This Turkey Enchilada Casserole is so good that I’ve been known to eat leftovers for breakfast, and it’s low in carbs! And this tasty casserole that uses whole roasted green chiles can be gluten-free if you make sure to use gluten-free enchilada sauce!
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I’m a casserole-loving girl, and I love to make Mexican casseroles that use those big cans of whole roasted green chiles. Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole is the recipe that got me started making casseroles with whole green chiles, and this Turkey Enchilada Casserole is a tasty variation of that same idea;
This low-carb enchilada casserole uses red enchilada sauce, ground turkey, Poblano chiles, and plenty of cheese, and this ground turkey enchilada casserole is a flavorful dish that will really get your tastebuds going! And this recipe just got a makeover with better photos!
Of course you could make this with ground beef instead of turkey if you prefer, and there really are endless variations on this theme of whole green chiles layered with meat, cheese, and green or red enchilada sauce. Hope you enjoy trying some of them!
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
Where Can I find Big Cans of Whole Green Chiles?
If you have a Latin or Mexican market near you, that’s the best place to get a good price on the big cans of whole green chiles that I love to use in recipes. But if that’s not an option you can get whole green chiles in a can at Amazon.com. (affiliate link)
What are Poblano Peppers?
For a while now I’ve been infatuated with slightly-spicy Poblano chiles, which are often called Pasilla chiles in U.S. grocery stores. Poblanos have a milder flavor and are a medium-sized chile, and the chopped Poblano is one thing that adds flavor to this casserole!
What sauce did I use for the Turkey Enchilada Casserole?
I’m a huge fan of Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (affiliate link) so I used their red sauce for this recipe. You can use any enchilada sauce you like that’s low in carbs!
Want more low-carb Mexican Food?
This recipe is featured in 22 Keto Mexican Food Dinners where you’ll find lots more tasty ideas for Mexican food without the carbs!
How to make Turkey Enchilada Casserole :
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Drain the can of whole green chiles in a colander placed in the sink.
- Split green chiles open and scrape out seeds, stacking them into two piles so you can make two equal layers in the casserole dish.
- (I pat them dry with paper towels if they still seem wet.)
- Chop up onion and Poblano pepper into pieces about 1/2 inch.
- Heat olive oil and saute onion and Poblano pieces over medium-high heat until they’re starting to brown, 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the onion-pepper mixture, heat a little more olive oil, and add the ground turkey and cook over high heat until it starts to brown. (You need to let treleased water evaporate before browning will start.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- When the turkey is browned, put onions and peppers back in the pan, add enchilada sauce, and let the mixture simmer until liquid is reduced, about 30 minutes on low. (If you’d like to reduce the carbs even more, you can probably get away with only one can of sauce, but I haven’t tried that.)
- When meat mixture has cooked down, turn heat and let it cool a bit. Once the meat mixture has cooled slightly, stir in the sour cream.
- In the casserole dish make a layer of green chiles, completely covering the bottom of the dish.
- Spread half the turkey/sauce mixture over the green chiles.
- Sprinkle that with half of each type of cheese.
- Then make another layer each of whole green chiles, sauce, and cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned and the casserole is bubbling.
- Serve hot (with sour cream if desired.)
More Casseroles for Dinner:
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped in pieces about 1/2 inch or slightly smaller
- 1 large Poblano (Pasilla) pepper, chopped in pieces about 1/2 inch or slightly smaller
- 4 tsp. olive oil
- 2 lbs. ground turkey (or use ground beef if you prefer)
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to season turkey
- 2 cans (15 oz.) red chile enchilada sauce (see notes)
- 3/4 cup sour cream (plus more for serving if desired, optional)
- 1 large can (27 oz.) whole green chiles (I used Hatch Whole Green Chiles)
- 2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Four Cheese Mexican Blend
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Spray a 9″ x 12″ casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Drain the large can of whole green chiles well in a colander placed in the sink.
- Use your fingers or a knife to split the green chiles open and remove seeds, stacking them into two piles so you can make two equal layers in the casserole dish. (I pat them dry with paper towels if they still seem wet.)
- Chop up onion and Poblano (Pasilla) pepper into pieces about 1/2 inch.
- Heat olive oil and saute onion and Poblano pieces over medium high heat until they’re starting to brown, 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the onion-pepper mixture, heat a little more olive oil, and add the ground turkey and cook over high heat until it starts to brown. (Most ground turkey has water added, so you need to let that evaporate before any browning will start.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- When the turkey is nicely browned, put the onions and peppers back in the pan, add 2 cans enchilada sauce, and let the mixture simmer until most of the liquid is reduced, about 30 minutes on low. (If you’d like to reduce the carbs even more, you can probably get away with only one can of sauce, but I haven’t tried that.)
- When the meat mixture has cooked down, turn off heat and let it cool so you can add sour cream without it curdling. Once the meat mixture has cooled, stir in the sour cream.
- In the casserole dish make a layer of green chiles, completely covering the bottom of the dish.
- Spread half the turkey/sauce mixture over the green chiles.
- Sprinkle that with half of each type of cheese.
- Then make another layer each of whole green chiles, sauce, and cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned and the casserole is bubbling.
- Serve hot (with sour cream if desired.)
- Leftovers will stay good in the fridge for several days and can be reheated in the microwave, or in the oven.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 538Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 184mgSodium: 524mgCarbohydrates: 10.7gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 43g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100{967bf23b37ec6a673a83041540b3f904a815b4119ddf673afb961c1e7592ebdd} accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This turkey enchilada casserole recipe is low-carb and gluten-free; check the nutritional information to see if you’d eat it for Keto. With reduced-fat ingredients it would also be approved for all phases of the original South Beach Diet. South Beach recommends lean ground turkey and reduced fat cheese and sour cream; other diet plans will prefer full-fat dairy products and might prefer ground beef. I used gluten-free enchilada sauce without flour, but if you can’t find that, look for enchilada sauce with the lowest amount of carbs.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Casseroles to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. Use Casserole Recipes to find more recipes like this one. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This Enchilada Casserole was first posted in 2014. The recipe was updated with better photos in 2022 and last updated with more information in 2023.
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