This jalapeno popper chicken casserole has the perfect amount of heat from jalapenos, crunchy salty kick from bacon and a creamy texture from a special sauce and spaghetti squash. This recipe is dairy free, paleo, keto and low carb and great for those following a round of Whole30.
Not quite sure when I started obsessing over jalapeno poppers. I never really had them much growing up. In fact the only time I had them was New Years Eve.
One of the traditions I had growing up was to make a TON of appetizers. The kind that you would find in the freezer section like pizza bagels, taquitos, mozzarella sticks and of course jalapeno poppers.
I was afraid of them for a while but that's probably because I was afraid of spice in general.
Things have of course changed and these days I find any way to make the flavor of jalapeno poppers come to life in a healthy way.
This jalapeno popper chicken casserole is unlike a normal casserole in that it is not made with pasta or even cheese. It is bind together with spaghetti squash and uses a creamy mayo based sauce to get the perfect flavor and texture.
I also think that anything with Jalapeno poppers should include bacon because it gives it a salty, crunchy and slightly smoky kick that it needs.
Today's recipe for Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole is sponsored by Moink, a humanely-raised, ethically-sourced meat subscription service.
If you follow me on social media, you know that I have tried other meat subscription services but ultimately had to let go because of the loss of quality over time and expense.
Just as I was about to give up, I found Moink!
Here's what I love about Moink:
- The price is reasonable as you get 13-16 lbs of meat for $159 which works out to about $4.50 per serving
- The box is FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE! I found that I was getting things I never wanted to cook in other company boxes. I substituted the things I didn't want or need for other cuts of meat and even Salmon.
- Moink beef and lamb is grass-fed. The chicken, beef, lamb and pork are pasture-raised. The fish is sustainably wild-caught in Alaska.
- Moink meats do NOT contain: Antibiotics, Growth Hormones, Genetically Modified Grains, Artificial Colors or Solutions, Sugar, Nitrites/Nitrates
- All meats are compliant with paleo, keto, low carb and Whole30 ways of eating
- You can cancel or change your delivery frequency at any time.
- Free Shipping ALWAYS!
In my box I received:
- Thick Cut Bacon
- Beef Chick Roast (3lb)
- Pork Breakfast Sausage (1lb)
- Bone in Chicken Thighs (1lb)
- Boneless Pork Chop (1lb)
- 2 Wild Sockeye Salmon Filets
- Flank Steak (1lb)
- Beef Short Ribs (2lb)
- Pork Shoulder Roast (2lb)
Special Offer
FOR JANUARY 2019: every box shipped in January gets free bacon for life! This can not be combined with the coupon code below.
- Use promo code THYMEANDJOY for $20 off your first Moink box order any time in 2019
- Also, sign up for their newsletter to receive special offers on boxes and to find out more about where your food comes from
Recipe Notes:
- This recipe is great for leftover chicken from a rotisserie chicken, canned chicken or using raw chicken with this method.
- To make this recipe more spicy, add the chopped jalapeno seeds and ribs to the casserole mix
How to cook Spaghetti Squash:
In oven: Heat oven to 400 F. Slice squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Drizzle halves with the olive oil and season with salt. Place squash cut side down on baking sheet and roast until tender, 45-50 minutes. Use a fork to scrape out the inside spaghetti.
In Instant Pot: CLICK HERE
Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole
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Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
For Casserole:
- 2 cups Shredded Chicken Breast cooked
- 2 medium Jalapenos seeded and diced
- 8 pieces Bacon cooked + chopped
- 2 Eggs whisked
- 6 cups Spaghetti Squash cooked
For Cream Sauce:
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Dried Chives
- 1 tbsp Dried Parsley
- ½ tsp Dried Dill
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
Instructions
For Cream Sauce:
- In a medium sized bowl, add mayo, dried chives, dried parsley, dried dill, salt, pepper and garlic powder and stir until fully combined.
For Casserole:
- Preheat your oven to 350
- In a large bowl add cooked spaghetti squash, shredded chicken, chopped bacon, 2 eggs and cream sauce.
- Stir until everything is fully combined.
- Pour casserole mixture into a 9X13 greased baking pan and press it down until it is one even layer.
- Add sliced jalapeno rings for garnish.
- Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until casserole begins to set. The final product should be wet but heated through until the eggs are cooked and mixture is binded together enough to slice.
Nutrition
Valerie Skinner is a Whole30 approved personal chef & recipe developer that bridges the gap between healthy eating and busy lives by providing simple healthy meals and recipes for you and your family.
Assuming I put the seeded & diced jalapeños in with chicken mixture and that the jalapeño garnish is separate??
That is correct! 🙂
Can I substitute the Mayo with Greek yogurt?
I'm not sure how that would change the consistency, but it may be worth a shot! Let me know how it goes if you try it!