Articles by B. Coop

Air Fryer Whole Chicken |Cajun Butter Chicken

Chicken
Posted on 1 Comment on Air Fryer Whole Chicken |Cajun Butter Chicken

I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve been on the supermarket with zero intentions of buying a rotisserie chicken. But, the smell is irresistible! And I leave with a hot and ready bird everything time. Imagine my excitement upon discovering that I could prepare that same style of chicken at home in my air fryer! Of course, I wouldn’t be Coop if I didn’t make it Cajun style! No worries. It’s not spicy at all. 

My air fryer is 5.8 quarts. I try to find a chicken between 3-4 lbs. Although a 5 lb chicken would fit, I find that it’s more difficult to handle. a larger chicken would also increase the cooking time, due to the injected marinade and weight.

There are many inject able marinades on the shelf. But, this brand is my absolute favorite! The flavor is intense without being salty. It’s magical. You can use the entire jar and marinate it overnight without worrying about the chicken being overly salted. 

Since the marinade is light on sodium, I can add more spices. My spice blend has just the right amount of everything! The skin of rotisserie chicken is a highlight for me. And this blend of spices compliment it perfectly. 

I also use a little bit of the spice mix in some softened butter. This goes under the breast skin of the chicken. White meat of the chicken can be the driest part. This step, along with the marinade, helps ensure that, that won’t happen. 

50 minutes produces the perfect whole chicken for me. But, air fryers are different. Be sure to keep an eye on the chicken. This is why a meat thermometer is necessary. Stop and check it often to ensure that it isn’t burning or browning too quickly. If the breasts are browning before the chicken is cooked through, cover the breasts with a piece of foil and continue air frying. 

It’s very important to allow the chicken resting time before serving. This will settle those juices. However, this marinade is serious! Even after resting, the juices may spray out when carving the chicken. It’s a good thing! Just warning you before it can be a shock. 

Happy Cooking,
B. Coop

5 from 1 vote
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Air Fryer Whole Chicken | Cajun Butter Chicken

Prep Time 12 hours
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 5 people

Ingredients

  • 3-4 lb whole chicken
  • 16 oz jar Louisiana Cajun Butter Injectable Marinade
  • 2 TBS Chef Paul poultry seasoning or use your favorite
  • 1 TBS onion powder
  • 1 TBS garlic powder
  • 1 tsp lemon pepper
  • 2 TBS softened butter

Instructions

  1. Rinse chicken with water and pat dry with paper towels
  2. Inject each part of the chicken with one full syringe of the Cajun Butter marinade.
  3. Place chicken in a marinading bag or freezer bag and pour the remaining marinade over the chicken
  4. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight
  5. Combine spices in a small bowl
  6. Mix 1 tsp of the spice mixture with the softened butter
  7. Remove the chicken from the bag
  8. Sprinkle the remaining spices evenly over the entire chicken
  9. Rub the butter mixture under the skin of the breasts of the chicken.
  10. Preheat the air fryer to 320 F
  11. Spray the basket with non stick cooking spray
  12. Place the chicken into the basket, breast side down.
  13. Air fry for 30 mins.
  14. Flip the chicken over and air fry for an additional 20 mins or until a meat thermometer registers 170 F
  15. Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
  16. Enjoy!

Crawfish Fries with Creamy Queso Sauce Recipe

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Here in Louisiana, we FIND things to put crawfish on. Fries aren’t any exception. But, the fries aren’t the star today. Who can’t toss frozen fries in some oil? No brainer. Well, don’t toss ‘em in! That’s a splash you will NOT enjoy. Anyway, I will be giving you the ultimate cheese sauce recipe! It’s creamy and cheesy! And too easy to make. It is sure to be your new go to recipe for Cheese/Queso!

By now, you should know that I’m pretty obsessed with incorporating liquid crab boil into my seafood dishes. It just adds that spark, you know? Splash it on these crawfish tails! Since I’m using frozen tails, adding the crab boil gives it that summer boil flavor! 

Let’s talk Queso! I’m using evaporated milk and heavy cream. Why both and not just one?? For starters, the creamiest of evaporated milk is pretty undeniable. And sometimes, using just heavy cream or half and half, can cause the sauce to separate once it reaches a certain heat. Evaporated milk gives us a little leeway. We definitely don’t EVER want to boil dairy. It’s easily scorched. And the sauce may not look burnt. But, it will certainly taste burnt. I like to add in the heavy cream, because it gives the sauce the perfect silky texture once it cools. It also thickens the sauce more as the temperature lowers.

Now, fries. Use your favorite. I love a good, seasoned fry. But, for this dish, I opted for a plain, crispy bag of frozen fries. I’m leaving all of the seasoning up to the crawfish tails and that heavenly sauce! I don’t have to tell you how to fry French fries, right? Just follow the package instructions and you’ll be good to go!

Happy Cooking,
B. Coop

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Crawfish Fries with Creamy Queso Sauce Recipe

Servings 3 people

Ingredients

  • Crawfish:
  • 1 lb crawfish tails
  • 3 TBS butter
  • 1 TBS minced garlic
  • 1 TBS Cajun seasoning
  • 2 tsp liquid crab boil
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • Queso/Cheese Sauce:
  • 12 ounce can evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 cup shredded Muenster
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
  • 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella
  • 30-32 oz frozen fries of choice
  • Fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions

  1. Crawfish:
  2. Melt butter in pan
  3. Add garlic and sauté for 30 secs
  4. Add the crawfish
  5. Sprinkle the crab boil, Cajun seasoning, and onion powder over crawfish
  6. Sauté over medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
  7. Remove from pan and keep warm.
  8. Queso/Cheese sauce:
  9. In the same pan as the crawfish, pour in the evaporated milk and heavy cream
  10. Bring to a low simmer. Do not boil.
  11. Sprinkle in the Cajun seasoning and onion powder
  12. Add the cheeses and stir constantly until cheese melts and sauce coats the spoon.
  13. Turn off the heat after 4 minutes of simmering
  14. Sauce will thicken as it stands
  15. Prepare the fries according to package instructions
  16. Top the fries with the crawfish, cheese sauce, and parsley
  17. Enjoy

Jazzed Up Corn Maque Choux Recipe

Louisiana Favorites, Side Dishes, Veggies
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Allow me to introduce you to your new favorite corn based side dish! Maque Choux “mock-shoo” is a traditional, Creole dish. It’s a jazzed up version of cream-style corn and it is delightful! It’s spicy, sweet, fresh, and savory! Imagine using the corn on the cob, but a seafood boil and turning it into homemade, cream-style corn. Amazing, right?

Fresh is definitely best! Fresh corn is one penny favorite vegetables. The slightly sweet and grown in buttery flavor of it fresh out of the skin is divine! Shucking corn can be a pain, until now! All you have to do it Microwave the ears. I do them two at a time for 8 minutes. Then, I carefully cut off the ends and shake the corn free. Be careful, because it’ll be hot! Silk free corn every time! Fresh corn is always accessible to everyone. So, frozen corn will work as well. 

I’ve always loved canned cream style corn. But, making it homemade was a game changer for me! And it’s so easy to do! What I enjoy about using fresh corn is the “milk” of the cob. Once you cut off the kernels, don’t be so quick to discard the cob. There’s more to scrap!

Maque Choux is made many different ways adding to and/or subtracting from the ingredients I use for mine. One thing’s for certain across the board. It’s damn good! The perfect side dish for many meals!

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

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Jazzed Up Corn Maque Choux Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 cups corn 5 ears of corn
  • 1/2 lb sausage quartered
  • 1/2 green bell pepper diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper diced
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 2 TBS butter
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 TBS Zatarain’s Garlic & Onion liquid crab boil
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1-2 tsp Creole or Cajun seasoning
  • 1 TBS granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onion

Instructions

  1. In a large pan, add sausage and fry until drippings are release
  2. Remove and rest aside
  3. Melt butter in the same pan
  4. Add in onion and bell peppers
  5. Sauté for 5 minutes
  6. Add in the corn and stir for 3 minutes
  7. Pour in the chicken broth and crab boil
  8. Simmer over medium heat until liquid reduces; about 8-10 mins
  9. Stir in the seasonings, sugar, and heavy whipping cream
  10. Simmer until mixture thickens
  11. Turn off the heat
  12. Stir in the green onions
  13. Serve
  14. Enjoy!

Coop’s Double Chocolate Cookie Recipe

Baking, Desserts, Recipes
Posted on 1 Comment on Coop’s Double Chocolate Cookie Recipe

I have affectionately named you my “Cookies” for years. Only to realize yesterday that I do not have one recipe for cookies on our site! What’s wrong with me?? That changes today! Allow me to introduce to our official “Cookie” recipe!

I can’t stress enough how important it is to use quality ingredients. This is especially true when it comes to baking. Since we are making double chocolate cookies, we want to make sure we have the best chocolates we can afford for these! Look I’m not telling you to break the bank! They’re just cookies. Well, no. They are THE cookies! Anyway, buy whatever you can afford. This recipe is delicious either way!

I use a hand whisk and spatula my batter to form the dough, because over mixing the batter is easy with an electric mixer. You want to vigorously beat the butter and sugars together. Then, beat in the egg until the batter drools off of the whisk creating a “ribbon” effect. After adding in the dry ingredients, carefully “fold” it all together to incorporate the flour and baking powder. We don’t want to over work the dough. The dough should be soft and pliable. I like to chill in the fridge for 30-40 minute before baking. This will allow the dough to “set”. You can also refrigerate it overnight to enhance the flavors. 

I love the taste of walnuts in cookies! The little added crunch is delightful in these. If you’re into pecans feel free to substitute those in. Or, you can just leave the nuts out all together. It’s up to you.

Make sure you give these cookies their space! They expand a lot! You don’t want to open the oven and meet a cookie sheet cake. Although that doesn’t sound too bad! But, that’s not our goal today. Cookies need space! Cookies also need to cool completely before serving. Who am I kidding? It’s almost impossible to keep fresh cookies away from my family! I try to hold them off long enough to avoid finger and mouth burns from hot cookies!

Coop’s Double Chocolate Cookies are long overdue, but they certainly worth the wait! Feel free to play around with different nuts and flavors of chocolate chips. This is a great base recipe to create your perfect cookie!

Happy Baking,
B. Coop

5 from 1 vote
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Coop’s Double Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 stick salted butter melted
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg room temp
  • 1 TBS pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped white chocolate chunks
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, whisk together the butter and sugars
  2. Add in the egg and vanilla extract
  3. Whisk until the mixture is smooth
  4. Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt
  5. Fold in the chocolates and walnuts.
  6. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350 F
  8. Scoop out the dough using a cookie scoop* onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet leaving a few inches of space between each cookie for expansion
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges have browned. (Do NOT over bake)
  10. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wired cooling rack before serving
  11. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*if you do not have a cookie scoop, make each cookie 1 1/2 TBS.
**Cookie dough may be frozen in freezer safe bags or containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking. Refrigerated cookie dough will remain fresh and usable for 3 to 5 days.

Bourbon Chicken Recipe

Chicken
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The food court at the mall doesn’t get the credit it deserves. There’s a lot of glorious tastes in that little area! Various cuisines of many cultures in one spot. The food court is where I was first introduced to Bourbon Chicken. I’m forever grateful. Okay, that seems intense. But, so is the flavor of this chicken!

There are many versions of this dish. I have a slow cooker version here on the site that is very different from this one. Still tasty. But, different. Here, I marinate the chicken overnight in the same sauce we’ll use later in the recipe.

I use chicken thighs as they have a little more flavor than breasts. But, breast will definitely work in this recipe if preferred. When using the boneless, skinless chicken thighs, it’s important to almost “butterfly” it. You want to slice it thinly to help it cook evenly and thoroughly.

As previously mentioned, my slow cooker version of this recipe differs. One difference is the omission of Bourbon whiskey. That recipe was named after the famed New Orleans “Bourbon Street”. This is why it lacks Bourbon whiskey. But, here, we’re adding in the booze!

If you loved my earlier added Bourbon Chicken recipe, I have no doubt you’ll enjoy this one! Different flavors, but there’s certainly no lack of flavor. Which one of my Bourbon Chicken recipes do you prefer? I’ll take both!

Happy Cooking,
B. Coop

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Bourbon Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

  • 8-10 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Marinade:
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
  • 2 TBS hoisin sauce
  • 2 TBS bourbon
  • 1 tsp Chinese Five Spice
  • 1 TBS garlic powder
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • Sauce:
  • 1 TBS granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup chicken stock
  • 1 TBS cornstarch
  • 2 TBS water
  • 1 TBS bourbon optional

Instructions

  1. Chicken:
  2. Trim the excess fat from the chicken
  3. Place chicken into a ziploc bag
  4. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the chicken, cornstarch, and water
  5. Mix well
  6. Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture and pour the rest into the bag over the chicken.
  7. Refrigerate the chicken to marinate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
  8. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium high heat
  9. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the marinade.
  10. Cook each chicken thigh for 3-5 minutes per side or until it’s reached an internal temperature of 165 F
  11. Remove the chicken from the pan; set aside to rest for 5 minutes before slicing into bite sized pieces
  12. Sauce:
  13. Stir the granulated sugar and chicken stock to the reserved marinade
  14. Pour sauce into the same pan used for the chicken
  15. Bring it to a simmer
  16. And a small dish, whisk the cornstarch and water together.
  17. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the marinade
  18. The marinade will thicken into a sauce as it heats.
  19. Once thickened, remove from the heat.
  20. Stir in the bourbon (optional)
  21. Toss the chicken pieces in the sauce.
  22. Serve with warm rice and veggies.
  23. Enjoy!

Air Fryer Stuffed Hamburgers Recipe

Burgers, Recipes
Posted on 2 Comments on Air Fryer Stuffed Hamburgers Recipe

Air Fryers have changed the game for the better! I haven’t turned by stove on in a while! Air Fryers have made cooking so much easier and healthier! Not to mention, the clean up is extremely easy. Thanks to the nonstick surface of the cooking chamber. I did not think I could love this machine any more. Then, I made hamburgers in it! Oh my goodness! These burgers cooked in under 15 minutes. They were extremely juicy! I just had to share my recipe with you!

First things first. I am not a “Salt n Pepper” burger kind of chick. You know how some folks just form the meat into a patty and sprinkle salt and pepper on each side. Not I! Not knocking those that do, but I need a little extra flavor! You can always just use my air frying timing and your own seasoning blend. I do HIGHLY recommend trying my recipe as is. It is truly delicious! In my unbiased opinion of course. Ha!

The burgers were perfect as is. But, I just had to be extra and add cheese! Cheese makes nearly everything better! And these burgers are no different. Just add a cube of your favorite cheese to the center of the meat while forming each patty. As it air fries, the cheese will melt into gooey goodness!

I know it looks like butter. It’s cheese though!

My recipe yields 7-10 burgers depending on the size you make them. Keep in mind that they will shrink a little during the air frying. So, you may want to overcompensate for the size while forming your patties.

There are many different brands of air fryers. So, you make have to adjust my cooking times to fit your unit and to achieve the level of doneness you prefer. This recipe is way to easy and flavor not to try! Look at that cheese!

Happy Cooking,
B Coop


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Air Fryer Stuffed Hamburgers

Servings 7 burgers

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs ground beef
  • 1/2 onion finely diced
  • 1/2 bell pepper finely diced
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 TBS Cajun seasoning
  • 1 TBS onion powder
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp Accent seasoning Optional. Don’t tell me about MSG’s
  • 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • Cheese of your choice cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the cheese.
  2. Form patties into your desired size
  3. Push one cube of cheese into the center of each patty forming the meat around the cheese.
  4. Preheat air fryer on 400 degrees F
  5. Spray the basket with nonstick cooking spray.
  6. Air fryer the burgers on 370 degrees F for 8 mins
  7. Flip the burgers over and continue air frying on 370 for 3-5 mins or until burgers have reached your level of doneness.
  8. Allow the burgers to rest for 5 minutes before serving
  9. Enjoy!

Smothered Cabbage Recipe

Keto, Recipes, Veggies
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Cabbage is one of my all time favorite vegetables! Not just because it’s absolutely delicious. But, it’s also inexpensive and extremely simple to prepare. I love to smother it until it literally melts in your mouth! But, others prefer a bit of a crunch and that’s cool too. Cooking time all depends on your preference in texture.

I can’t stress the importance of rinsing your produce enough. I don’t care how clean your local markets are, you need to make sure you cleanse veggies well! Rinse with water after chopping to ensure that you’re not just washing the outer layer. We want to thoroughly rinse. No soap needed. Just cool water. Toss it in a colander to drain.

Now, chopping and slicing your cabbage it’s up to you. Some like to shred the cabbage. I prefer to roughly chop it into about 1/2 to 1 inch pieces. Again, it’s all up to you.

I use chicken or beef sausage in my cabbage as my family and I do not eat pork. But, bacon and pork sausage are the traditional, southern pairing for smothered cabbage. Use your favorite.

Also, cabbage releases its own water during the smothering process. You really don’t need to add any extra. I add a little bit just to get the party started, you know? I don’t use chicken stock or broth. But, hey, it wouldn’t hurt if you did instead of the water.

Easy, right? Let me warn you now. You’ll crave this often! But, the ease of preparation makes my Smothered Cabbage a craving that’s you can satisfy with ease. Don’t forget the cornbread!

Happy Cooking,
B. Coop

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Smothered Cabbage Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 head cabbage chopped and rinsed
  • 1 lb sausage or bacon
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 TBS butter
  • 1 TBS onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Cajun or creole seasoning to taste

Instructions

  1. Spray a large stock pot or Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray
  2. Add in the sausage or bacon and fry until drippings are released
  3. Add in the onion and sauté until lighting browned
  4. Pack the cabbage into the pot.*
  5. Pour the water in and lower the heat to medium.
  6. Cover the pot with the lid and allow the cabbage to smother for 20 minutes.
  7. Now, add in the onion and garlic powders, Cajun seasoning, and butter.
  8. Stir.
  9. Cover the pot again and continue to cook on medium low until the cabbage is as tender as desired.
  10. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*If it doesn’t fit, place the lid on the pot, lower the heat to medium, and allow the cabbage to whither down for 2-3 mins until you can pack the rest of the cabbage in.

Air Fryer Cheese Ravioli with Crawfish Cream Sauce

Louisiana Favorites, Pasta, Recipes, Sauces, Seafood
Posted on 3 Comments on Air Fryer Cheese Ravioli with Crawfish Cream Sauce

This dish is very, very popular at Copeland’s Restaurants in Louisiana. Whenever we go, at least two people in our party orders it. And it’s surprising super easy to make at home. You can have multiple servings for about the same price you price for one plate at the restaurant. A win is a win!

Please Don’t Trim that Fat!

Frozen crawfish tails can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores. Yep, Walmart has them! To thaw, I just placed the unopened package on a big bowl of cool water. It literally thaws in minutes. And once it does, do NOT drain off the orange stuff! That’s the fat. It’s where all of the flavor lives. Add it in!

Not Your Chef Boyardee Ravioli

I use refrigerated ravioli, because it allows me to skip a step. I’m all about shortcuts! Especially when cooking. The frozen ravioli will work too. You just have to thaw them before using. 

I’m air frying the ravioli to cut down and some of the grease. All the carbs on this stuff, and I wanna be a lil healthy. I’m such a food hypocrite! Anyway, I’m lying too. I’m air frying because I don’t feel like dealing with all of that oil and waiting for it to heat up. Look, I’m a lazy cook! God bless the creators of the air fryer!! Don’t worry, if you don’t have one, I leave the instructions for deep frying below. I got you covered!

Lost in the SAUCE!

The sauce is my FAVORITE part! It’s creamy with crawfish. And the liquid crab boil just adds that Louisiana flavor to it, ya know? This stuff is bomb! Folks will really think you’re a real life chef when you make this! I’ve tricked y’all into thinking I am! Lol

Happy Cooking,
B. Coop

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Crawfish Ravioli Recipe

A flavorful, Cajun spin on ravioli! Creamy, parmesan sauce loaded with spicy crawfish tails over crispy, battered fresh ravioli.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb crawfish tails w/fat
  • 1 pkg refrigerated cheese ravioli*
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 TBS milk
  • 1 1/2 cup Italian style Panko breadcrumbs if deep frying, use regular Italian style breadcrumbs; not Panko
  • 1 TBS grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1/2 onion finely diced
  • 1/2 bell pepper finely diced
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 TBS liquid crab boil optional
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup green onions
  • Cajun seasoning to taste
  • Fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions

Ravioli:

  1. Preheat air fryer to 400 F**
  2. In a small bowl, whisk egg and milk together

  3. In a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs and 1 TBS parmesan cheese. Mix well.

  4. Dip the ravioli into the egg mixture and then dredge in the breadcrumbs
  5. Spray the basket of the air fryer with nonstick cooking spray
  6. Place the ravioli into the basket in a single layer. Do not stack.
  7. Air fry the ravioli for 4 mins on 400 F or until as crispy as you’d like.

Sauce:

  1. Melt butter in a pan
  2. Add in the onion and bell peppers
  3. Sauté until tender
  4. Add in the garlic; sauté for 30 secs
  5. Add in the crawfish and pour the liquid crab boil over the crawfish
  6. Sauté for 2 mins
  7. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer
  8. Stir in the Parmesan and Cajun seasoning to taste
  9. Simmer for 5 minutes
  10. Add in the green onions and turn off the heat
  11. Serve the sauce over the ravioli
  12. Garnish with parsley
  13. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*if using frozen ravioli, thaw at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. **if deep frying, fry at 350 F until the ravioli floats in the oil.

Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe

Keto, Recipes, Seafood
Posted on 1 Comment on Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe

What I love about the Keto diet is that cheese isn’t taken from me! Yes! And I can have heavy cream? Yes to ketosis! Now, to the worst part of keto for me. No potatoes. They are my favorite starch! Dang it! Oh well, God made cauliflower. They’re not grits. Only grits are grits. But, it’s a great substitute for a great meal. And mashed cauliflower can be purchased in the frozen food section adding to the ease of preparation!

Don’t be alarmed by the amount of sodium. When following the keto diet, you may need to increase your sodium intake. ALWAYS consult with your doctor before being keto or any other diet to ensure that you don’t put your health at risk. All bodies are different.

My Cookies know I love huge, fresh shrimp! I decided to leave the tail on, but feel free to take it off if you’d like. Just make sure you devein them! I like to season every element of my dish. So, sprinkle a little Cajun spices on and toss.

Now, let’s discuss this sauce. It’s heavenly! And completely keto approved! There’s bacon, heavy cream, cheese, and wine! Yes, you can have dry white wine on keto. All of these flavors combine will make you second guess that you’re following a “diet”.

We have to doctor up our “grits” a little bit. I add kerrygold butter, cheese, and Herbes de Provence. A bit of cream cheese can be added too. Salt and pepper to taste and you’ll have a satisfying, low carb, keto friendly meal!

5 from 1 vote
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Keto Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients

Shrimp:

  • 1 lb large raw shrimp
  • 2 tsp Cajun seasoning

Sauce:

  • 4 strips bacon diced
  • 1 TBS kerrygold butter
  • 1 TBS minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1 TBS lemon juice
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • Cajun seasoning to taste

“Grits”:

  • 1-2 12 oz package(s) frozen mashed cauliflower
  • 1 TBS kerrygold butter
  • 1/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
  • 1 tsp Herbes de Provence seasoning
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnishing

Instructions

Shrimp:

  1. Season the shrimp and set aside
  2. Fry the bacon in a pan
  3. When the bacon is done, remove it from the pan leaving the drippings in the pan
  4. Add in the butter
  5. When the butter melts, sauté the garlic in it for 30 seconds
  6. Add the shrimp into the pan
  7. Cook for 2 mins per side or until the shrimp is done

Sauce:

  1. Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock
  2. Add in the lemon juice
  3. Pour in the heavy whipping cream
  4. Add the Parmesan, onion powder, and Cajun seasoning to taste
  5. Allow the sauce to simmer on low for 5 minutes
  6. Sprinkle fresh parsley in and stir

“Grits”:

  1. Cooked the mashed cauliflower in the microwave according to package instructions
  2. Pour it into a bowl and combine it with the butter, cheese, and Herbes de Provence.
  3. Taste and adjust salt as needed
  4. Enjoy

Air Fryer Crispy Keto Chicken Wings

Chicken, Keto, Recipes, Reviews
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For my birthday, we visited one of my favorite restaurants. It’s a steakhouse, but their wings are incredible! They have the best flavor with nice, crispy skin! They don’t even taste fried in grease or baked. It’s weird. But, then it hit me. “I can get this same texture with an air fryer. I gotta some my Cookies!!” Which brings us here to this post. I’m going to teach you how to make the BEST and CRISPIEST chicken wings in an Air Fryer!

We need flats and drums! Rinse them well. Yes, I will ALWAYS rinse my bird. I don’t care what those folks say. My chicken is getting rinsed! Also, pat it dry well with paper towels. 

I keep the spices simple. Don’t want them overly salty. I used my favorite poultry seasoning. Thanks, Chef Paul! And I add a little extra onion and garlic powder. 

Put the Orange Box Down!

The key ingredient to achieving extra crispy wings is Baking Powder. Not the stuff in the orange box. That’s baking soda. We need POWDER. It’s all science. The baking powder does two things. It draws out the moisture in the skin making the skin crisp. Don’t worry. It only draws the liquid out of the skin, not the meat itself. Your wings won’t be dry at all! The baking powder also creates tiny air pockets on the skin. And what do air pockets do when you add pressure? It pops! And what pressure will we be adding? A bite! So, when you bite into these wings you’ll get that nice crispy crunch. Bomb right??

Another rule to crispy wings is space. The air needs to circulate around the wing to cook evenly and crisp the skin as much as possible. So, leave a little space between each wing. You may have to cook the wings in batches to insure even cooking.

Not all air fryers are created the same. But, hopefully, they all work well at getting the job done. My Cosori unit has a basket. So, instead of flipping over each wing in the middle of the cooking time, I can just shake the basket. But, if you have to flip then flip, baby!

Did I mention these guys are completely, Keto friendly? Yep! You can enjoy these babies and remain in Ketosis! A win is a win!!

Happy Cooking,
B. Coop

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Air Fryer Crispy Keto Chicken Wings

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken wings
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 2 TBS poultry seasoning or seasoning salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 TBS baking powder not baking SODA. Put the orange box down!
  • Olive oil non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Preheat air fryer to 400 F
  2. Rinse and pat the wings dry well

  3. Pour the olive oil over the chicken wings and toss to coat

  4. In a small powder, mix all spices and the baking powder together.
  5. Sprinkle it over the chicken evenly; toss to coat
  6. Spray the cooking rack or basket of the air fryer with cooking spray
  7. Place the wings into the air fryer in a single layer with a little space between each wing. (Be careful not to overcrowd them. May have to cook in batches.)

  8. Air fry the wings for 15-25 mins* stopping halfway through the cooking time to shake the wings around in the basket (or flip the wings over if your air fryer doesn’t have a basket.)

  9. Allow the wings to rest for 5 mins before serving
  10. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*Timing depends on your air fryer. Mine cooked in 15 minutes. Make sure the wings have an internal temp of 165 F and as crispy as you desire.