My brand spanking new gluten free keto chicken Parmesan cabbage casserole is the perfect union of traditional Italian and Cajun cuisine, y'all!! Smothered south Louisiana veggies, jazzed up with seasoned tomato sauce and marinated, browned chicken breast cubes. Finished off with four melt-in-your-mouth cheeses. Then baked into ooey, gooey, light as a feather yum deliciousness. Yep and yay...
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A Winter Tomato Harvest Sparked the Inspiration for this Nouvelle Creole Dish. Yep.
Months ago, Mark met a super sweet lady that owns a plant nursery. She's well into her nineties, y'all, with the kind of drive and spirit that really made an impression on him throughout their initial encounter.
Well, she gave him a few heirloom tomato plants almost at the end of tomato season last year. So, Mark planted them anyway. And, they took, bearing the cutest little tomato fruits that you ever did see.
Then, when the coldish winter hit, Mark brought the last flowering plant inside. And, we've watched the flowers turn into heirloom cherry tomatoes from the climate-controlled comfort of our living room.
And, after my 20th 'Awww, look how cute,' moment with them, I had such a craving for Italian or Creole food that I was just straight beside myself.
So, I just so happened to have some chicken breast cubes marinating in a bowl in the fridge. And, sure enough, I had tomato sauce and my usual cast of south Louisiana seasonings, too. A quick peek into the fridge revealed that I also had a small, fresh cabbage on hand.
All of a sudden, I wanted chicken Parmesan and I wanted south Louisiana smothered cabbage. So, it occurred to me that a Cajun Italian fusion was just about to go down in my kitchen, y'all. Marrying my two cravings into one low carb meal, this gluten free keto chicken Parmesan cabbage casserole was born.
And, these two amazing, very distinct flavors married like two star-crossed lovers, y'all. So, I definitely recommend this dish as the one to make when you want big, big flavors and very low carby-starchiness going on in your tummy. Its so over-the-top tasty that its also a kid-friendly way to get your little ones to eat their veggies.
How to Make Gluten Free Keto Chicken Parmesan Cabbage Casserole
Start the gluten free keto chicken Parmesan cabbage casserole by marinating the chicken breast cubes for a couple of hours. Then, brown the Cajun trinity in a deep 12-inch cast iron skillet:
Drain the chicken, and add to the skillet. It's probably going to release some water, and that's fine. Cause, it's going to bring the marinade flavors into the dish, and I'll show you to take care of the excess water later.
To save time, place half of the shredded cabbage over the chicken and veggies:
Then, when the first batch looks like this, add the second batch:
When your cabbage is smothered down, add the tomato sauce, seasonings, and cheeses:
Stir it all together, then add the tapioca starch. I add it at the end so I can evenly distribute it throughout the gluten free keto chicken Parmesan cabbage casserole.
Finally, bake until browned and bubbly.
And then get ready to taste Cajun Italian traditional fare fusion at its finest, y'all. This nouvelle Creole dish has everything you love about both dishes intertwined into one unforgettable skillet meal. Its cheesy, its saucy, and its smothered down veggie deliciousness.
Oh, and every bite of the marinated chicken is even more tender than the last. And the cabbage, y'all, the cabbage!! Some pieces are super soft, while other pieces still have a bite that makes you NOT miss pasta at all. Even Mr. Carbs Mark was appeased by the dish. I even had cooked gluten free pasta ready for him if he needed it, and he politely declined!! Super yay!!
So, this is definitely the recipe to try if you want to eat low carb, and your spouse is just not on board just yet. One bite of this, and you'll tip the 'what are we having for dinner tonight?' scales in your favor. For sure.
Share this gluten free keto chicken Parmesan cabbage casserole with those who are just as perfect for you as you are for them. And see y'all on the yum side...
Gluten Free Keto Chicken Parmesan Cabbage Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast
For the Chicken Marinade
- 4 cups gluten free keto chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon gluten free keto Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
For the Gluten Free Keto Chicken Parmesan Cabbage Casserole
- 2 to 3 tablespoons oil or butter
- ⅓ cup onion, chopped
- ⅓ cup green bell pepper, chopped
- ⅓ cup celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 6 cups cabbage, shredded
- 3 cups gluten free keto tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
- salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
- gluten free keto hot sauce to taste
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup Romano Asiago cheese blend
- ½ cup Pepper Jack cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 3 teaspoons tapioca starch
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into cubes.
- Pour all of the marinade ingredients into a large bowl with a fitted lid.
- Submerge the chicken cubes into the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but up to overnight.
- Drain chicken and discard marinade.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place a well greased, deep 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the 2 tablespoons of oil or butter, and the chopped Cajun trinity of onion, bell pepper, and celery.
- Cook, stirring often, until browned. Add other tablespoon of oil or butter to the pan, if necessary, throughout the browning process.
- When the veggies are browned, add half of the cabbage to the skillet. Let it sit on the veggies for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the cabbage wilts into the veggies.
- Repeat with the other half of the cabbage.
- Pour the tomato sauce into the skillet. Stir, then add the parsley, SP&C and hot sauce to taste.
- Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste, and re-season, if necessary.
- Add the cheeses, and stir until well-combined.
- Sprinkle the tapioca starch over the casserole, then stir until well-combined.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. (Sauce thickens as it stands.)
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