Roasted Chicken With Caramelized Cabbage Recipe (2024)

By Eric Kim

Roasted Chicken With Caramelized Cabbage Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes, plus 1 hour brining
Rating
4(1,322)
Notes
Read community notes

Chicken roasted on a sheet pan develops gloriously crispy skin thanks to the increased hot airflow from the oven that passes over it. The extra space on the pan holds cabbage and onions, which roast around the chicken and soak up its juices while caramelizing. Fennel seeds, which are often found in sausage, lend their wonderful anise flavor to the dry brine on the bird and to the schmaltzy vegetables. If you can, dry-brine the chicken overnight for the most flavor and juiciness. Be sure to save the carcass to turn into stock later.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 1tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
  • 1whole (3- to 4-pound) chicken
  • pounds green cabbage (about 1 large head), cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 5tablespoons olive oil
  • 1tablespoon sherry vinegar

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

909 calories; 63 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 31 grams monounsaturated fat; 12 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 61 grams protein; 1573 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Roasted Chicken With Caramelized Cabbage Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a small dish, stir together 1½ tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 tablespoon Morton’s coarse kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and the brown sugar.

  2. Step

    2

    Place the chicken on a large plate or sheet pan and, with a paper towel, pat the surface of the chicken as dry as you can. Remove any giblets from the cavity and reserve for another time. Sprinkle a third of the spice mixture into the cavity of the chicken, focusing especially on the underside of the breasts. Use your hands to really rub the spices into the cavity. Now, sprinkle the rest of the spice mixture all over the surface of the chicken, including the bottom but especially the top, where the breasts are, and again, really rub it into the skin. If roasting right away, let the chicken sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Alternatively, you can place the chicken, uncovered, in the refrigerator to dry-brine for up to 24 hours; just be sure to let it sit out at room temperature for at least 1 hour before roasting.

  3. While the chicken is coming to room temperature, position a rack on the bottom third of the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a large sheet pan, add the cabbage, onion, 4 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining 1 teaspoon fennel seeds. Season generously with salt and pepper, and toss until evenly combined. Push the cabbage and onions to the edges of the pan to make room for the chicken, and place the chicken in the center of the pan, breast side up; the chicken should have direct contact with the pan and not be sitting over any of the vegetables. Massage the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil onto the chicken and give it a final generous sprinkling of salt and pepper (going lighter on the seasoning the longer the chicken has been dry-brined).

  4. Step

    4

    Roast the chicken, rotating the pan halfway through, until the skin is golden brown and crispy, and the thigh meat reaches 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer (it will continue to cook as it rests), 40 to 55 minutes or 13 minutes per pound. Do not cut into it to check that the juices run clear. The cabbage and onions should be soft and slightly charred in spots.

  5. Step

    5

    Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes on the pan before transferring to a cutting board and carving into portions. Don’t forget to turn the carcass over and eat the two “oysters” on the bottom of the chicken where the back of the thighs meet the spine. It’s arguably the best part of the roast chicken experience, and the chef’s treat.

  6. Step

    6

    Add the vinegar to the cabbage and onions, toss until evenly distributed and taste for seasoning, adjusting with salt and pepper. Serve alongside the chicken.

Ratings

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1,322

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Cooking Notes

alanzelt

The recipe smells delicious. Can't wait to make. BUT biggest takeaway is that you did the very thing that recipe writers, cookbook authors and others NEVER do. You gave quantity of kosher salt be it Morton or Diamond Crystal. For that, I am forever in awe if you.

Betty

I used a single bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh and just enough cabbage and onion for one person. I adjusted the spices, oil and vinegar to smaller amounts (I estimated and tried to keep the same ratios). Roasted at 425 for 30 min and then 400 for 15 min. It was delicious!

Steve

Anyone that can evenly toss vegetables with seasoning on a sheet pan and not end up with half of it on the counter and floor is more skilled than myself. I would add all vegetables, oil, and seasoning in a 2-gallon zip lock, shake vigorously, and then distribute on the pan.

CookingInSeattle

Scrumptious as written except … I ALWAYS spatchcock. Additionally, I remove the ribs to massage rub directly on the meat and lift the skin to massage the rub on the breast/thigh meat (and then lightly seasoned the skin with a little bit of remaining rub.). I have mischievous vegetable that always jump onto the floor when I toss them on a sheet pan, so I toss them with the oil and seasonings in a separate bowl. I would rather wash another dish than contribute a ziplock bag to the landfill.

Peter S

I used convection bake at 400F using a meat thermometer and the made the cabbage sticking out of the pan exceptionally crispy in a great way! Loved the fennel seed idea as well.

Margot

I made this with a 4 pound organic chicken. Put the dry brine on it about 3 hours before cooking, and left the chicken at room temperature. I used a red/purple cabbage, and doubled the amount of the brine used. I also added some ground fennel to the seeds. Cooked it per the instructions in this excellent recipe. It was fabulous. We had a hard time stopping eating it.

DW

Made tonight with just thighs. Six thighs and half a cabbage and one onion fit snugly on large sheet pan. Really easy since only chopping is cabbage and onion. Cooked for 40 minutes but next time would do 30. Also made some fusilli on the side and the cabbage and fusilli found their way to each other in the plate. Totally delish. Big fan of sheet pan meals.

Samantha

Chicken oysters are, indeed, the joy of roasting a whole chicken.

Max Shapiro

This rub works really well on cabbage onion sheet pan but with rabbit, cut into 5 or 7 pieces.

Eileen

The oysters! My gran’s favorite, but she called it ‘the part of the chicken that went over the fence last.’ My favorite too. The recipe sounds succulent, can’t wait to try it.

Ginny

I made this last night for my adult grandson and his girlfriend. The only change I made is I spatchcocked the chicken. It was a tremendous success! I dry brined it for 3 hours in the fridge, then let it sit out for 45 minutes. I started it at 425, then after 20 minutes reduced it to 400, rotating the pan. Because it was spatchcocked, it was done in 40 minutes. Don't forget the splash of vinegar at the end. It makes the veg come alive. Every scrap was eaten! Huge success!

Julia Childless

SHERRY vinegar: whole different thing.

Betty

I didn't have fennel seeds and used caraway seeds instead. It tasted great!

LInda

I'm curious to know if those who made it with parts instead of a whole chicken, and cooked it for less time, found that the vegetables still cooked adequately in the reduced time?

Loriltx

This was really good and I liked the minimal mess and dishes used. Next time though, I would up the fennel seeds in the cabbage as we could barely taste them or maybe add a fennel bulb to the cabbage onion mix. I will also try and get more of the cabbage edges to brown and crisp up as that was the best part of the cabbage. I will also probably just use breast quarters next time just as a personal preference. Will definitely being making this again.

Atticus

Chicken was undercooked at 55 min

Elijah

Really good! Used a half sheet pan and and had a hard time fitting everything on the tray, recommend a full size sheet tray or halfing the amount of cabbage and onions.

lisa

I made this with 1.4 lbs of chicken sweet Italian sausage from my local butcher. Used 1/2 the recipe for the onion/cabbage mix. Didn’t have sherry vinegar so used some fresh lemon juice. Cooked for 15 minutes at 425 roast/convection and 15 minutes at 400. Delicious!! Served with risotto Milanese on the side and roasted seasoned cauliflower. Fabulous meal and so good I’d make for company!

jane

I love this recipe. I use chicken thighs instead of a whole chicken, and have added a splash of Pernod to enhance the anise flavour. Yum!

Chin

Every Eric Kim recipe I’ve tried feels like magic, and this one is no exception. The cabbage was even more of a standout for me than the chicken, which is also delicious! I used skin-on chicken thighs—next time I’ll use less olive oil since so much chicken fat was released. The sauce is so good over rice though, and I toasted one slice of bread and used it to sop up all the remaining sauce on the baking pan. It’s that good. I also subbed in rice vinegar since I didn’t have sherry vinegar

Diana

Delicious exactly as written.

JAH

One of my favorite recipes -- the whole is SO much greater than the sum of it's parts. Getting pops of salty, sweet, crunchy fennel seeds amidst a perfectly seasoned, tender roast chicken + caramelized, shmaltzy vegetables = HEAVEN. This recipe is 5 stars as is, but I've cooked it enough times now that I have a few hopefully helpful builds:- Add sliced fennel bulb to your veg mix - Halve your bird + divvy -- along with veg -- across 2x sheet pans for a better ratio of meat + veg

Carl

I never leave comments, but this is just too good to pass up. I didn’t have any fennel seed, but I went into my garden and grabbed about 12-13 sage leaves. I doubled the brown sugar, and WOW.

Tere

Is there any reason I can't use red cabbage? That's what I have on hand

Ritva

So simple yet delicious! Dry brining👍🏻

Anne

I had doubts about this but since I had a chicken and some home-grown cabbage, I decided to give it a try. My cabbage was lots more bulky than the commercial cabbage in the picture above the recipe, so it didn't really caramelize as much as char. I have a convection oven so I deducted 25 degrees but the temp was still too high for the veggies. Otherwise, just a standard roasted chicken. I have "unsaved" the recipe.

rich

5 Feb 23: Spatchcocked 5lb chicken. Rub per recipe and then placed in fridge or 7 hours. 2.5lb cabbage was a lot! Whole yellow onion sliced with mandolin. Big sheet pan not really big enough but it worked. Should move cabbage and onion around after 20-25 minutes. Also tossed cabbage and then onion in big bowl per other comments. Great dish…Kathy did not like the cabbage.

Juliet

I had a 5# chicken which took a little longer to roast. It was beautifully brown but still moist and tender.However, the cabbage got a bit overcooked. I suggest stirring it a bit when turning the pan around after the first half hour or so.

Kathy

Made this and absolutely loved it - I omitted the vinegar at the end because I'm not a fan, otherwise I stuck to the recipe. I think the only change I'll make next time (and there WILL be a next time!) is to spatchcock the chicken, as other commenters have suggested.

Tiipiloo

Added four Yukon Gold potatoes to cabbage & mixed in bowl before nestling around chicken already on pan. Used 6 thighs instead of whole chicken, reduced cooking time by 5 minutes, delicious.

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Roasted Chicken With Caramelized Cabbage Recipe (2024)
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