’t rated for broiler heat and some have plastic handles, so use one only if the manufacturer rates it for at least 400°F, and skip the broil step. The handle will be very hot when it comes out; keep an oven mitt or a handle cover on it.

Serving Ideas and Related Recipes

Spoon it over cauliflower rice or into crisp lettuce leaves to keep the meal low-carb, or serve it with a green salad. If you like cheesy, low-carb chicken bakes, the keto chicken Parmesan casserole is another one-dish option. For the same cream cheese and chile flavor as a party snack, try the mummy jalapeño poppers, or look through more weeknight dinners.

Make-Ahead and Storage

To make keto green chili chicken ahead, finish the stovetop steps through folding in the chicken, cool the skillet, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Add the cheese right before baking and allow 25 to 30 minutes, since it starts cold, checking for 165°F in the center. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat covered at 350°F, or in the microwave, until hot (165°F). It can be frozen for up to 2 months, but the cream cheese sauce turns slightly grainy after thawing.

Can I make this with raw chicken in the skillet?

Not as written. The bake is only long enough to melt the cheese and reheat cooked chicken; raw chicken wouldn’t cook through in the sauce in that time. Poach or roast it first, then shred it.

Is this the same as a green chile chicken casserole?

It’s close. Most green chile chicken casseroles include rice, tortillas, or a canned cream soup. This version leaves those out and bakes in the same skillet you cook the sauce in, so it’s lower in carbs and dirties one pan.

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