Slow Cooker Chicken and Cabbage

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   It's best to use young cabbage — the dish will come out juicier. Peel off the outer leaves, cut the head into two pieces, and shred each piece with a knife down to the core. Peel and coarsely grate the carrots — one large carrot came to about 150 grams for me. Peel and finely chop the onion — one large onion came to about 100 grams. All the vegetables are ready.

2. Step 2:

   

   Set the slow cooker to the "Sauté" (frying) mode for 20 minutes — mine defaults to exactly 20 minutes, so I left it as is. Pour the vegetable oil into the bowl and let it heat for 2 minutes so the meat won't stick. Add the chicken wings and brown them for 8–9 minutes per side, about 20 minutes total. Instead of wings, you can use a leg, thighs, or half a chicken to make up the 300 grams.

3. Step 3:

   

   Add the carrots and onion, stir, and cook on the same mode for another 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until it signals the end of the stage. The carrots and onion will soften nicely.

4. Step 4:

   

   Add the cabbage and stir everything well with a large wooden spoon or spatula so you don't scratch the slow cooker's nonstick bowl. Switch to the "Stew" mode and change the time (mine defaults to 1 hour) to 20 minutes.

5. Step 5:

   

   Ten minutes into stewing, add the tomato paste and the salt — start with 1 teaspoon of salt, then stir, taste, and add more if needed. Simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring. If your slow cooker shuts off because there's too little liquid, add a splash of water — I had to do exactly that, since mine kept turning off.

6. Step 6:

   

   While it cooks, you can leave the lid on or off. If you do cover it, make sure the steam valve is open.