Simple comforts in a single pot: Sweet and Sour Chicken with Cabbage

As colder weather settles in, this quick braise of chicken thighs and cabbage wedges in a sweet/sour sauce makes us happy to stay in. Recipe below.

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]T[/su_dropcap]his quick, easy weeknight dish is something I used to make often, years back. Then somehow it fell off my radar—I’m not even sure why. But a week or so ago, we were driving through the Wisconsin countryside, on a chilly, misty day, and we went past a little field of cabbages. Just like that, this dish came back to me.

Simple, hearty, satisfying cold-weather fare. At its heart, the dish is simply chicken pieces and wedges of cabbage braised in a mix of liquids and aromatics. You can make it with any bone-in cut of chicken. I’ve also done it with the entire leg joints, and with drumsticks.

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Cabbage
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped pale green and white part of leek (see Kitchen Notes)
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 chicken thighs, bone in, trimmed of excess fat
1 small green cabbage, about 1-1/2 pounds (see Kitchen Notes for prep)
1 cup chicken stock (unsalted is ideal)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, plus more as needed

Rice or a crusty bread for serving, optional

In a large, heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium, then sauté the leeks for about two or three minutes, until they start to relax and become translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, stirring, then transfer leeks and garlic to a bowl and reserve.

Raise the heat a little, season the chicken with salt and pepper, and brown it on both sides. Transfer chicken to a plate and drain off fat from the pan.

Pour the stock and wine into the pan. Add the tomato paste, dark brown sugar, herbes de Provence, and 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Whisk everything together, then bring to a gentle simmer. Taste it—is it tangy enough? Is it sweet enough? Adjust with vinegar and brown sugar until the balance is where you like it.

Return chicken thighs to the pan, alternating with the cabbage wedges. Return to a gentle simmer and cover. After about 15 minutes, check to see if everything is tender. You may need to cook for another 5 minutes or so. Taste the cooking liquid again and adjust the tanginess level if necessary.

When the cabbage is tender and the chicken is cooked through, this is ready to serve. Grind more black pepper over everything for a pretty, freckly finish. Plate in shallow soup plates, a wedge of cabbage and a piece of chicken per bowl. Serve it with rice, or a crusty bread, if you like.

Kitchen Notes

Leeks, onions or whatever. We used leeks because we had some left over from last week’s risotto. You can also use shallots, or just plain white or yellow onions.

Prepping the cabbage. Trim the cabbage stem so that it is flush with the surface, but don’t core it. You need the core to hold the wedge together. Remove the coarse, loose outer leaves, then halve the cabbage. Set aside one half (make coleslaw tomorrow!); cut the other half into four wedges—make longitudinal cuts.