Braised Chicken With Cabbage and Lemon
Cabbage is the vegetable that keeps on giving: Cheap, accessible and available year-round, it can be roasted, fermented, stuffed, turned into salads, soups and more. This one-pot recipe is all about keeping things simple and letting the schmaltzy cabbage shine as it gets tender and sweet in this bright lemon and white wine sauce. First, you’ll sear chicken thighs, then add a tumble of cabbage, white wine and sliced lemon to the pot and gently simmer the mixture. To complement those tangy notes, the dish is drizzled with honey and broiled until the chicken browns, crisps and caramelizes. To soak up all those flavorful juices, pair the dish with crusty bread or egg noodles.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 2pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (4 to 6 thighs)
- Salt
- 2small lemons, preferably smooth (not very porous) ones that feel juicy when squeezed
- 1tablespoon neutral oil, such as avocado or vegetable oil
- 1medium cabbage head (about 2 1/3 pounds), quartered, cored and coarsely chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1cup pinot grigio
- ¼cup honey
Instructions
Step 1
Pat the chicken dry using a paper towel and season with salt on all sides.Step 2
Slice 1 lemon as thinly as possible (ideally about 1/8-inch thick) and remove the seeds.Step 3
In a large (12-inch) skillet with high sides or a standard large pot, heat the oil over medium-high. Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down, and sear for 7 to 9 minutes, until the chicken skin is deeply golden and easily releases from the bottom of the pan. Flip the chicken and cook for 4 minutes; transfer to a plate.Step 4
Carefully add the sliced lemon to the pan in an even layer. Adjust heat to medium and cook, undisturbed, for 1 to 2 minutes, until some dark caramelized spots start developing on the bottom of the pan. Add the cabbage, a generous pinch of salt and toss everything to combine. Pour in the wine and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.Step 5
Bring the liquid to a simmer, tuck the chicken in between cabbage leaves, skin side up. Zest the whole remaining lemon over top and squeeze the juice all over the cabbage (about 3 tablespoons juice). Partly cover the pan with a lid and simmer over medium heat for 8 minutes.Step 6
Remove the lid and drizzle the honey all over the cabbage and chicken. Continue simmering, uncovered, for 2 minutes.Step 7
Meanwhile, place an oven rack as close to the broiler as possible and set the oven to broil.Step 8
Place the skillet under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chicken skin is slightly charred in places and crispy. Serve right away.