Oktoberfest Chicken and Red Cabbage

Name: Oktoberfest Chicken and Red Cabbage
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 25 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 0.25 cup All-Purpose Flour; 4 slices Bacon; 1 tbsp Bacon Fat; 0.25 cup Brown Sugar; 2 lb Chicken Thigh; 0.5 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 1 whole Red Cabbage; 1 whole Red Onion; 0.25 cup Red Wine; 0.5 cup Red Wine Vinegar; 0.5 tsp Salt; 1 whole Sliced Apples; 0.5 tsp Smoked Paprika

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪 German 🇩🇪 Low-Carb Comfort-Food

This skillet-to-oven dish pairs juicy chicken thighs with tangy-sweet braised red cabbage, apple, and smoky bacon. Red wine vinegar, a splash of red wine, brown sugar, and cinnamon create a balanced, festive flavor that suits cool-weather dinners or an Oktoberfest spread. Expect tender chicken, soft cabbage, and a gently caramelized, aromatic sauce.

Prep20 mins
Cook1 hr 25 mins
Serves8
DifficultyMedium

1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2

Cook the bacon in a large oven-safe or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool; crumble the bacon. Leave the drippings in the skillet.
3

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and smoked paprika until evenly mixed; dredge the chicken thighs in the flour and shake off any excess.
4

Cook the chicken in the drippings in the skillet over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes per side; transfer the chicken to a plate.
5

Drain and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings from the skillet. Add the onion and apple; cook and stir until the onion is translucent and the apple is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cabbage and bacon; season with kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until the cabbage is softened, 5 to 8 minutes.
6

Add the vinegar and red wine to the cabbage mixture; stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring often, until the sauce is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Place the chicken thighs on top of the cabbage in the skillet.
7

Bake in the preheated oven until the cabbage is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh should register at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).