ONE-POT BAKED CHICKEN AND RED CABBAGE
This is a stunning one-pot dish which is as close to a big hug as a meal can be. The red cabbage sweetened with pear and raw honey is one of the best ways to introduce the lovely nutritious red cabbage to your kids. The spices lift the dish to a whole other dimension and fill the kitchen with cosy, delicious smells, sure to draw your tribe to the table at mealtime. This is one of the meals where I only have to call my children down once as opposed to the usual 12:)
Ingredients
- 8 pieces chicken thigh
- 1 small red cabbage, sliced
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 2 medium pear (grated)
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 whole star anise
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 250 ml meat or bone broth
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220 degrees centigrade. Rub the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Pop them into a baking tray and into the oven for 20 minutes to take on a little colour.
- Mix the cabbage, onion, and pear together in a casserole pan with the spice, honey, garlic and meat or bone broth, and season to taste. Mix throughly.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the oven and nestle them into the red cabbage mixture. Cover the pan with a lid and drop the heat to 190 degrees centigrade and cook in the oven for 55 minutes.
- Serve with mashed garlic cannellini beans or mashed potato. YUM!
THE SCIENCE BIT
Researchers have identified nearly 20 different flavonoids and 15 different phenols in CABBAGE, all of which have demonstrated antioxidant activity. There are literally hundreds of varieties of cabbage grown worldwide. But of special interest in recent research studies have been cabbage varieties that fall into the red-purple category. It is the anthocyanin antioxidants (and in particular, a subcategory of anthocyanins called cyanidins) that have been the focus of these research studies. Impressively, the anthocyanins in RED CABBAGE are a major factor in the ability of this cruciferous vegetable to protect red blood cells, protect DNA and prevent disease. RED CABBAGE is also highly anti-inflammatory and is loaded with vitamin C to support the immune system, and with vitamin K necessary for strong bones.
