Cabbage is just one of those foods that doesn’t scream YUM. Maybe because of its appearance which resembles a giant Brussel sprout or perhaps because of its smell… Whatever it is that has deterred you from the lovely vegetable I’m here to tell you to give it a second chance. In the recipe that follows you will discover a new and exciting flavour that our good old friend cabbage can offer us.

Sort of like spaghetti squash, whose name is pretty self explanatory, cabbage is another vegetable that can miraculously transform itself into oodles of noodles. Pan fried and tossed with a few spices you’ll be craving cabbage in no time.

Ingredients:

-1/2 a head of thinly sliced cabbage (purple, red or white)

-Coconut oil, ghee or grape seed oil

-Two or three garlic cloves crushed and minced

-1/2 red onion thinly sliced

– 1/2 tsp ground cumin

-Salt

-Pepper

-1 tsp chili powder

-1 or 2 tbsp of your favourite spices or spice blends my favourite for this recipe is  Club House Roasted Garlic & Peppers (and it’s really worth getting!)

-Chicken breasts or thighs (however many you wish to use but I suggest at least two; note that chicken thighs will add  more flavour because they contain darker meat than chicken breasts)

Directions:

To thinly slice the cabbage simply remove the top layer of cabbage and cut it in half. Then, lay the half cabbage down flat and slice into thin strips that easily break apart into smaller slices.

Next, in a medium to large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Once the pan is nice and hot add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. After about two or three minutes when the onions have become more or less translucent add about a tsp of additional oil to the pan, this will release the flavours created by the onions and garlic.

Then, add your chicken and season with salt and pepper. Be sure the skillet is on a high enough heat to brown both sides of the chicken. Once both sides of the chicken breasts or thighs are golden brown with a slight crust, remove from the pan and set aside. Note that the chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this point.

Next, add the cabbage and again season with salt and pepper and add the remainder of the spices. Be generous with the Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning as this really adds great flavour, I would add up to 1 tbsp or 2 of this herb blend depending on how much chicken and cabbage you are using. Finally, once the cabbage has really wilted down and has caramelized slightly, add the chicken back to the pan and cook fully (see Tip 1). Season again to taste if you wish and enjoy.

Tip 1: to check if your chicken is fully cooked slice a small section of the meatiest part of the chicken and press down with a knife to see if the juices run clear. If they are clear, the chicken is cooked, if they are slightly pink or red, the chicken is most definitely not cooked.

Tip 2: a good rule of thumb is that for any savoury recipe, you should season your dish every time you add a new layer of flavour (this means a new ingredient) to your pot or pan, this will ensure flavours do not get lost as more ingredients are added.

Leah xx