Looking for a meal that’s packed with flavor and fits perfectly into your gluten free, low carb, keto or carnivore diet? This Cajun Chicken is the answer. This dish combines the smoky, bold spices of Cajun cuisine with the rich, creamy goodness of melted cheese. It’s the perfect balance of spice and comfort, delivering a satisfying meal that’s low in carbs and high in protein.
This Cajun Chicken recipe is not only a treat for your taste buds but, is also an ideal choice for those who want to enjoy a flavorful, satisfying meal without compromising on their dietary choices. Perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions, this recipe is sure to become a staple in your kitchen.
What is Needed to Make This Cajun Chicken Recipe?
In addition to the ingredients, you simply need a skillet and mixing spatula for this delicious cajun chicken recipe. That’s it! Yes, this is a one-pot dinner! I love a great one pot dinner. Not only does this taste delicious, but there’s less cleanup. It’s a win-win!
If you prefer, you can use a cast iron pan for this recipe. Cast iron just takes your cooking up another level and creates an added flavor burst to this recipe that already features lots of flavor!
Is this Recipe Keto and Carnivore Friendly?
This cajun chicken recipe works well for any carnivore or keto diet. It is animal-based with only 1 net carb per serving. For the carnivore purist, you can remove the spice. But then it is only cheesy chicken which is yummy too.
It’s a great main dish for non dieters as well. It’s so delicious, it will make you forget that you are eating healthy.
Can I Make My Own Homemade Cajun Seasoning?
No need to buy cajun seasoning, you can definitely make your own cajun seasoning at home. Not only is this cheaper in the long run, but it’s also great to know exactly what is going into your seasoning mix, unlike the prepackaged stuff that you can buy in a grocery store.
A homemade seasoning with cajun flavors can be made with simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry, such as:
- Salt
- Oregano
- Paprika
- Cayenne Pepper
- Black Pepper
I do have a few seasoning recipes here that you could use in place of a cajun seasoning, such as this Blackened Salmon Seasoning or this Fajita Seasoning.
How Long Does it Take to Make This Complete Recipe?
I love how quick and easy this recipe is to make. With prep time of just 10 minutes and a cooking time of just 20 to 25 minutes, this is a great recipe for those busy weeknights. When it comes to planning a weeknight meal, I don’t like anything that takes over an hour, so this one works perfectly.
Is There a Dairy-Free Option for this Cajun Chicken Recipe?
The sauce in this recipe is dairy-based because it’s carnivore. You can’t really sub out the heavy cream or butter. While you can obviously cook the chicken without the cream sauce, it won’t replicate the recipe well.
Tips for Making Cajun Chicken
Following are my 2 main tips for this cajun chicken recipe. Searing this chicken is an important step in this recipe. The sear after adding the cajun seasoning adds to the vibrant flavors making a big difference! The other tip is that while any skillet will work, a cast-iron skillet helps to create that perfect sear in the chicken.
Alterations that Can Be Made to This Cajun Chicken Recipe
While this recipe turns out quite delicious as is, you can easily make a few changes to it to make it your own. Here are some of my favorite switch-ups to this recipe:
Use a Different Cut of Chicken
While the chicken thighs are quite tasty and tender, you can swap them out for boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer. The juicy chicken breasts soak up the extra flavor quite well.
Use Creole Seasoning
While Cajun and Creole seasonings are close to the same, however, Creole seasoning uses several kinds of pepper instead of just one. If you like a little extra spice in your dish, switch up your seasoning a bit.
Add More Cheese
More cheese is always better, isn’t it? If you are a cheese lover, you can add some cheddar cheese to the top of your dish.
Cheesy Cajun Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon bacon grease
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- Bacon pieces for garnish
Instructions
- Melt the bacon grease in a skillet over medium high heat.
- Season the chicken with the cajun seasoning.
- Sear the chicken evenly on both sides in the skillet until browned and cooked through.
- Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Pour the grease out of the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and melt the butter in the skillet.
- Pour in the heavy whipping cream, and simmer until the sauce has thickened.
- Mix in the parmesan cheese until well combined.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, and toss to coat in the sauce.
- Garnish with bacon pieces before serving.
Nutrition
Trina Krug is a Holistic Nutritionist, Integrative Health Coach and host of the Carbless Conversations Podcast. With a Master’s Degree in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, her single mission in life is to facilitate self-healing in herself and those around her through awareness, lifestyle shifts and low-carb eating. As a current Doctor of Science student, she continues her studies in functional nutrition.