Low Carb OMAD Queso Blanco Chicken w Bacon Mashed Potatoes
How to Make It
Step 1
Cut a head of cauliflower into chunky pieces (not florets), and place the pieces in the bottom of a large pot. Fill the pot with water until the cauliflower is covered, and add the salt to the water. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil, then boil the cauliflower until it’s just tender enough for the core to be pierced through with a fork. Drain the water, and add the hot cauliflower to a blender or food processor. Blend the cauliflower with butter, parmesan cheese, pepper, and onion powder until you have the consistency of mashed potatoes. Set them aside to cool and thicken while you make the rest of the recipe.
Step 2
Next (or while the cauliflower is boiling), prepare a chicken breast by patting it dry with a paper towel. Pound the chicken very flat under a piece of parchment paper, then season the flesh with salt, pepper, lemon pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in seasoned side down, and cook it on one side until the spices char and the meat fries to golden. Flip and cook the chicken on the other side, reducing the heat to a medium-low setting.
Step 3
When the chicken is just cooked, pour lime juice into the pan to infuse the meat. Flip the chicken once more over back and forth to pick up some of the caramelizing sauce. Transfer the chicken to a clean surface to rest temporarily, reserving all liquid in the pan. Heat the liquid over low heat While you deglaze the pan with cold butter. Then, add almond milk, heavy cream, chopped green onion, and thin-sliced jalapeno rings to the pan. Let the sauce come to a simmer before you reduce the heat to bubbling. Stir mozzarella cheese and monterey jack cheese into the sauce until a cheese sauce is formed.
Step 4
Nestle the cooked chicken back into the sauce, with the heat on low. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and let it reheat through. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the chicken and sauce to a serving plate, and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. While the chicken rests temporarily, cook bacon strips until crispy. When the bacon is cool, chop it into bits. Serve the mashed cauliflower next to the queso blanco chicken, topped with bacon bits and a sprinkle of Tajin seasoning.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower, raw – 8 oz
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Butter, unsalted – 1 tbsp
- Parmesan cheese, fresh (hard) – 1 tbsp, grated
- Black pepper – 1 dash
- Onion powder – 0.13 tsp
- Chicken Breast Boneless Skinless Raw – 8 oz
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Black pepper – 1 dash
- Lemon pepper seasoning – 0.13 tsp
- Garlic powder – 0.25 tsp
- Cumin, ground – 0.25 tsp
- Chili powder – 0.13 tsp
- Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
- Lime juice, fresh – 2 tbsp
- Butter, unsalted – 1 tbsp
- Almond milk – 4 tbsp
- Cream Heavy Whipping – 2.5 tbsp
- Scallions – 0.5 tbsp, chopped
- Jalapeno peppers, raw – 0.5 regular – approx 2″ long
- Mozzarella cheese – 0.25 cup, shredded
- Monterey Jack cheese – 0.5 cup, shredded
- Cheddar cheese, natural – 2 tbsp, shredded
- Bacon – 2 slice – 6″ long
- Seasoning, Clasico – 0.13 tsp