This Keto Cajun Parmesan Salmon Recipe is perfectly seasoned pan seared filets smothered in an unbelievably delicious honey lemon garlic sauce.
This Keto friendly meal takes only a few minutes of prep time and comes together in less than 30 minutes, start to finish. It’s the perfect low carb dinner for those hectic weeknights or even a gourmet weekend! Bonus points that it’s an one pan meal, so clean up is a snap.
I recommend getting a good piece of fresh wild caught salmon if you can. Frozen filets are fine too but they do tend to release that funny white liquid when they are cooked. It won’t affect the taste of your dinner, it just doesn’t look as pretty. I also recommend getting filets that are at least an inch in thickness, so that they cook more evenly and stay juicy and tender.
I served my salmon over sauteed zucchini noodles to keep it low carb but you can always serve it over the pasta or rice.
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 (4-oz.) fillets salmon (preferably wild)
2 tsp. Tony’s Chachere’s Cajun seasoning, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan
Lemon slices, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Season salmon with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and pepper, then add to the skillet skin-side up.
Cook salmon until deeply golden, about 6 minutes, then flip and cook 2 minutes more.
Transfer to a plate.
Add butter and garlic to the skillet.
When butter has melted, stir in broth, lemon juice, honey, remaining teaspoon Cajun seasoning, parsley, and Parmesan. Bring mixture to a simmer.
Reduce heat to medium and add salmon back to skillet.
Simmer until sauce has reduced and salmon is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more.
This Keto Cajun Chicken Alfredo was inspired by Leah Chase, also known as the Queen of Creole.
This Keto Cajun Chicken Alfredo is creamy and delicious plus it comes together in just minutes.
This one pot meal is loaded with chicken and sausage, heavy cream and lots of Parmesan cheese, not to mention lots of Cajun seasoning.
Served over your choice of noodles and you have the perfect week day dinner in less than 30 minutes! I used spaghetti squash noodles to make this dish an easy, low carb, gluten free and keto friendly!
This recipe was inspired by Leah Chase, the Queen of Creole.
She was the executive chef and co-owner of the Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans, one of the most historic restaurants in America. Not only was she a chef, co-owner and cookbook author, she also was a public servant.
When African Americans were denied a seat in New Orleans restaurants in the ‘50s and ‘60s, she cooked for them and fed meals to civil rights workers on the frontlines. Chase died in June 2019, but Dooky’s continues to be a stomping ground for regulars, and tourists.
Did you know Princess Tiana, the waitress who wanted to own a restaurant in Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog,” was based on Mrs. Chase. It was the first African-American princess in a Disney movie.
Cajun food lovers- here’s what you’ll need for this easy one pot meal!
Cajun Seasoning- my best friend, Christine, a.k.a the Cajun Queen introduced me to Tony’s Chachere’s Cajun seasoning when we lived together. I always have some in my pantry! It is my go-to Cajun seasoning!
Unsalted Butter- I always use unsalted butter, it’s much easier to control the salt level in my dishes. Since our seasoning blend already has salt in it and the Parmesan cheese is naturally salty. This dish doesn’t need any more salt.
Chicken breast or thighs- I personally love thighs but you can use breast too.
Andouille Sausage- It’s a pretty spicy sausage. It is made from smoked pork and it makes perfect sense with cajun spices!
Fresh Garlic- Garlic is a must in any Alfredo sauce.
Chicken broth- This thins out the sauce and adds a lot of flavor.
Heavy whipping cream- This is what makes this keto cajun chicken alfredo sauce rich and creamy!
Parmesan cheese- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese because pre-shredded cheese usually has added ingredients which help prevent the shredded cheese from naturally sticking together.
Hot Sauce- I love giving an extra kick to my dishes and that is exactly why I add a dash of hot sauce right at the end.
Fresh parsley– A little parsley adds some color to this quite orange-ish yellow dish, plus it adds some freshness and lightness!
1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
2 Andouille sausage links, sliced
5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Dash of hot sauce
handful of fresh minced parsley, divided (save some for garnish)
1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded (save some for garnish)
Noodles or noodle replacement of choice to serve (I used spaghetti squash)
Instructions
To start, season your chicken breasts liberally with your Cajun seasoning blend.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, and melt 2 tablespoon of butter.
Sear your chicken and sausage over medium high heat, until it’s cooked thru and reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Once cooked thru, remove from the skillet and set aside. Don’t drain or remove any of the drippings.
Reduce the heat to medium, and add 2 more tablespoon of butter of it to your cast iron. Add in your minced garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Being careful not to let your garlic burn.
Whisk in chicken broth, heavy whipping cream and a dash of hot sauce.
Stir in your parsley, and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle in more Cajun seasoning to taste. Cook until your cheese has melted.
Cut your chicken into pieces, and add chicken and sausage to the skillet.
Serve over noodles of choice. I used Spaghetti squash to get it low carb.
Garnish with more parsley and parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!
Don’t be scared away by the crawfish! You can make this spicy creamy sauce to serve over shrimp, white fish, chicken, or even pork. The possibilities are endless.
Any cajun meal always reminds me of my best friend, the Cajun Queen Christine! She has taught me the amazing flavours of Louisiana cuisine.
Étouffée is a French word that means “smothered” or “suffocated.” As you can see in the photo, the crawfish is smothered with a combination of chopped vegetables and tomatoes in a rich light roux. Étouffée brings together all of the hallmarks of Louisiana cooking: Seafood, a flour-and-oil roux, the “Holy Trinity” of onion, celery and peppers, traditional Cajun seasoning and hot sauce.
Another one of my Louisiana friends, Alaina suggested Louisiana’s Cajun Land seasoning to use when cooking Cajun meals. You can order some from Amazon. It definitely will give your food a cajun kick!
When making this crawfish Étouffée recipe, I like to use freshly boiled crawfish when I can. You can also grab frozen crawfish tails from the freezer section at your local grocery store. If crawfish tails aren’t your thing, then shrimp, fish, chicken or pork will do. My mom and dad used andouille sausage and said it was delicious! Just saute the protein of your choice before adding it to the sauce.
So pour yourself a glass of Scout and Cellar 2018 CHE FICO PINOT GRIGIO RISERVA and let’s get cooking!
Ingredients
3 tbsp flour
4 tbsp of butter, divided
1 1/2 cup of half and half
1 shallots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup of chopped bell pepper (I like to use a mixture of red, orange, and yellow)
1/4 cup of freshly chopped parsley (or 1 tbsp of dried parsley)
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
3 tbsp of tomato paste
2 cups of chicken broth
1 tbsp of Cajun Seasoning (I usd Cajun Landing but Tony Chachere’s works too)
Salt and pepper
1 pound (16 oz.) peeled crawfish tails or protein of your choice.
Instructions
Put flour and butter in a pot and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the onion, pepper, celery, parsley, and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes.
Pour in half and half and whisk until there are no lumps.
Add the tomato paste and whisk.
Add 1 cup of the water or broth and whisk until smooth. Let cook for 2 minutes stirring often.
Pour in the other cup of the water/stock and stir. If this is the desired consistency you would like, there is no need to add any additional water or stock. If you would like the etoufee to be thinner pour a little more water at a time.
Add cajun seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the crawfish tails into the pot and squeeze the lemon juice on top and stir.
Allow the crawfish to warm in the pot for about 4-5 minutes, then serve with rice and sprinkle with sliced green onions.
Whisk Away Kitchen 