Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry

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This easy Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry is ready in just 15 minutes and made with the most delicious homemade stir fry sauce.

251 CAL 16g CARBS 7g FAT 25g PROTEIN
1 Comment

This Chicken Cabbage Stir Fry with thinly sliced chicken breast, shredded cabbage, and a savory, sweet, and spicy stir fry sauce is exactly what you need for a quick and easy weeknight meal. 

I know what you might be thinking: cabbage and chicken? Together? Why not sausage or pork? I'm telling you, cabbage gets a bad rap. It's way more versatile than you might think. So crunchy, cooks up fast, and healthy too!

I was inspired to make this simply because I had some coleslaw mix in my fridge that was going to go bad, I also had chicken thawed, and you know what? I was just craving a chicken stir-fry!

Can't get much easier than everything staring you in the face when you open the fridge. Add to that a simple, healthy sauce made from honey, coconut, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and a few other magical ingredients and I had this meal in the bag!

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How do you make a Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry?

Can you toss food together in a skillet? Then you can make this dish!

First, mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, and honey to make the sauce. Set that aside.

Next, heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Don't put too much salt on the chicken as the soy sauce is already pretty salty. And you can't take salt out once it's in there.

Add the chicken to the skillet and for 2-3 minutes or until it begins to brown. Stir the chicken around and cook for another 2-3 minutes to cook it all the way through. Set the chicken aside.

Add back to the same pan the cabbage, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook these veggies and spices for 5-7 minutes or until the cabbage is just tender.

Finally, add the chicken to the veggie mixture then the sauce. Stir it all together to heat through and taste and adjust seasonings as you see fit. Garnish with sesame seeds and more green onion and cilantro if you like.

Cabbage chicken stir fry with a homemade stir fry sauce on a plate with cilantro and sesame seeds.

What are the benefits of eating cabbage?

First off, cabbage is packed full of fiber, which can keep you feeling fuller longer and keep your digestive tract healthy. Cabbage is also high in vitamins K, A, and C, as well as folate, potassium, magnesium, and folate. It is also a great anti-inflammatory and is loaded with antioxidants.

How do you cook cabbage without losing nutrients?

The best way to cook cabbage without losing any of its aforementioned nutrients is to cook it lightly, sauteing it for just a few minutes so that it cooks a little but doesn't completely break down. I call this "tender-crisp."

How can I customize this dish?

  • Swap out the chicken for thin-sliced pork or even chicken or pork sausage if you prefer. You could also use ground chicken or turkey too.
  • If you don't want to use or don't have coconut oil, you can use another neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed.
  • You can cut up some red and/or green cabbage yourself to add to this dish instead of buying the pre-packaged slaw. Add in carrot matchsticks too if you like.
  • On that note, you can really add in any other veggies that you like. I find that broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and snow peas are always welcome additions to any stir fries.
  • You can use red or yellow onion instead of green onion if you have that on hand. Shallots will also work.
  • For more heat, add a teaspoon or two of red pepper flakes to the sauce.

Can I freeze this Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry?

Unfortunately, I think cabbage doesn’t fair well in the freezer. When you thaw it back out — it gets mushy. Instead, make this dish without the cabbage, then do a quick steam of the slaw when you're ready to eat the rest of the thawed, warmed chicken stir fry and sauce. Toss the cooked cabbage in with the rest of the stir fry and dig in!

Stir fry with chicken breast  and green cabbage with cilantro, sesame seeds, and hoisin sauce on a plate.

What do you serve with stir-fries?

  • I like to serve my stir-fries over brown, white, or even whole grain rice.
  • Another option is to serve this over a cup of quinoa or other whole grain.
  • Sometimes I'll top leftover low-carb or high-fiber pasta with the stir fry. Let that sauce get in all the nooks and crannies — yum!
  • Cauliflower rice, zoodles, and spaghetti squash are all great low-carb options that make a great base for stir-fries.
The Recipe
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Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry

251 CAL 16g CARBS 7g FAT 25g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 20 Min
1 Comment
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp Sriracha
  • 2 tsp honey (leave out for low carb)
  • 2 tsp coconut oil (or other neutral oil)
  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced thin
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 cups shredded coleslaw mix (cabbage and carrots)
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

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Instructions

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1

Mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, and honey to make the stir fry sauce.

2

Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Remember the sauce stir fry sauce has soy sauce, so you don’t want to oversalt.

3

Add to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until beginning to brown. Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes until just cooked through. Set aside. Cooking time will vary slightly based on size of the chicken pieces.

4

Add the cabbage, green onions, garlic, and ginger to the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the cabbage is tender. I like to cook it until it is tender crisp.

5

Add the chicken and stir fry sauce to the pan. Stir together. Let cook for 1-2 minutes to thicken. Taste and season as needed.

6

Top with sesame seeds and extra green onions or cilantro if desired.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1.25 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 251
Calories from Fat 61
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7g
10%
Saturated Fat 3g
12%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 56mg
18%
Sodium 523mg
23%
Total Carbohydrate 16g
5%
Dietary Fiber 5g
18%
Sugars 10g
Protein 25g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
1 Comment
On Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry
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Gen
October 2, 2021 - 09:05
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4
This is a quick and easy weeknight meal that gets supper on the table quickly and can be adapted with whatever veggies are on-hand. Leaving out the coconut oil and honey takes the points down to around 1 per serving. A bit of cooking spray in the pan and a dash of artificial sweetener at the end can compensate.
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