Guest post by Nicole of The Gingered Nectarine
At our house breakfast is the first thing on our minds when we get up in the morning. Well, not The Hubby, he is thinking about coffee; but us girls are all about what. is. for. breakfast? Right now it’s the craving for this satisfying chicken and cabbage skillet that’s getting us out of bed quickly.
We have egg sensitivities in our house, so the easy, quick breakfasts that everybody else gets to have are not an option here. As a result, we have had to get creative with the number one meal of the day!
We tend to make homemade hash browns (or fries), bacon or sausage, and some fruit or a sautéed vegetable or fermented condiment. We rarely have smoothies because I like a hot breakfast. (We save those for snacks.)
But that gets kinda repetitive, and I have been branching out into non-traditional breakfast foods. Soup (this breakfast soup is great if you can do eggs!), leftovers from dinner, sweet potato fries…um, yes because if the kid will eat sweet potatoes I ain’t gonna stop her, alright?
I first created this simple chicken and cabbage recipe trying to decide what veggie I could sneak into the family at 7 am. We tend to eat breakfast as a family more often than dinner, so I try to make it more filling and a bit more “special.” Not that I am getting up at 4 in the morning to make it, though!
This is quick enough to put together, and it would be even quicker if you use a fast-cooking chicken cutlet instead of chicken thighs. We just love our dark meat over here.
What to Make With Chicken and Cabbage
This recipe is so simple, which makes it really easy to dress up. If you aren’t a fan of smoked paprika, use regular. You could also switch up your fat and try butter flavored coconut oil. Olive oil, sesame oil, or avocado oil can also change the flavor if you aren’t a fan of coconut oil.
You could easily add other veggies like some shredded carrots in with your cabbage. Time-saving items at the store like already-prepped vegetables are a great way to get more nourishing ingredients on the plate. It is sometimes worth the extra cost of shredded cabbage in a bag when you are saving time.
Think of this chicken & cabbage skillet meal as a stir fry base. What else does your family love? Snow peas would cook up in the same amount of time, as would thinly sliced bell peppers. You can make this dish as colorful as you’d like!
(Need a good stir-fry recipe? I love this one from my friend Tiffany at Don’t Waste the Crumbs.)
Feel free to swap out your chicken pieces as well. If you aren’t fans of dark meat, you can easily use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken strips, which are also called chicken tenders (the “finger” that is underneath the breast). Just watch your cooking time and use a thermometer to make sure the chicken is completely cooked.
Enjoy This Recipe Any Time!
If you aren’t a fan of savory meals like this for breakfast, turn it into a quick dinner stir fry. Instead of water to deglaze the pan, try a splash of soy sauce or apple cider vinegar. If you prefer, you can keep it low carb with cauliflower rice.
Top your finished bowl with green onions, sesame seeds, or caraway seeds, and enjoy!
Chicken and Cabbage “Noodle” Skillet
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (or 2 chicken breasts cut into 4 thin cutlets)
- 2 tablespoons solid cooking fat like lard, ghee, or coconut oil
- ½ head medium sized cabbage sliced thinly with a large knife, or with a spiralizer
- ½ onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet (about 12 inches) over medium high heat, melt the cooking fat of your choice. Season your chicken with salt and pepper, then place in the very hot pan to brown well, about 3-6 minutes per side depending on your choice of meat. Chicken thighs will take longer. It must brown well for it to release from the pan so you can flip it and brown the other side. Cook your chicken till done, about 165 degrees F tested with an instant read thermometer.
- Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and keep warm. Add your sliced onion and cabbage to the pan, and add a splash of water to help remove the delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook and stir your veggies until they are softened and browning, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add in your cumin and paprika, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve a pile of cabbage noodles with the chicken. Serves 3-5, depending on how hungry you are!
Nutrition
Nicole is a former pastry chef-turned stay at home mom of two little girls with a love of cooking, baking, sewing and crafts. Striving to feed her little family nutrient dense foods while adhering to a loose Paleo diet and handling several food sensitivities takes up much of her free time. She calls Seattle her home and loves everything about the weather there, no matter what you may have heard about the rain.
This post was originally published in 2014 and guest written by Nicole Stoddard, and has been revised and expanded in 2021 by Beth Ricci, Red & Honey.
Frances
Yum! Looks great!
Kathleen Quiring
Wow! This looks delicious! Not sure I’d make it for breakfast, but I’m sure it would make a wonderful, quick dinner!