This chicken burrito casserole is packed with savory shredded chicken, a flavorful creamy dairy-free cashew cheese sauce, cauliflower rice, salsa, and peppers and onions. It’s simple, so satisfying, and so delicious it’s addicting! Paleo, Whole30 friendly and keto.
Cheesy chicken and rice (without actual cheese and rice!) plus savory chicken and veggies is always something I’m on board with!
And seriously – if you’re having any doubts that you can make a truly cheesy casserole without cheese, just you wait! You’re going to love this chicken burrito casserole the moment the cashew cheese sauce is ready.
It’s beyond addicting, and I might even say the chicken and veggies are really only there so we’re not sitting there eating cheese sauce with a spoon. Been there, done that. It’s almost too yummy for its own good!
What You Need to Make this Paleo Chicken Burrito Casserole
Beyond the cashew cheese sauce (which I’ll get to in a sec) the ingredients you’ll need for this burrito casserole are super simple:
One batch cashew cheese sauce
Cooked and shredded chicken
Avocado oil, or olive oil
Cauliflower rice (I always buy this pre-riced now – game changer!)
Onion
Garlic
Bell Pepper
Jalapeno pepper
Sea salt and black pepper
Taco Seasoning (I always use Primal Palate)
Lemon or lime juice
Salsa
Cilantro for garnish
How to Make Delicious Cashew Cheese Sauce
The cheese sauce is just so so good. I’m raving about it because I don’t know what else to say – except you’ll have to see for yourself! It’s a Mexican inspired spin off of the sauce I made for my bacon cheeseburger casserole, which is another recipe you probably need to try!
The sauce begins, of course, with cashews. I don’t soak my cashews when I make cheese sauce since they seem to blend up really well with the warm water and other ingredients.
If you doubt your blender, you can always soak your cashews for a couple of hours in hot water before beginning.
Here are the remaining ingredients going in the blender with the cashews to make the sauce:
Fresh lemon juice
Warm water
Avocado oil or light flavored olive oil
Nutritional yeast (For the cheesy flavor!)
Taco seasoning
Onion powder
It really is just a matter of blending everything up super creamy, and then you’re good to go! Feel free to adjust any seasonings after blending the sauce. You can also add a bit more water if it seems way too thick – this won’t hurt the sauce at all.
Tips To Make this Chicken Burrito Casserole Kid Friendly
I don’t know about all of you, but I love when my kids actually eat what I cook! That said, this burrito casserole can be a little spicy for the little ones. Here are a few tips to make it more kid friendly:
Decrease the taco seasoning in the sauce and casserole
Use a mild salsa, and/or reduce the amount
Omit the jalapeno peppers
For storage, this casserole will freeze well if you want to make it ahead of time and portion it out for later. You can reheat individual portions gently in the microwave, or the entire casserole covered, in the oven.
After serving, store leftovers in the refrigerator for about 4 days. The cashew cheese sauce sometimes develops a “crust” on top and this is totally normal and won’t affect the flavor. I hope you’re ready for a deliciously dairy-free chicken burrito casserole because it’s time to cook – let’s go!
Chicken Burrito Casserole {Whole30, Paleo, Keto}
Chicken Burrito Casserole {Paleo, Whole30, Keto}
Ingredients
Cashew Cheese Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups cashews no need to soak
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice about 2-3 lemons (you can use lime juice if you prefer)
- 2/3 cup warm water
- 1/3 cup avocado oil or light flavored olive oil
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp taco seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/4 tsp sea salt
Burrito Casserole:
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded (about 2 1/2 cups cooked and shredded)
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 large red bell pepper diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno pepper minced
- 12 oz fresh cauliflower rice I buy mine pre-riced in the prepared veggie section of the store
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp taco seasoning I used Primal Palate
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice or lime juice
- 1 cup prepared salsa
- Cilantro and additional jalapeno for garnish
Instructions
For the Cashew Cheese Sauce:
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Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor. I used my NutriBullet for this and it was fast and easy. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy, set aside.
For the Burrito Casserole:
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13” casserole dish with avocado oil spray.
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Place your cooked and shredded chicken in a large bowl and set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium heat heat and add the oil. Once heated, add the peppers and onions, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, and cook for a minute to soften. Once onions are translucent, add the garlic and jalapeno, stir, and cook for 30 more seconds.
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Add in your cauliflower rice and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and the taco seasoning, stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Add the lime juice and stir, cook another minute to reach the desired texture.
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Add the cheese sauce to the cooked shredded chicken and toss to coat. Place half of the cauliflower rice mixture in the bottom of the casserole dish, then spread 1/2 cup of the salsa over it. Top with 1/2 of the chicken/sauce mixture, followed by the remaining cauliflower rice mixture, salsa, and remaining chicken/sauce mixture. If you prefer the salsa on the top layer, that’s fine too. Add thinly sliced jalapeno pepper to the top and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to heat through.
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Serve hot and enjoy! Save leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
Want More Whole30 + Keto Dinner Recipes? Try One of These!
Chicken Broccoli and “Rice” Casserole
Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Peppers
Egg Roll in a Bowl with Chicken
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I’m allergic to cashews. Is there something I could sub in place of them?
I didn’t have cashews on hand & even so, my small food processor isn’t awesome so I subbed coconut cream & added a couple tablespoons of tapioca starch when I blended it up. I made it to freeze so hoping the heating will thicken it. Even so, it tasted REALLY good and will add good flavor either way. 🙂
I’ve used macadamia nuts instead of cashews. Great consistency and delicious.
I made this last night. Threw in a few additional veggies to make sure we got a wide variety. Absolutely adored by the whole family!
Any ideas for an alternative to the cashew cream sauce? We have a cashew/pistachio allergy but all other nuts are fine.
I responded to someone else above with the same issue – I didn’t have cashews & my food processor is garbage, so I made mine with coconut cream & added two tablespoons of tapioca starch in hopes the cooking through with thicken it. I made it to freeze & cooking tonight so I’ll see then. Either way, the flavor of the sauce was so good, it just wasn’t as thick as it would be with the cashews. 🙂
I’m wanting to make this in advance and store it in the freezer, would you suggest cooking it completely, then freezing or completing the steps just before you put it in the oven and then freeze, cook in the oven on the day of the meal?
Very Good! Just wanted to lick the “cheese” sauce out of the food processor 😉 Made great leftovers as well! Thank you!!!
It looks so delicious.
reviewsrabbit
This was delicious!! My husband loved it, too!
This was really good and a hit with my family, thanks!
Okay. We loved this. The whole cheesy sauce was something I was quite concerned about but whoa… You continue to impress me! Thank you for another delicious, healthy meal!
can I use frozen cauli rice?
This is amazing!! The cheese sauce is so good I could eat it by itself. Go make it now!
This is incredibly delicious! I made it because I’m currently doing a whole 30 but I will make it even when I’m not. The cashew cheese sauce is really good.
Do you use raw cashews?
HI! Love your recipes! My son is allergic to cashews. Do you have any suggestions for cashew free “cream” sauce? TIA!
I don’t have a food processor – could I substitute cashew butter (100% cashews) since it will already be creamy?
This was off the Top Amazing and Delicious! My husband is a chef and I a pastry chef, and we are throughly enjoying your recipes. We started doing a paleo, keto diet about one month ago, and we have both lost about 7 lbs each, and feel so much better. I am a type one diabetic, and my blood sugar levels have come down averaging 108 a day, and blood pressure down to the 127 over 70 range. Thank You, so much for the Wonderful recipes!
Omg. This is delicious! Cheesy without the cheese. Full of flavor!
This is soooo good! I was skeptical…I didn’t think my husband would eat it. He loved it!
This is delicious! My teenagers said, “Mom, this is actually good.” It makes a big pan, but the leftovers disappeared quickly. And it’s great with an egg for breakfast.
This was so amazing! Great with a tossed salad and scoop of guacamole. It was a hit all around!
On day 12 of W30. This recipe was delicious! I used my homemade salsa and it was not like being on a diet. Didn’t feel deprived at all!
Both of my kids cleaned their plates and my son even had seconds. “This is so good mom!” WINNER!
Honestly when I first looked at the pictures this did not look that appetizing to me, but I have liked other recipes on the site, so decided to try it. YUM! Every component was so delicious and came together beautifully as well. Will definitely be making this again – and also will probably make the cauli rice separately as a side for other dishes and the queso as a dip/topping for other dishes too. So good!
Forgot to add that my husband – who is a picky eater and definitely doesn’t like cauliflower really enjoyed this too and took it for leftovers the next day
Is the nutrition info based off 8 servings? I toggled between servings and didn’t see a difference in the nutrition #s.
This is Amazing, did chicken the first time, and a lb of chorizo the second time. This is such a Great recipe. Thank You Paleorunningmomma?
Wow–SO delicious. A hit all around with my family. The cheese sauce is crazy good.
This recipe was incredible! Made it today for dinner and that cashew “cheese” sauce was so good on the shredded chicken I almost ate it before layering! I definitely have some leftovers and will reheat in the morning. Such a great, filling and healthy meal.
This was delicious! I will make it again!
I am a huge fan of Mexican food and really enjoyed this healthy version!! I do enjoy it best when it is fresh rather than reheated, but so appreciate the flavorful and dairy-free recipe! thank you!
This was divine, loved every thing about it. I just told my hubby it was regular rice used, and he ate two big pieces. Yummy!
We made this last week and LOVED it! My husband is Mexican and is super picky about spice levels – even he liked it and thought it had a good kick to it. We will definitely be making this again.
So delicious! The “cheese” sauce is SO good!
Just made this tonight and it is so good!!!! Family approved! I didn’t include the onion and was short 2 oz. of califlower rice but a 9×13 pan was too big. Didn’t spread all the way in it but still turned out great! That cheese sauce is so rich and good!
This was a delicious casserole! Always looking for new ways to cook chicken and I did not even miss real rice! Love all the veggies in this dish, will definitely be making again!
For anyone unsure of cashew cheese, trust me, it’s very good! I haven’t liked it in the past but I’m typically a fan of any recipes I find here. And this was no different! There weren’t any leftovers!
Planning this for Thurs, but can I prep during the day and Heat at dinner?
Loved this casserole, had it for lunch everyday last week and tasted amazing.
These are the notes I attached to the recipe copy I saved.
Baking: 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes if the small casserole is thawed but still cold from the fridge. Used convection, so mileage may vary.
– Instead of the 9 x 13 dish, I used three 6 x 6 casserole dishes and froze two of them.
– Prep by this old lady takes much longer than 20 minutes. Do it ahead in smaller tasks. Make final assembly easier by doing a COMPLETE mise en place.
– I assembled the casseroles and froze two of them before they were baked. All ingredients had been cooked.
– Consistency is quite good-not at all runny or saucey with the do I got on it the first time out. Adjust something if more sauce is desired.
– I cooked the frozen cauliflower rice in a skillet for a few minutes to get a bit of the water out, then drained on a paper towel. The cauliflower in the dish surprisingly still has some of the texture of rice. Reserving best judgment on this until after a thaw/bake.
– The cashew sauce was fine. I didn’t hate it and will possibly use it for other dishes, but I will never try to pass this off as “cheese”. Not real saucey as written. Possible improvement would be to loosen it some with almond or flax milk.
– A jalapeno on the small-medium size provided plenty of heat for my palate. Did not feel the need to garnish with it.
– Added a layer of salsa on top.
– Used three breast halves shredded, which was probably a larger quantity than the recipe called for, adding to the robust texture of the dish.
– For my appetite, 1/3 of the small dish quantity is plenty for one serving.
This is such a winner of a recipe! It’s easy, I consistently have these ingredients on hand, and always a crowd pleaser. I make this so often but my family never tires of it. SO YUMMY!
Baked this when it was still mostly frozen. Result was good. No change in texture of the rice. I still like it.
This looks delicious, but if I were to use a little shortcut like Siete Cashew Queso instead of making my own cheese sauce, how much would the recipe need? Thanks from a busy mama ?
Omggg I made this last night and it was AMAZINGGGG and since it isn’t real cheese it cleans up sooo easily 😍😍😍 This is for sure a keeper! Thanks so much for sharing it. I love your recipes 🥰
Quick question for you: would it work out if I batched that “cheese” sauce and froze it? (I’m sooo obsessed with it).
Made this casserole and it was delicious. I love that I can freeze it so, I can grab a serving when I’m busy. Thank you for your recipes they are amazing.
The chicken burrito casserole was pretty good. My “cheese” sauce didn’t turn out very smooth because of my food processor, but the dish still turned out pretty well. I added more diced jalapenos each time I ate the leftovers for an extra kick! Thank you for the recipe!
Even from room temp/warm-ish ingredients I was assembling, no way will this heat through in a 350 oven in 15 minutes. In order to reach a safe food temp, you need 165F at the center which I can’t see happening for a casserole with that time/temp. Also, with the volume of ingredients, 13×9 is way too big of a pan size unless you like super thin casseroles. I used an 11×7 Pyrex and even then the casserole was only 1.5″ high. Onto the positive: the “cheese” sauce was phenomenal! The flavors in the casserole are really tremendous and I plan on rotating this into my usual meals with some minor tweaks.
Omg, soo sooo delicious. So worth the effort.
Costco sells a pre-made vegan cashew cheese sauce/dip. How much would i use?
This was delicious!!! Packed with flavor!! My husband and I loved it!!!
SO GOOD! And so simple! I make this for just myself so I didn’t bother baking it as aesthetics don’t matter and just mixed it all up in the pan. Topped with avocado lime sauce. I only wish I would have made the full portion for extra left overs!
I really liked this but I added another cup of chicken (canned was all I had and I couldn’t tell the difference!), because I had SO MUCH SAUCE. Delicious sauce! it also didn’t really stand up as a casserole, sort of mushy. Nevertheless I loved the flavors!
I really love this recipe, I might wanna improvise some ingredients because some ingredients aren’t available in my place. https://www.arlingtonheightssecuritysystems.com
Absolutely delicious. I poached the chicken (adding some sage and rosemary to the water) but other than that I followed the recipe and my family loved it. Perfect for meal prep.
Hands down the best dairy free cheese sauce I’ve ever made!! We are obsessed with this, whole 30 or not. So comforting and satisfying!
Ok, this sauce is seriously so good! I have tried so many cashew/ nutritional yeast sauce cheese replacements and have never really liked them… until now! I can’t rate the rest of the recipe because I just used the sauce, but I love it. I have loved all of your recipes that I’ve tried, so thank you!