This Bacon Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole is the ultimate comfort food. It’s completely dairy free, gluten free, and grain free but tastes exactly like a bacon-wrapped jalapeño popper! Combined with some chicken and cauliflower rice and you’ve got a cozy little casserole the entire family will LOVE!
I absolutely love Jalapeno Poppers. The cool cream cheese + the spicy jalapeños is the ultimate combo. In this casserole, I combined cauliflower rice, pulled chicken, jalapeños, mayo, Kite Hill almond milk cream cheese, and spices to create a creamy, comforting, and delicious meal! The jalapeños lose a lot of their heat when they are cooked, so don’t worry about it being too spicy!
What ingredients do I need to make this Bacon Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole?
Pulled chicken – You can either use a rotisserie chicken or quickly poach your own and shred it (directions below). For rotisserie chickens, make sure to check your labels. Many are made with gluten, MSG and other additives, sugar, etc. I like to get the naked rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods.
Almond milk cream cheese – I get Kite Hill brand which is sold in many stores (Safeway. Giant, Wegmans, Sprouts, MOM’s, etc). The ingredients are Whole30 compliant, but definitely proceed with caution if you are currently doing a round. I’ll leave it up to you whether or not you considered it to be SWYPO 🙂 You can use any of the flavors for this recipe. Chive is my favorite!
Mayo – Sir Kensington’s avocado mayo is my favorite kind of Whole30 / paleo / dairy free / sugar free mayo. I like to get a big jar of it from Costco!
Cauliflower rice – We bake it straight from frozen in this recipe. I usually get a big pack of 1 lb bags from Costco.
Pork Panko– This stuff is the perfect gluten free / low carb / Whole30 replacement for bread crumbs! It adds so much flavor. You can easily make your own by crushing up pork rinds (just check ingredients!), or if you prefer, you can use some crushed up Siete Foods grain free chips instead!
Also, I recently got this Staub casserole dish on Amazon and I’m obsessed! It’s the perfect size.
If you make this casserole, be sure to tag me on Instagram @maryswholelife!
Looking for some other paleo casserole ideas? Check out my Tuscan Spaghetti Squash Casserole or Dairy Free Cheesy Broccoli Casserole.
Happy cooking!
Mary
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Bacon Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded chicken* see notes - I used the meat from a whole rotisserie chicken
- 4 jalapeños seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 10 oz pack sugar free bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 16 oz package frozen cauliflower rice
- 1 8 oz tub Kite Hill almond milk cream cheese any flavor
- 3/4 cup mayo
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup Pork Panko* see notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Cook the bacon pieces + 1 of the diced jalapenos in a skillet until crispy. Remove them using a slotted spoon and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Mix the cream cheese, mayo, remaining diced jalapenos, onion powder, garlic, powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the frozen cauliflower rice to the casserole dish along with the chicken, the cooked bacon/jalapeno pieces, and the cream cheese jalapeno mixture. Toss everything together to combine it well.
- Smooth it out using a spatula and top with the pork panko (or crushed Siete chips). Bake it for 30-35 minutes until the edges are bubbling and everything is heated through. Top with sliced jalapeno (if desired), serve, and enjoy!
So quick to make and so good!!
I made for my junk food loving fiancé tonight, and he couldn’t even tell I used cauliflower rice! One bite in, he tells me there will be zero leftovers. So comforting, and the perfect amount of spice! Love the texture the pork rinds give this dish as well. This will definitely be in our regular menu rotation! Can’t wait for your book to get here!
This was super easy to make… and delicious flavors!! Just the right amount of heat. Thank you, Mary for another winner!
This is so good!
Oh my YUM! Rich and creamy with some hidden veggies, and double toddler approved in our house! Delicious, quick and easy – everything you want a weeknight dinner to be.
Yay! So glad you liked it, Sara!
Excellent! Plus, my 2-year old said “I love this casserole!”
Loved this! Next time I will try the Siete chips on top.
This was such a great dinner! Added spinach for some greens- made it a one bowl wonder! So delicious! Thanks for creating it!
This was so delicious and made for great lunches to pack for work! I almost couldn’t wait for my break. Thanks for another great recipe!
This was delicious and my husband loved it, too. I was skeptical about the cauliflower because I’m not a fan and it was just okay for me the first time I made it. The second time I used only 2/3 of the cauliflower rice called for and I couldn’t taste it at all! It’s been on repeat ever since.