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Creamy Cajun Chicken "Pasta" | Whole30

Servings: 6 hearty servings
Calories: 248kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or ghee
  • 1-2 lbs chicken chopped into bite-sized pieces*
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cajun seasoning blend
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced*
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced*
  • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 cup light coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
  • 1 tsp parsley flakes (or a handful of fresh parsley), chopped

Cajun Seasoning Blend

  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF.  Slice the spaghetti squash in half across the width, and scoop out the seeds.  Place the squash, open sides face down, on a lined baking sheet.  Bake for about 40 minutes, or until tender enough to scrape out with a fork.
  • For the sauce, blend raw cashews, coconut milk, broth,  and 1/2 the Cajun spice in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Set this aside.
  • While the squash bakes, season the chopped chicken with the other 1/2 of the Cajun spice.  Heat the olive oil or ghee in a large skillet over medium, and cook the chicken until lightly browned and cooked through.
  • Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, and mushrooms to the pan, and sauté until the veggies are softened.  Stir in the sauce, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
  • Once the squash is done baking, use a large fork to scrape out your “pasta” and transfer it into a large bowl or serving dish.  Pour the chicken/veggie mix over top, and stir to combine everything.  Give it a final taste & add salt and pepper if needed.  Top with parsley for a little green.
  • Serve hot!

Notes

  • I used half chicken breast tenders (easier to cut than whole breasts) and half chicken thighs.  You could easily swap the meats to include chicken sausage, shrimp, or a mix of them all.
  • Make a homemade Cajun seasoning blend with my easy recipe, and save the extra for mixing into scrambles or seasoning your favorite dishes.  You can also use whatever store bought version you have on hand.  Just double check the ingredients if you're making this on the Whole30.
  • For the sliced bell peppers, I swapped a bag of frozen pre-sliced bell peppers from Trader Joe's.  Saved me an extra step!  :)
  • Feel free to change this up-- try adding diced tomatoes, chopped bacon, hot sauce, or chopped greens.  You could also omit the spaghetti squash and serve the Creamy Cajun Chicken over cauliflower rice or baked sweet potato.

Nutrition

Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 532mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Iron: 2mg