Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken With Cabbage

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 12/25/21
Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken With Cabbage

The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 4 hrs
Total: 4 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

For an easy, flavorful meal, slow cook chicken pieces with onions, garlic, and carrots. Cabbage wedges are cooked separately on the stovetop and served with the chicken for a complete meal. It's a simple combination of ingredients and a snap to prepare in the slow cooker.

Use whole chicken legs or chicken quarters, thighs, or other chicken pieces in this recipe. Feel free to add some sliced celery or leeks to the chicken in the slow cooker, or add some small potatoes to the pot to cook along with the cabbage.

While this dish doesn't need any accompaniment, serve with boiled potatoes or rolls for a feast. The leftovers are delicious, too.

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Ingredients

  • 4 pounds chicken pieces

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 cup baby carrots

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 5 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 2 cups low-sodium or unsalted chicken broth

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 medium head green cabbage

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • Garlic powder, to taste, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken With Cabbage

    The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf

  2. Season chicken with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and place in slow cooker.

    Season the chicken with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and place in the slow cooker

    The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf


  3. Add carrots, onion, and garlic.

    carrots, onion, and garlic cloves added to the chicken slow cooker

    The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf

  4. Add about 2 cups of chicken broth and bay leaf. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours. Chicken should be very tender.

    2 cups of chicken broth and the bay leaf added to chicken and vegetables

    The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf

  5. About 30 to 45 minutes before chicken is done, cut head of cabbage into wedges.

    cabbage on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf

  6. Place cabbage wedges in a large pot with 1 cup of water. Add butter and sprinkle generously with garlic powder (if using), and season with salt and pepper.

    cabbage with butter and garlic powder in a pot

    The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf

  7. Cover pan and cook over medium-high heat for 20 to 30 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Drain.

    cabbage cooking in a pot

    The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf

  8. When chicken and cabbage are done, place some cabbage in a bowl and top with the chicken, vegetables, and sauce. 

    Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken With Cabbage in a bowl

    The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf

Tips

  • This recipe will work with any kind of chicken pieces, including bone-in, skin-on, or skinless and boneless.
  • Bone-in pieces will take longer to cook but will better retain their moisture. Start checking boneless pieces, especially white meat like chicken breasts, after 3 hours.
  • Leaving the skin on will also help keep the chicken moist and add to the flavor, but will also add fat. Remove before eating for a healthier meal.
  • Dark meat, like chicken thighs, will better remain moist and flavorful when cooked in a slow cooker.

Recipe Variation

Spice up this dish by adding some dried herbs before cooking or fresh herbs after cooking. Some good options include thyme, rosemary, oregano, and parsley. Italian, Greek, or similar spice blends are also a nice addition.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
660 Calories
32g Fat
7g Carbs
82g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 660
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 32g 41%
Saturated Fat 10g 52%
Cholesterol 363mg 121%
Sodium 397mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 82g
Vitamin C 12mg 58%
Calcium 77mg 6%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 959mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)