Baked cabbage rolls with chicken
2 servings
40 minutes
Baked cabbage rolls made from Beijing cabbage with chicken are a refined interpretation of a classic Russian dish. Tender cabbage leaves enriched with juicy chicken filling and a hint of star anise and bay leaf create a harmony of flavors. Sautéed vegetables add sweetness and depth, while breadcrumbs provide structure. Baked under a rich sauce made from tomato paste and broth, the rolls develop a golden crust and rich taste. This dish is perfect for cozy family dinners or festive tables, offering tenderness and warmth in every serving. The lightness of Beijing cabbage makes it less heavy, while the combination of herbs and spices reveals layered flavor nuances. True culinary comfort in every forkful.
1
Fill a large pot with 2-3 liters of water, add salt generously, and set it to heat. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees with convection.
- Salt: to taste
2
Sauté the vegetables in a pan with a spoon of vegetable oil until soft, then transfer to a bowl.
- Onion: 1 head
- Carrot: 0.5 piece
- Celery stalk: 0.5 stem
- Vegetable oil: 3 tablespoons
3
In the same saucepan, sauté the diced chicken fillet in a spoon of oil with star anise and bay leaf. Once the chicken is cooked, add a couple of tablespoons of water (or white wine) to help release the tasty bits stuck to the bottom for the benefit of the dumplings. Use a spatula thoroughly for better effect.
- Chicken breast: 150 g
- Vegetable oil: 3 tablespoons
- Anise (star anise): 1 piece
- Bay leaf: 2 pieces
4
Remove the star anise and bay leaf, return the mirepoix to the fillet, mix, and mash everything with a pestle. Add 2-3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs (or a mashed boiled potato). If necessary, add a couple of tablespoons of water, cream, or broth. Season to taste, and add finely chopped parsley.
- Breadcrumbs: 5 tablespoon
- Parsley: 1 bunch
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
5
Blanch 8-10 cabbage leaves in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then remove and cool.
- Chinese cabbage: 1 head
6
Stuff each cabbage leaf with minced meat and place the rolls in a greased baking dish.
- Vegetable oil: 3 tablespoons
7
For the sauce, sauté flour in butter until golden, add broth, stir in tomato paste and reduce to the thickness of thick kefir. Season with salt and pepper.
- Butter: 1 tablespoon
- Wheat flour: 1 tablespoon
- Chicken broth: 1.5 glass
- Tomato paste: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
8
Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, place a bay leaf on top, and bake until the sauce boils and a golden crust forms.
- Breadcrumbs: 5 tablespoon
- Bay leaf: 2 pieces