It’s hard to beat this ridiculously easy and delicious keto Mexican chicken skillet! Thanks to a few ingredient shortcuts, like rotisserie chicken and salsa, this enchilada-like skillet comes together in less than 15 minutes on busy weeknights.
The best way to describe this low-carb Mexican chicken skillet? Imagine deconstructed, cheesy chicken enchiladas — just without the tortilla. It has all the good stuff though: melted, gooey cheese, chunky salsa, tender chunks of chicken, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and sliced bell pepper.
And with store-bought rotisserie chicken, this keto Mexican recipe comes together in 15 minutes or less. Even better, clean-up is super quick since it involves just one pan!
We typically top this Mexican chicken skillet with diced avocado and sour cream to make it even more yummy. You can eat it as is or you can scoop it up and serve it in romaine lettuce leaves. Regardless, there are a lot of options for serving. Each serving is just 6.6 net carbs.
What Makes This An Easy Weeknight Dinner
- It uses store-bought rotisserie chicken: No need to cook your own chicken for this recipe — not unless you want to. Simply pick up a rotisserie chicken on your way home. And you’ll likely have leftover rotisserie chicken, so you can use it for other recipes throughout the week.
- It’s made with just 8 ingredients. Since several of the ingredients act as flavor bombs, you don't need additional spices or ingredients to flavor the dish.
- It takes 15 minutes or less to make. Since we use a number of shortcuts in making this dish, like rotisserie chicken, this skillet recipe goes fast — just 15 minutes or less.
- It uses just one pan. That’s right, all the ingredients are cooked in one pan. No additional bowls or pots are needed to make this dish. Therefore, minimal clean-up.
Key Ingredients
A few notes on key ingerdients:
- Rotisserie chicken: To make this dish quick and easy, we use store-bought organic rotisserie chicken. Check the ingredients on the rotisserie chicken to make sure ingredients are clean and low-carb friendly (it should just include simple spices). You can cook your own chicken if you prefer. The recipe calls for 2 cups of shredded chicken.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: We use 2 tablespoons of diced chipotle peppers, which makes it quite spicy. For less heat, use just 1 tablespoon.
- Chunky salsa: Be sure to use a low-carb salsa with clean ingredients. We use Tostitos Medium Salsa, which uses simple ingredients and is just 1 net carb per 2 tablespoons.
- Grated cheddar cheese: We use use freshly grated cheddar cheese, but you could use Mexican shredded cheese or a combination of cheeses if you prefer. Shredding your own cheese slightly reduces the number of carbs since pre-shredded cheese uses starch as a preservative.
How to Make
We love this recipe since it's so easy to make! Just a few steps and you're done!
STEP 1: Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in sliced bell pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until slightly tender.
STEP 2: Next, add salsa, diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and shredded rotisserie chicken. Stir until it's thoroughly combined and heated.
STEP 3: After, sprinkle some grated cheese over the top.
STEP 4: Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil on low until the cheese is melted, roughly 3 minutes or so. Remove pan from the oven and top with diced avocado. That's it, you're done!
How to Serve
We top this dish with diced avocado, but there are many other toppings to consider such as sour cream, guacamole, sliced jalapeños (if you like it even more spicy!), cilantro, or whatever you prefer.
You can eat it as is or you can scoop it up and serve it in romaine lettuce leaves, which is one of our favorite ways to eat it.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can purchase salsa that is low-carb and keto-friendly. We recommend that you buy a salsa that's 2 net carbs or less per 2 tablespoons. Be sure to check the ingredients to make sure it's made with simple ingredients and that no sugar is added. We use Tostito's Medium Chunky Salsa which is only 1 net carb per 2 tablespoons.
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are jalapeños that are dried and smoked and typically canned in a sauce made with puréed tomatoes, garlic, vinegar and other spices. They're usually no more than 2 net carbs per 2 tablespoons, but check the label to be sure. Since they're quite spicy, we usually don't use more than 2 tablespoons in a dish. Because of that, they can be eaten in moderation on a low-carb and keto diet.
Yes, you can either tear up strips of low-carb tortillas and add them to the skillet at the same time as the shredded chicken, or you can serve this dish with warmed tortillas when finished. You'll just need to add the net carbs of the tortilla(s) to the net carbs of this dish (which is 6.6 net carbs per serving).
You can store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Related Recipes
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag @lowcarbsimplified on your photo of this recipe on Instagram or Facebook. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Recipe
One-Pan, Keto Mexican Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 green bell pepper ribs and seeds removed and cut into 2-inch long strips
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce diced (or less, depending on desired level of spice)
- ½ cup Tostitos Medium Chunky Salsa or similar salsa
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese (or jack cheese or combination of both)
- 1 avocado diced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook ingredients: Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in sliced bell pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until slightly tender. Add salsa, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and shredded rotisserie chicken. Stir until thoroughly combined and heated.
- Finish the dish: Evenly sprinkle grated cheese over the top. Transfer skillet to oven and broil on low until cheese is melted, roughly 3 minutes or so.
- Plate and serve: Top with diced avocado for serving.
Notes
- If using store-bought salsa, look for a simple list of ingredients and make sure it contains no more than 2 grams of carbs per 2 tablespoons. We use Tostitos Salsa in this dish.
- Shredding you own cheese reduces the number of carbs since pre-shredded cheese uses starch as a preservative.