Low Carb Keto Thai Chicken Cabbage Rolls Recipe

This delicious Keto Thai Chicken Cabbage Rolls recipe has a spicy and tangy dressing all wrapped up in a crispy cabbage, making it a quick and easy keto meal any night of the week!

Traditional cabbage rolls tend to take a lot of time to make and often use ground meat, white rice, tomato sauce and spices, typically baked in a baking dish for quite a while.

These cabbage rolls are a little twist and my take on easier cabbage rolls with a low carb, ketogenic diet approach.

These keto cabbage rolls skip the rice and instead keep things light, fresh, and full of flavor using a Thai-inspired filling. If you’ve ever made traditional cabbage rolls, you’ll love how much quicker and simpler this cooking process is! Feel free to use cauliflower rice if you prefer!

These Keto Thai Crispy Cabbage Rolls make the tastiest dinner or eat only 1 roll for a lunch meal to cut your carbs in half. They can be eaten raw or cooked so the cabbage leaves get a bit crispy and the filling is warm.

The filling is packed with Thai flavors without any preservatives and if you don’t have precooked leftover chicken just roast up some chicken breasts or thighs and use them instead.

Choosing the Best Cabbage Leaves

Green cabbage works best for this cabbage roll recipe because of its sturdy outer leaves, but you can also use inner leaves if they are large enough to roll.

To make rolling easier:

• Use the outer leaves of a whole head of cabbage
• Soften leaves in boiling water for 1–2 minutes
• Transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking
• Pat dry with a paper towel before filling

You can also use:

• Swiss chard (as written)
• Napa cabbage (more tender, great for quick rolls)
• Kale or cavolo nero (remove thick stems)

CARB COUNT  IN SWISS CHARD VERSUS CABBAGE 

Just 1 cup (175 grams) of cooked Swiss chard packs (3): Calories: 35. Protein: 3.3 grams. Carbs: 7 grams.

Since I chose to use chard for the rolls, instead of cabbage my carb count in the nutrition info below is a bit higher than if you choose to use cabbage leaves for the rolls. I love the crispy chard leaves, but cabbage leaves will be just as delicious!

Cooked cabbage (1 cup) contains 3.6g of carbs, 1.3g of protein, 0.1g of fat, and 23 calories. We use 1 cup for the filling but this is divided by 4 servings for the recipe. Each serving is 3 rolls which is a wonderful amount for a dinner meal.

SAVE TIME WITH COOKED ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

You will save a lot of time if you simply buy an already cooked rotisserie chicken. This makes this keto meal perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep.

But if you don’t have precooked chicken, no problem! Simply season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and place chicken breasts in the oven at 350 degrees F. Bake for about 30 minutes or until cooked through. Shred the meat between two forks.

You can also swap in:

• Leftover grilled chicken or even shrimp
• Ground chicken (cook first)
• Ground turkey
• Ground pork or ground beef for a richer flavor

Yes, if you have an allergy to tree nuts and want to swap the almond butter in the dressing you certainly can.

I’d suggest this sugar free peanut butter as a good swap. If you have a peanut allergy then I would say try sunflower seed butter or even tahini which is sesame butter. 

You can also swap the almonds in the salad ingredients for another nut or even sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds for a little bit of crunch.

SAUCE AND FLAVOR SWAPS

This Thai-inspired dressing is what gives these cabbage rolls their bold flavor, but you can easily adjust based on what you have:

• Add fish sauce for deeper umami flavor
• Use rice vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar
• Adjust sriracha for spice level
• Add garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic
• Fresh ginger adds the best flavor, but ground ginger works in a pinch

OTHER COOKING METHODS (NOT JUST OVEN)

These low carb cabbage rolls are very versatile and can be cooked in different ways depending on what works best for you:

Oven (as written):

Bake at medium-high heat (350°F) until slightly crispy.

Air Fryer:

• Cook at 375°F for 8–10 minutes
• Creates extra crispy cabbage leaves

Stovetop (Skillet):

• Heat a large pan with olive oil
• Place rolls seam side down
• Cook until lightly browned on all sides

Instant Pot (Steaming method):

• Place rolls in a baking dish or on a trivet
• Add 1 cup water
• Steam for 3–4 minutes
• Great for softer cabbage rolls

Meal Prep Option:

Turn this into a “crack slaw” style dish by skipping the rolls and sautéing everything together in a large pot or skillet.

MAKE IT A FREEZER-FRIENDLY CASSEROLE

Want to skip rolling completely?

Turn this into a freezer-friendly casserole:

• Layer cabbage, filling, and sauce in a baking dish
• Cover with aluminum foil
• Bake until heated through

This is a great option for feeding the whole family or making a double batch for later.

Best to cook and enjoy fresh when you are ready to eat, but this can be prepared the day before and placed in the oven when ready for your meal.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.

For best results:

• Keep filling separate from leaves if prepping ahead
• Reheat in oven or air fryer for best texture

EXTRA TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS

• Use large cabbage leaves for easier rolling
• Don’t overfill (about 1/4 cup filling works best)
• Always place seam side down when baking
• Pat leaves dry after boiling water step to prevent soggy rolls
• Add a drizzle of sesame oil before serving for extra flavor

HOW TO STORE THAI CHICKEN CABBAGE ROLLS

Best to cook and enjoy fresh when you are ready to eat, but this can be prepared the day before and placed in the oven when ready for your meal.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.

For best results:

• Reheat in oven or air fryer for best texture
• Keep filling separate from leaves if prepping ahead
• Store left overs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. 

Keto Thai Chicken Crispy Cabbage Roll Recipe