Chicken Breast with Creamy Cabbage
The creamiest thing in this pan is two tablespoons of cottage cheese.
Not cream, not butter, not a block of something melted down. Cottage cheese, dropped into a screaming hot skillet where chicken just finished browning, melting into the caramelized bits and becoming a savory sauce that coats everything it touches. Fold that into cabbage that has been simmering in bouillon, and you have dinner in one covered pan.
656 kcal with 34g protein in about 20 minutes.
The creamiest thing in this pan is two tablespoons of cottage cheese.
Not cream, not butter, not a block of something melted down. Cottage cheese, dropped into a screaming hot skillet where chicken just finished browning, melting into the caramelized bits and becoming a savory sauce that coats everything it touches. Fold that into cabbage that has been simmering in bouillon, and you have dinner in one covered pan.
656 kcal with 34g protein in about 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- brown rice 3 ounces
- vegetable bouillon 0.5 cube
- chicken breast 3 ounces
- yellow mustard 2 teaspoons
- thyme, dried 1 teaspoon
- olive oil 1.5 tablespoon
- cabbage, shredded 1.25 cup
- water 1 tablespoon
- cottage cheese, 4% milkfat 2 tablespoons
Method
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Cook the rice according to the package instructions and add 1/4 bouillon cube to the cooking water. Mix the chicken breast with the mustard, thyme, pepper and salt.
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Heat half of the oil in a skillet and saute the cabbage for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Add some water and crumble 1/4 bouillon cube over it. Cover the pan and simmer the cabbage for 8-10 minutes until tender.
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Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a skillet over high heat. Brown the chicken breast on all sides, but not completely cooked through. Add the cottage cheese and stir until all the drippings are absorbed.
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Transfer the chicken with the sauce to the cabbage, using a spatula to get all the sauce out of the pan. Stir everything well, cover the pan and simmer for another 3-4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Season with pepper, salt and optionally more mustard to taste.
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Divide the rice onto a plate and spoon the chicken breast with pointed cabbage on top.
Keep the heat high when you add the cottage cheese to the chicken pan. It should sizzle on contact and loosen the browned bits almost instantly. If it sits quietly without bubbling, the pan was not hot enough and the sauce will not pick up as much flavor.
Behind this recipe
Can I use green cabbage instead of pointed cabbage?
Both work. Pointed cabbage (spitskool) has thinner leaves and cooks faster, which is why this recipe needs only 8-10 minutes of simmering. Green cabbage works but may need a few extra minutes covered to get fully tender.
Why cottage cheese instead of cream?
Cottage cheese melts into the hot pan drippings and creates a creamy sauce with far less fat than heavy cream. It also adds a mild tang that pairs well with the mustard coating. Two tablespoons is all it takes to pull the flavor from the pan.
Can I swap the chicken breast for turkey?
Works well. Turkey breast cooks similarly and the mustard-thyme coating pairs just as naturally. Keep the browning time the same , you want a good sear on the outside before it finishes in the cabbage.
