Get ready for a flavor-packed fiesta with our Keto Enchilada Meatball Skillet! This delicious recipe is the fusion of enchiladas with juicy meatballs, creating a mouthwatering keto-friendly dish that will satisfy your cravings.
Jump to:
- Preparation and cooking overview
- Chef's note
- 🧆 Ingredients for this keto enchilada meatballs recipe
- Ingredient substitutions
- Additional ingredients
- Cooking tools required
- Tools substitute options
- How to make Keto Enchilada Meatballs: step-by-step guide
- Cooking methods
- Preparation steps
- Cooking instructions
- What to serve with keto enchiladas meatballs?
- How to make it healthier
- Time-saving tips
- Storage and reheating instructions
- Storage tips
- Reheating tips
- Recipe wrap-up and conclusion
- Frequently asked questions
- 📖 Recipe
Imagine tender, flavorful meatballs bathed in a rich and zesty sauce, topped with gooey melted cheese and fresh herbs. This recipe is the perfect marriage of Mexican and Italian cuisines, resulting in a truly unique and mouthwatering experience.
Preparation and cooking overview
The best part about this recipe is that you can create it in less than 25 minutes. It's so simple and easy that anyone can make it. Our cooking process is so easy that we used a pound of ground chicken for these and rolled them out into 16 meatballs. That way, each has roughly 1 ounce of ground chicken. It may seem trivial, but we like it because it allows us more control over our macros.
Chef's note
Don't shy away from putting your own spin on this Keto Meatball Enchilada Skillet! The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility - if you're craving a bit of extra heat, toss in some more jalapeños. Want to mix up the flavors? Try swapping ground chicken for ground turkey or beef. Remember, the joy of cooking comes from making a dish your own. And when you're cooking keto, you're not just nourishing your body, you're also sparking creativity in the kitchen.
🧆 Ingredients for this keto enchilada meatballs recipe
Ingredient substitutions
Additional ingredients
It is always the best idea to have some favorite toppings. These options are all keto, so you don't have to worry about it:
Cooking tools required
To make this Keto Enchilada Meatballs recipe, you'll need the following tools:
Tools substitute options
How to make Keto Enchilada Meatballs: step-by-step guide
Cooking methods
Preparation steps
- Gather all the ingredients and cooking tools for the recipe.
- Preheat the broiler in your oven to the high setting.
Cooking instructions
- Combine ground chicken, finely chopped bell pepper, minced jalapeño, diced white onion, freshly chopped cilantro, taco seasoning, and freshly squeezed lime juice in a medium mixing bowl creating a meatball mixture. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a 10.5" cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
- Using your hands, form the meat mixture into 16 evenly-sized meatballs.
- Add the meatballs to the skillet and cook until they are golden brown on all sides and fully cooked through. This should take around 2-3 minutes per side, depending on the size of the meatballs.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and top with ½ cup of Mexican blend cheese.
- Place the skillet under the broiler for 3-5 minutes or until the shredded cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top with sour cream, sliced jalapeños, and fresh cilantro. Put the meatballs into a dish or serve them in the skillet.
Chef's pro tip
When cooking meatballs, it's important not to overcrowd the skillet or pan. Leaving enough space between them ensures they cook evenly and develop a nice crust. If the pan is too crowded, it may steam instead of sear, resulting in a less desirable texture. So, give them some room to breathe and brown them by cooking them in batches if needed.
What to serve with keto enchiladas meatballs?
These chicken enchilada meatballs are a delicious and filling meal on their own, but if you're looking to add some extra sides, here are some ideas:
How to make it healthier
Time-saving tips
Storage and reheating instructions
Storage tips
Reheating tips
To reheat the leftovers, there are a few methods you can use:
Sauce: If you have leftover sauce, it's best to store it separately from the meatballs. Store it in a separate container and follow the same storage and reheating instructions.
Note: Remember always to reheat the meatballs until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to ensure they are thoroughly reheated.
Recipe wrap-up and conclusion
These Keto Enchilada Meatballs are your perfect answer to a low-carb Mexican food fix. Brimming with protein and flavor, they're set to become a go-to dish in your recipe rotation.
You can serve these tasty meatballs as a hit appetizer or a filling main dish. Each bite delivers the rich taste of enchiladas with soft meatballs, tangy sauce, and gooey cheese - a combination that's hard to resist.
The best part? They're keto-friendly. High in protein and low in carbs, these meatballs align perfectly with your health-conscious meal plan.
So, let's get cooking! Whip up this Keto Enchilada Meatballs recipe for a mouth-watering meal that fits right into your keto diet. It's a tasty, satisfying dish that's just as easy to make as it is to love.
Frequently asked questions
📖 Recipe
Keto Enchilada Skillet Dinner
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 bell pepper minced
- 1 jalapeño minced
- ½ white onion minced
- Handful cilantro minced
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- ½ lime juiced
- 1 cup Mexican blend cheese
- 3 tablespoons oil for frying
Toppings:
- 8 ounces enchilada sauce we use fronterra
- ½ cup Mexican blend cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 jalapeño thinly sliced
- Cilantro minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven broiler to high.
- Combine all of the meatball ingredients except for the oil in a medium bowl and mix until combined.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 10.5″ cast iron skillet until hot. Add in the meatballs and cook 2-3 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.
- Pour in the enchilada sauce and top with the ½ cup of Mexican blend cheese. Place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Top with sour cream, sliced jalapeños, and cilantro to serve.
Kimber Candelaria says
How many meatballs per serving?
Alex Lester says
Approximately 16 but you can make them as large or as small as you want, the serving size will just be 1/6th of the recipe. Hope that helps!
Belle says
How many meat balls does this make and how many meat balls per serving??
Alex Lester says
Approximately 16 but you can make them as large or as small as you want, the serving size will just be 1/6th of the recipe. Hope that helps!
Jen says
I love the taste but mine fell apart. Next time I’m going to add 2 eggs to see if it helps.
TheaMaria says
These look delicious. I'm surprised there's no egg in the meatball mixture?
Alex Lester says
Nope no egg but you could totally add one if you'd like.
Marty says
I do not understand "one-half lime, juiced". Do we use the flesh of the lime, the flesh and peel, or just the juice?
Alex Lester says
It is the juice from 1/2 of a lime.
Jess says
Super creative recipe...my family loved it! I made my own enchilada sauce so the overall net carbs reduced (and fat increased), but we managed 4 meatballs w/sauce and avocado each just under 6 net carbs. I budget 6 carbs per meal, so I couldn't add the cauliflower rice. But next time...and there WILL be a next time, I'll budget my carbs accordingly throughout the day. Thanks for the recipe!!
Kelly says
These are soooo good! I learned to use a spatula to scrape them from the pan after the first side is done and then turn them with the tongs thereafter. I usually get about 21 golf ball sized meatballs out of the mix. My husband hates cilantro and spice, and laps these up 😛 Thanks for the recipe!!
Anita Sue Coleman says
Have you found a good recipe for green enchilada sauce? Many of the store bought ones have high fructose corn syrup in them. I favor green over red, but I will try making the red.
Alex Lester says
We use Fonterra, hope this helps!
Nancy says
I like it, but is is a heavy meal!
Ronda says
This is one of my favorite recipes. My family loves them. I use ground turkey and triple the recipe. I bake them in my convection oven (350 for 20 minutes) and they turn out amazing every time. Thank you for this recipe, it’s delicious!
Jennifer says
Made this tonight and added an egg like some have recommended. I also cooked the onion and bell pepper so they’d be soft, before adding to the mixture but that’s just my preference. It was delicious and so fast to put together and cook. Will definitely be a favorite going forward.
Anonymous says
What are some of your favorite sides to have with this?
Suzanne says
This was a breeze to make and was on the table in a short amount of time. Great full of flavor. I did use an egg to bind the meatballs but other than that, I followed the recipe. I served it with cilantro, guacamole and pickled jalapenos. Will for sure make this again in the future.