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This delicious low carb Chicken, Cheese & Bacon Casserole is loaded with cheesy goodness. It’s perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner and easy on the budget!
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This recipe makes about 6 servings. You can plug this recipe in your tracking app with the ingredients you choose for more accurate macros. I use MyFitnessPal & simply create a recipe.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil (you can use butter, beef tallow or bacon fat too)
2 cloves of Garlic, crushed (optional)
1 small Onion, diced (optional)
1 teaspoon of Salt
1 pound of Ground Chicken (I prefer Perdue ground chicken)
8 ounces of Bacon, cooked & chopped
Dash of Oregano (optional, season to taste)
1 cup of Cheddar Cheese, shredded (Use whatever cheese you want)
2 large Eggs
½ cup of Sour Cream (optional)
¼ cup of Heavy Cream (optional)
½ teaspoon of Pepper, ground (optional, season to taste)
Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Make it Whole30: swap the Worcestershire sauce for coconut aminos & make sure that the beef bouillon powder you use to make the dry onion soup mix is compliant. You can use beef bone broth powder in its place.
FAQ’S
Ground beef is always the star of the show when it comes to meatloaf, but this is also excellent with ground bison.
You can use spicy or mild Italian sausage. You can even substitute a plain ground pork.
For this low carb meatloaf recipe, you can use 1 package Dry Onion Soup Mix. It’s optional if this causes issues for you. It’s simply for flavor.
If you do not have tomato paste, you can also use ketchup. Both make for a delicious meatloaf. I personally love ketchup. It does not cause gut issues for me. You can also use a sugar free. Go your own way.
Worcestershire is tangy, savory, sweet, and salty all at the same time and adds flavor. You can also use coconut aminos or soy sauce in its place. To make this a Whole30 meatloaf recipe, use coconut aminos.
The pork rinds in this meatloaf recipe act as a binder. If you do not have pork rinds, you can also substitute some grated parmesan cheese.
RECIPE TIPS & VARIATIONS
Storage: Store leftover meatloaf in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Make Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf: Add some chopped up crispy bacon and some sharp cheddar cheese into the meatloaf mix for a delicious cheeseburger variation.
Bacon Wrap it: After mixing the meatloaf, form it into a loaf and wrap it in bacon before putting it in the loaf pan.
Make BBQ Meatloaf: Instead of using tomato paste or ketchup in the mix and on top, swap it out for barbecue sauce. My fav is G Hughes Sugar Free BBQ Sauce
Can you make meatloaf without eggs? Eggs are also used as a binder, but do not add any flavor to the meatloaf. You can omit them and it will still be delicious. It just might not hold its shape as well.
Can you make meatloaf ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely. Sometimes I feel it tastes better the next day! You can freeze it as well.
**Nutrition and Macros will vary depending on ingredients used and quantity of servings size.**
Hailing from Fishers, Indiana, Katie is an aficionado of health, mindset, human connection, & entrepreneurship. Writer, speaker, doer of many things, she grew up on her family’s beef cattle & crop farm where agriculture was her first love. She is a Purdue University graduate well known for her storytelling of life lessons & personal transformation through her own relationships, Crohn’s Disease, disordered eating, CrossFit, & adapting a carnivore diet lifestyle. Katie also has over 16 years experience as a Registered Radiologic Technologist, Nutritionist, & Sales Consultant. You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com
2. Add your ground beef, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp chile flakes, Real Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
3. Once the ground beef has browned, add the 2 jars of marinara sauce. Cook 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
4. While the sauce cooks, add your ricotta cheese, egg, 1/4 cup grated parmesan to a bowl. Mix to combine and add some freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
LASAGNA ASSEMBLY:
1. Grease an 8 1/2 x11″ baking dish. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce on the bottom.
2. Place a trimmed pasta sheet on top. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the pasta sheet. Top with half of the well drained, diced tomatoes.
3. Sprinkle with some of the grated mozzarella. Add half the remaining meat sauce and sprinkle with the Italian cheese blend and parmesan.
4. Add the pasta sheets, gently pressing down. Spread the remaining ricotta. Top with the remaining drained, diced tomatoes.
5. Sprinkle with mozzarella and top with the remaining meat sauce, then the rest of the mozzarella, some Italian cheese blend and parmesan.
6. Grease a sheet of foil and wrap tightly. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, bake an additional 30 minutes uncovered.
7. Allow the lasagna to cool 15 minutes before cutting. *The amount of cheese in this recipe is up to you. I like it cheesy so I use a lot. Feel free to add less or more to your tastes.
Hailing from Fishers, Indiana, Katie is an aficionado of health, mindset, human connection, & entrepreneurship. Writer, speaker, doer of many things, she grew up on her family’s beef cattle & crop farm where agriculture was her first love. She is a Purdue University graduate well known for her storytelling of life lessons & personal transformation through her own relationships, Crohn’s Disease, disordered eating, CrossFit, & adapting a carnivore diet lifestyle. Katie also has over 16 years experience as a Registered Radiologic Technologist, Nutritionist, & Sales Consultant. You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com
