Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe With Schmaltzy Cabbage Makes One-Pan Magic (3 Ingredients) Budget Recipes One-Pan Recipes High Protein Recipes Chicken Recipes Dinner Low Carb Recipes Gluten-free Low Sugar Recipes
Crispy chicken thighs are a budget-friendly ingredient that are almost foolproof. It is really is hard to overcook a chicken thigh, unless you just lose track, forget to set a timer and turn it into chicken jerky (been there, done that). This crispy baked chicken thighs recipe caught my attention because the chicken is baked with healthy cabbage. Not just cabbage, but schmaltzy cabbage.
Yes, that was the first thing I thought, too, when reading this budget-friendly chicken recipe: What is schmaltzy? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, schmaltzy is an adjective that is an informal, often disapproving term used to describe something that is excessively sentimental, mushy or overly emotional. When applied to green cabbage, let's go with "mushy" since I've never seen a sentimental or emotional head of cabbage.
The cabbage gets "mushy" (I would say creamy) because of the butter and chicken drippings that it cooks in. I sliced the cabbage, but next time will definitely chop the vegetable instead, which would result in much schmaltier cabbage.
To make this high-protein, budget recipe you only need three ingredients. Here is your short shopping list for this gluten-free recipe: bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs (read about the health benefits of protein), green cabbage (check out the health benefits of cabbage) and butter.
The juicy, crispy chicken thighs are delicious served with the creamy baked cabbage. The skin on the chicken gets super crispy thanks to the butter and high baking temperature. This is a delicious chicken and vegetable dinner for busy nights. I served the one-pan chicken and cabbage with corn on the cob and a garden salad. Hope you enjoy!
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes (ovens vary)
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- 1 head green cabbage, cut into 1/2-inch slices or chopped (I recommend chopping)
- 6 tablespoons butter (it's easier to cut pats from a stick of butter)
Here's how to make it:
- Put the cabbage slices (or chopped cabbage) onto the bottom of a baking dish. (A 13x9-inch or similar size should be ideal.) Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Season the chicken all over with salt and black pepper. Use your fingers to gently lift the skin of the chicken thigh to create a pocket for the butter. (You can put some salt in pepper in the pocket as well, if you want.) Place the chicken on top of the cabbage.
- Put 1 tablespoon of butter under the skin of each chicken breast. (You could drizzle the outside of the chicken with a little olive oil, if desired.)
- Bake in a preheated 400-degree F oven for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is golden, crispy and cooked through. Chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F internal temperature on a food thermometer. (Cooking time will vary depending on amount and size of chicken thighs.)
- Optional Step: If you want browner cabbage, you can remove the chicken to a plate and pop it under the broiler for a couple minutes.
- Put the chicken back on the cabbage, if you removed.
- Serve the crispy chicken breasts with the schmaltzy cabbage. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.
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