Chicken meat, crispy cabbage, delicate cream, and fragrant fresh dill come together in this simple Wallachian one-pan specialty. The result is a quick dish with a creamy sauce that beautifully highlights the flavor of cabbage seasoned with salt and pepper.
This recipe is inspired by a dish from a supermarket chain and its main advantage is the easy preparation using just a few common ingredients. Simply sauté the onion, chicken, and cabbage in stages, pour in the cream, and finally thicken the sauce with potato starch mixed in water.
What You’ll Need
- 1 onion,
- 150 g chicken meat,
- a large handful of cabbage,
- salt,
- pepper,
- fresh dill,
- 100 ml cream,
- 1 teaspoon potato starch,
- water,
- oil for frying.
The original recipe does not specify the exact amounts of salt, pepper, dill, water, or oil, so adjust them to your taste and the desired consistency.
Step-by-Step Preparation:
1. Preparing the onion and cabbage: Peel the onion and slice it into strips. Clean the cabbage and cut it into thin shreds so it heats evenly in the pan and mixes well with the other ingredients.
2. Sautéing the onion: Heat oil in a pan, add the sliced onion, and let it soften. Stir occasionally during frying to prevent sticking and to create the base for the whole dish.
3. Browning the chicken: Cut the chicken into strips and add them to the softened onion. Stir constantly to ensure the pieces are evenly seared.
4. Adding the cabbage: Add the prepared cabbage shreds to the chicken and onion. Mix thoroughly so the cabbage comes into contact with the hot pan and cooks evenly.
5. Seasoning the mixture: Season the chicken and cabbage with salt and pepper. Add fresh dill and mix again so the seasoning and dill are distributed throughout the mixture.
6. Sautéing the cabbage: Continue frying and stirring regularly until the cabbage reaches the desired crispness. Don’t cook the cabbage longer than necessary so it keeps its structure.
7. Adding the cream: Pour 100 ml of cream into the pan, mix it with the meat, onion, and cabbage, and let the mixture simmer for a while. The cream brings all the flavors together and creates a smooth base for the sauce.
8. Thickening the sauce: Mix a teaspoon of potato starch with water and pour the prepared mixture into the pan. Stir well and let it bubble briefly until the sauce thickens.
9. Serving: Give the finished chicken strips with cabbage one last stir and check the sauce consistency. Serve this Wallachian specialty hot, while the cabbage is still pleasantly crispy and the sauce creamy.
How to Keep the Cabbage Crispy
Slice the cabbage into shreds of similar size so it cooks evenly. Stir the mixture regularly while frying and watch the texture of the cabbage. As soon as it’s heated through but still crisp, you can add the cream and finish the sauce.
How to Properly Thicken the Cream Sauce
First, mix the potato starch with water before adding it to the pan. This helps it disperse better in the sauce. After pouring it in, stir thoroughly and let it bubble just briefly until it reaches the desired thickness.
Final Tip
Add fresh dill to taste, as its aroma is quite pronounced in the delicate cream sauce. Before serving, taste the dish again and adjust the amount of salt and pepper if needed.
