Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Spaghetti

Low-Carb Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta

Are you craving something spicy? Hearty? Look no further than this Low-Carb Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Spaghetti! Now, pasta may seem a little unconventional for typical Cajun cuisine, but we promise the noodles really work in this dish.

Best of all, you can enjoy all this comforting, flavorful goodness without any guilt! That’s because we use It’s Skinny Spaghetti to make sure that this yummy dish is keto-friendly, low-carb, and totally delicious. Ready to kick it off? Let’s do this!

Cajun Cravings

Cajun cuisine is uniquely American, but it has quite a few interesting global influences that contribute to this flavorful food. Anyone who’s been to New Orleans or along the Bayou knows that Cajun cooking is amazing, delicious, and totally different from anything else.

Cajun food is Southern, to be sure, but it’s seafood-heavy with spices and flavors that give it a richness that can’t be beat. It’s known for spiciness and heartiness that sticks to your ribs (fortunately, we’ve lightened it up, so there’s no carb coma to weigh you down).

So, how did Cajun cuisine come about? Well, it started from Acadian immigrants—original French settlers--who fled Canada in the 1700s after refusing to pledge loyalty to the British Crown. So the Acadians headed south and ended up in Louisiana, where they incorporated the local fare into their own unique style of French provincial cooking.

French cooking often called for using local game, fish, and other ingredients, which, as you can imagine, looked a lot different between the French countryside, Canada, and Louisiana, USA. But the Acadians made do and came up with some creative dishes using shrimp, sausage, catfish, oysters, and even alligator!

Cajun cooking often entails certain spices, a French cooking base called a roux, and key ingredients like green bell peppers, onions, and celery (or celery salt). There are many dishes that use beans, okra, and rice. As the cuisine has evolved over the years, other influences have come into play, including Creole, Soul food, and Native American cooking.

Cajun food is often hearty, filling, and spicy. Anyone who's been to Louisiana knows Southern hospitality and social gatherings. Cajun cooks love to make food for a crowd and share their cuisine with others. So many dishes are built for gatherings—big bowls of rice, beans, gumbo, jambalaya, and crawfish boils—Cajun food feels like a party!

But if you're looking for a lightened-up way to enjoy Cajun flavors, you might worry that you'll miss out on the fun. Don't fret! At It’s Skinny, we’ve come up with the perfect low-carb Cajun chicken and shrimp pasta dish that will hit all the right notes.

It’s Skinny Spaghetti: The Perfect Pasta for Any Dish

Think of your favorite carb-forward dish. Whether it’s pasta or rice-based, chances are you can remake it your way with low-carb It’s Skinny Pasta. It’s Skinny Pasta contains ZERO net carbs and only 9 calories per pack, yet it has the same texture as traditional pasta (or rice).

How does It’s Skinny do it? Welcome to the wonderful world of konjac root. Konjac is a funny-looking plant that is quite popular in Asian cuisine and medicine. It's a root vegetable that resembles a turnip or potato. You could describe the vegetable's texture as starchy, but it's a particularly unique type of starch.

Konjac contains high amounts of glucomannan fiber. Glucomannan fiber keeps your blood sugar steady and makes you feel full, yet it easily passes through your digestive system. It's perfect for dieters who want to enjoy their favorite carby dishes without worrying about weight gain.

It’s Skinny Pasta and Rice are great options for any recipe. It’s Skinny couldn’t be easier to work with—tear open the package, drain, and add your Pasta or Rice to your other ingredients at the end of cooking. In about two minutes, It’s Skinny heats through and is ready to enjoy.

It’s Skinny takes on the flavors of the surrounding ingredients. Unlike some other types of pasta swaps, it won’t overpower your dish or leave a weird aftertaste. It’s just like using traditional pasta or rice without waiting for water to boil and trying to get the perfect texture. It’s simple, fast, convenient, and guilt-free—what’s not to love?!

It’s Skinny comes in four great varieties:

• Spaghetti
• Fettuccine
• Angel Hair
• Rice

It's Skinny will fit the bill regardless of your lifestyle or taste preferences. It's keto-friendly, paleo-friendly, low-carb, vegan, kosher, and gluten-free. Even Intermittent Fasters love It's Skinny because the stats are so low that you can enjoy a bowl of pasta (!!!) without breaking your fast! Add a little butter and salt, and you have a secret to diet success.

If you’re ready to give It’s Skinny a try, order up today! It’s a game-changer! If you aren’t sure where to start, we suggest It’s Skinny Spaghetti. It’s a nice, universal noodle that goes with almost any dish (like this yummy Cajun Chicken and Shrimp). Otherwise, try a variety pack, which gives you all four varieties to check out!

Making the Perfect Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta

Are you ready to whip up this spicy, savory, and flavorful dish? We always encourage you to make It’s Skinny recipes your own—modifications welcome! Here are a few common questions we get about customization.

Can I use other proteins in this dish?

While shrimp and chicken are a classic combination, it’s always fine to use any other proteins you prefer in our recipes. For example, if you have a little bit of leftover sausage, toss it on in! This dish goes well with ham or bacon as well.

As for the shrimp, you could use crawfish instead if you really want to get the New Orleans authenticity! Catfish or any whitefish would also work in this yummy chicken and shrimp pasta. You could also omit the chicken and just do shrimp (if that’s your preference).

What other vegetables can I use in Cajun Chicken and Shrimp?

If you love getting in a few extra vegetables, you can add anything that tickles your fancy! Spinach, kale, mustard greens, and other leafy green vegetables play well with the flavors of this dish. You could add in some chopped zucchini or yellow squash as well.

Green bell peppers are traditional in almost all Cajun dishes, but no one will complain if you have a red, yellow, or orange pepper. You could also use regular onions instead of scallions in your Cajun Chicken and Shrimp. We use cherry tomatoes, giving this recipe a little Creole nod; you can add more tomatoes if you like too—Roma or heirloom varieties would be delicious!

Can I use It’s Skinny Rice instead of Spaghetti?

Here's a secret—you can use any variety of It's Skinny in any recipe—it's a matter of shape! We think the Spaghetti noodles provide a great contrast in this dish and have the right weight for the sauce, but if you have another type of It's Skinny, it will work!

Rice is prevalent in Cajun cooking, so it would be our next best suggestion for this recipe. If you’re a fan of Angel Hair or love Fettuccine, it would be fine to swap them in too. Any type of It’s Skinny will keep the stats on this dish low-carb and guilt-free, so play around and make it your own.

Low-Carb Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Spaghetti Recipe

Are you ready to start cooking? Invite some friends and double the recipe if you like! It's Cajun tradition to say the more, the merrier. This is an excellent meal for a get-together, a party (or a regular Tuesday night at home alone).

Watch Chef Michele make this low-carb Cajun-style chicken and shrimp pasta on YouTube!