With the bold flavors of garlic, parmesan, and bacon this easy keto casserole will please the most reluctant low carb eater. My Chicken Bacon Spinach Casserole is great when you are pressed for time. It is easy, flavorful, and can be made ahead. You can even make it in a crockpot. This easy keto casserole recipe is low carb, keto, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
I've made this keto casserole so many times over the last few months it's amazing my kids haven't complained. But they still love it. This is the only way to get some of them, or all of them, to eat spinach. When I'm craving a little rich and creamy comfort food this is one of my go-to keto casserole recipes.
How to make a keto casserole
The simplest way to make any casserole keto-friendly is to leave out the starches. Most regular casseroles call for fillers like rice, pasta, or beans. In my low carb casseroles, I use proteins, vegetables, and fat. No starches.
How to make a casserole in a crockpot
It isn't hard to convert this to a slow cooker recipe. There are just three steps to making a chicken casserole in a crockpot instead of your oven.
- Cook the chicken in the crockpot. It is very important not to OVERCOOK the chicken or you will have a dry casserole. Cook chicken breasts on low for 2.5 hours. Add a little chicken broth, butter or oil, and salt and pepper before cooking.
- DRAIN the cooking liquid. Cut up the chicken.
- Proceed with the rest of the casserole recipe. This time just cook it in the crockpot until it is hot.
The most important step is draining the cooking liquid. If you don't do this you will end up with soup instead of a casserole.
What ingredients are in the sauce?
My typical sauce base for casseroles is cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream. This is how I can get a smooth and rich sauce without using any cans of condensed soup.
Chicken, chicken, and more chicken
We eat a lot of chicken. It is very budget friendly and easy to cook. You may remember me getting excited when my husband brought me home a two-pound bag of shrimp.
I was slightly less excited when he brought home 12 pounds of chicken breast because the freezer was packed after my Costco trip the day before. I managed to squeeze one pack in any way and we cooked the rest.
This casserole was invented about halfway through our chicken week when I just needed something that tasted less like chicken. So, in other words, it needed bacon. This Chicken Bacon Caesar Casserole has already gotten rave reviews from everyone who has tried it.
What else is in this keto chicken casserole?
This is very similar to my Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole. If you've tried that one and liked it there is high probability you will like this one too. Instead of dried herbs, there is parmesan cheese and roasted garlic powder. Instead of cheddar, there is mozzarella. But there is always bacon.
More keto casserole recipes:
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Chicken Bacon Caesar Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 oz sour cream
- 4 oz mayo
- 2 teaspoon roasted garlic powder (this is worth the investment, the flavor is amazing!)
- 2 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 2-2.5 lb cooked chicken , cubed
- 12 oz bag frozen spinach , thawed and drained
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4 slices crisp cooked bacon or ¼ cup bacon crumbles
- 2 oz shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 if baking immediately. Or you can prep ahead and keep in the refrigerator for a day or two.
- Combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and spices and mix thoroughly. I do this first in a big metal bowl.
- In the big bowl combine the cream cheese mixture you just made with the chicken, spinach, parmesan cheese, and ½ the bacon and mix well.
- Dump into a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining cheese and bacon on top.
- Bake until hot about 35 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
Originally Published March 12, 2016. Revised and Republished January 18, 2020.
Katann says
I am hoping that is 1-8oz package of cream cheese and not 18oz? I
Taryn says
Yes. One 8 oz package of cream cheese.
katann says
Thanks! I actually made it last night using 8oz. It was very good! Thanks again!
Laurie says
Thank you! I made it with one and it turned out great!!
KMixon says
Thank you. I was confused because it said “softened” by the 4 oz. sour cream instead of by the cream cheese.
Taryn says
I thought I fixed that about a year ago. Sorry!
Juanita Seguin says
for parsely and dill in this recipe do you mean fresh or dried?
Taryn says
I use dried
Alyssa Hermonat says
How about fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Taryn says
You can use fresh but it thins the sauce a little bit. Or you could lightly saute it first and then drain it.
Lorri Scanlan says
Oh my lucky stars this casserole is fantastic! Not sure which is my favorite..this one or chicken bacon ranch!! The cordon bleu one will be next! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Em says
What could you use to substitute for cream cheese? Or could you take the cream cheese out?
Taryn says
I would use a little more sour cream and mayo.
Kayla says
could you freeze this before baking?
Taryn says
I have not tried yet but I think it would work. I've frozen individual servings after baking successfully.
Astrid says
Sounds delicious!
If I was to use cheddar instead, would that mess up the flavour at all? I'm out of mozzarella
Taryn says
It would change the flavor but it would still by yummy in my opinion 🙂
Astrid says
Thanks!
Laurie says
Am I reading this right? 18oz of cream cheese or is it "one" 8 oz package of cream cheese?
Astrid says
There's a space between the 1 and the 8, so it's 8oz of cream cheese
Laurie says
That's what I figured but just wanted to make sure. Thank you! I made it the other night and it was delicious!! ?
karlee says
This sounds amazing.. I have recently HAD to switch to a FODMAP diet. Does anyone out there know if I can roast the garlic then make my 'garlic olive oil'? I am still learning.
C says
Hi-Is this something you could
Freeze? If so, how do you recommend doing so? Thanks!
Taryn says
I have frozen lunch sized portions after baking. I haven't tried freezing it beforehand.
Holly says
I made this tonight and it was SOOOOOOO good!! I was hoping to have leftovers, but my family and I gobbled it all up! I will definitely make it again!
Kelly Paden says
Thank you for sharing! What sides do you serve with this?
Taryn says
I serve it with green beans, broccoli, or a green salad.
Alyssa says
How do you cook your chicken breast?
Taryn says
I normally put it in a 9x13 casserole dish, sprinkle with garlic salt, cover with foil and bake at 350 until 160 with a meat thermometer. The time will vary on the size of the chicken breasts. I start checking around the 30 min mark.
Vickie says
Could you use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Taryn says
Yes, but I would recommend sauteeing for a few minutes to release some of the liquid first.
Vivian Borick says
I really want to make this, but I cannot do mayo. Do you think double sour cream would work ok too?
Taryn says
Yes, or half sour cream, half plain yogurt.
Melissa says
How many servings does this make? Thanks!
Taryn says
6-8 depending on what you are serving with it, if it's for kids or adults, etc.
Lorna says
My frozen spinach is 3 pounds, is that the right size?
Taryn says
No, use 12-16 oz. So only about 1/3 of that.
Nikia M. Hammonds says
Second time making this, thanks for the recipe!
Roxy says
Made this last night. Unfortunately had run out of garlic so used garlic salt. Added about a tspn & 1/2 of Dijon mustard and it as delicious. Came home a little hungry this afternoon and had a few mouthfuls cold straight out of the fridge and that tasted great too. Thank you for the recipe. Will definitely make it regularly.
Michelle says
Have you tried adding artichokes and if so does it change the texture?
Taryn says
I haven't added artichokes but I have readers who have and said it was great 🙂