This Chicken Cabbage Stir-Fry is simple, savory, and seriously satisfying! Delicious on its own or spooned over rice, it’s a quick, easy, one-pan, weeknight dinner.
To be poured into without becoming full and to pour out without becoming empty. Chuang- Tzu
This chicken cabbage stir-fry is the kind of easy, nourishing meal that never disappoints. It comes together quickly and satisfies all of the different dietary preferences in my family. Cabbage has become my superpower lately! Who knew one vegetable could do so much?
Tender chicken adds satisfying, lean protein while the cabbage caramelizes in the pan, becoming silky and naturally sweet with deep savory flavor. Made with simple pantry ingredients, it's light yet filling, packed with flavor, and endlessly versatile. It’s perfect on its own or served over rice or rice noodles for a comforting, balanced dinner that comes together easily enough for weeknights.
Why You’ll Love This
- A quick, easy one-pan dinner. Perfect for weeknights with easy clean-up.
- Simple pantry ingredients. You’ll likely have most of the ingredients already on hand!
- Healthy, nourishing, low-carb. Chicken offers lean protein, while cabbage boosts the nutrient content.
Chicken Cabbage Stir Fry Ingredients
- Chicken: Use ground chicken or ground turkey for the fastest preparation. Or substitute other ground meat.
- Cabbage: Green cabbage works best here, chopped into bite-sized pieces. Or sub napa cabbage.
- Stir-fry sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce (or sub gluten-free liquid aminos), maple syrup (or honey), Shaoxing wine (or rice vinegar), toasted sesame oil, Sambal chili sauce or sriracha (optional), and cornstarch (optional).
- Shallots, garlic cloves, and fresh ginger: For savory, aromatic flavor.
- Dried red chilis: Optional, but add a little extra heat.
- Scallions: The sliced white ends add to the aromatic profile in the stir-fry, while the sliced green ends make a fragrant and colorful garnish!
- Avocado oil – or substitute olive oil, coconut oil, or peanut oil.
- Salt and black pepper: For browning and seasoning the chicken.
- Sesame seeds: Toasted white or black sesame seeds, for garnish (optional), or sub chili crisp.
How to Make Chicken Cabbage Stir Fry Recipe
1. Make the stir-fry sauce. Whisk together soy sauce, maple syrup, shaoxing wine, toasted sesame oil, chili sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl.
2. Cook and brown the chicken. Bring a heavy cast-iron skillet, wok, or large pan to medium-high heat, then add a few teaspoons of oil and the ground chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and use a metal spatula to break the chicken into small pieces. Cook for about 4 minutes, then set aside.
3. Sear the cabbage. Using the same pan, heat to medium-high and add oil to the bottom (or skip the oil!). Stir-fry the cabbage for 5-10 minutes until some edges are lightly charred and the cabbage is tender. Work in two batches to make sure the cabbage browns instead of steams.
4. Sauté the aromatics. Scoot the cabbage to the sides of the pan, add 2 teaspoons of oil and the shallots, ginger, garlic, and optional chilies, and stir for 2 minutes before mixing the cabbage back in.
5. Combine everything! Add the white part of the green onions and the cooked chicken to the pan and toss. Whisk the sauce to reincorporate the cornstarch, then pour it into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Serve. Enjoy as is, or serve over rice or rice noodles. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Chef’s Tips
- For the best texture and flavor, sear the cabbage in batches. Overcrowding the pan will cause steaming, resulting in a soggy texture. Aim for lightly caramelized edges.
- If it seems like a lot of cabbage, don’t worry! It will cook down. 🙂
- For a spicier dish, add sambal oelek or sriracha to the sauce and add the dried red chilies to the stir-fry. They add so much flavor! Or dress with chili crisp.
- Whisk the stir-fry sauce just before adding it to the pan, as the cornstarch will sink to the bottom.
- Use all of the green onions! Add the white parts to the stir-fry and use the green parts as a garnish.
- Add more veggies! Bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, or snap peas can be added for extra color and nutrients!
Serving Suggestions
Serve as a complete meal on its own with green onions and sesame seeds, or serve over Jasmine rice, coconut rice, or seasoned Japanese rice, or over rice noodles. You could also serve over quinoa or cauliflower rice!
Top with chili crisp or chili garlic sauce for extra heat.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium until warmed through, or reheat in the microwave.
Hope you enjoy this stir-fried chicken and cabbage recipe!
More Stir Fry Recipes You Might Like!
⭐️ After you try this Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Tonia
Chicken Cabbage Stir Fry Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
- Category: 30 minute Dinner, chicken dinner, easy dinner, stir fry, weeknight dinner
- Method: Stir fry
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Diabetic, Gluten-Free, Keto, Low-Carb
Description
This Chicken Cabbage Stir-Fry is simple, bold, and seriously satisfying! Delicious on its own or spooned over rice or rice noodles, it’s a quick, easy weeknight dinner. Low-carb.
Ingredients
Stir- Fry Sauce
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or sub gluten-free liquid aminos)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or Rice Wine Vinegar)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1–2 teaspoons Sambal chili sauce or sriracha (optional)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Stir Fry
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- 1 pound ground chicken (or sub ground turkey or other ground meat)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium green cabbage (1 1/2 pounds), about 5 cups chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped or grated
- 5–6 whole dried red chilis (optional)
- 6 green onion, sliced (separate white and green parts, save green parts for serving)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for serving
Instructions
- Mix the stir-fry sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, maple, shaoxing wine, toasted sesame oil, chili sauce, and cornstarch.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a heavy cast-iron pan, wok, or large skillet to medium-high heat. Add a few teaspoons of oil and the ground chicken, and sprinkle in salt and pepper. Turn heat down to medium and use a metal spatula to break into small pieces. Cook about 4 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. Set aside on a plate.
- Sear the Cabbage: In the same pan, heat to medium high, add oil (if desired, you can do this without oil), stir fry cabbage for 5-10 minutes until some edges are lightly charred and the cabbage is tender. Do this in 2 batches to make sure the cabbage gets a bit of brown on the edges.
- Sauté the aromatics: Push cabbage to the sides of the pan, add 2 teaspoons of oil and the shallots, ginger, garlic, and chilies. Stir for 2 minutes in the center then mix into the cabbage.
- Combine: Add the white part of the green onions and the cooked chicken into the cabbage mixture. Toss to combine. Give the sauce a whisk to incorporate the cornstarch (it likes to sink to the bottom) pour into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until everything is nicely coated and hot through.
- Serve as is or over rice or rice noodles, top with slivered green onions and sesame seeds.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Caramelize the cabbage. For the best texture and flavor, sear the cabbage in batches. Too much cabbage in the pan at one time will create steam, making it soggy- we are going for lightly browned.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 367
- Sugar: 13.3 g
- Sodium: 677.3 mg
- Fat: 21.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 23.5 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 23.5 g
- Cholesterol: 96.3 mg
I don’t eat chicken but the recipe looks great. How do you think it would go with fish?
I am sure it would be good! Cook time will vary. Let us know if you give it a try.
This was delicious! I am usually more a pork or tofu person but am trying to incorporate more lean protein. I could eat chicken like this all week long.
Glad you gave it a try Sarah!
Such a wonderful recipe! Fast and easy. I added broccoli, red pepper strips and snow peas per the veggie suggestions and doubled the sauce to accomodate. Thank you!
Perfect Michelle!
I’ve made this twice in the last month and used soy curls in place of the chicken! Absolutely delicious and easy to put together. Thank you
Sounds great Melissa. Glad you are enjoying!
I was looking for a recipe to use up a half head of cabbage when this one showed up in my inbox. My husband and I loved it. I might had some toasted cashews next time. We both think that the added chili crisp on top was key.
Glad you enjoyed Lisa!
Okay, this looked REALLY good, so I DID try the recipe and it was fantastic! Even my husband who does not like cabbage had more than one helping. This is going in my regular rotation. A couple of note: I used honey, the wine, and 1 heaping tsp of sriracha. I DID NOT add salt and pepper to the ground turkey. It was not necessary at all. I skipped the shallot because I didn’t have one and added the red chilis a bit late in the process. It didn’t matter what I did. It was a great meal. I’m still thinking about it!
Perfect Nina! Love how you adapted.
This was really good! I only added 1 tsp of cornstarch and it was just fine (I like to use as little as needed to keep flavors sharp). It’s a great recipe to use the sweet winter cabbages they have at the farmers market now. Thanks for the tip to sear the cabbage in batches–worked perfectly!
Good to hear Susan! Glad you went with your instinct on the cornstarch.
Made this flavourful recipe. So delicious, a definite hit. Added bokchoy simply as it was beside the green cabbage in the fridge 🙂
Great to hear Mary!
LOVE this recipe. You had me at ‘cabbage’! Feasting at Home recipes never disappoint and this one is no exception. We made this for dinner last night and LOVED it! The flavours were fabulous and it was quick to put together once all the prep was done. Thank you, once again, for inspiring me in the kitchen!
Glad you enjoyed Tammy! Cabbage is simply amazing. 🙂 Appreciate your review, so helpful.
So delicious- we made it two nights in a row!!
Glad you enjoyed- twice! 🙂
Can’t believe you have all these “comments” and not one of them has actually made the recipe. What’s the point?
It’s a brand new recipe- they are coming in now Linda. 🙂
Oh my goodness this looks extremely delicious.. I’m saving it and giving it a try. This week I know my family will love it.
Love to hear how it goes Hannah!
Sounds delicious! e
Let us know if you give it a try!
This recipe is easy to make and is delicious 🤤 my kids and my husband love it 😻. I love the presentation of your recipes, but most of them the flavours 💛
Great to hear Marla!
This does look delicious and I do plan to make it and rate it after I actually make it and eat it.
Thanks for a delicious looking recipe!
It looks delicious
Love to hear if you give it a try Chris!
This recipe looks fantastic and I’ll be making it for dinner next week. I LOVE veggie forward, high protein meals. And making it made in one pan is great too!
Love to hear what you think!
Hi. Can you recommend a swap for the soy sauce? It’s too high in sodium. Thanks! The recipe looks great!
Hi Carolina, you can use coconut aminos or just use less soy and adjust to taste.
This looks great! I plan to make it tomorrow when my husband returns from out of town. We have everything on hand but the cabbage. The sauce looks so good that I think I’ll double it. 🙂 Plan to serve it with quinoa for the extra protein. Can’t wait!
Great! Love to hear what you think Mary.
Delicious! I used a bit extra cabbage, just because I had it, and doubled the sauce with absolutely no regrets on either. Served it with quinoa. Given the sodium content in the soy sauce, I’d probably eliminate the additional salt in the recipe next time. This will be a great recipe during garden season when we’re looking to use up our extra cabbages!
Glad you enjoyed Mary!
I have been on a cabbage kick and this recipe looks amazing.
Loving your website- so much useful information.
Let us know if you give it a try!
This recipe looks like heaven. I’m actually going to try to make this tonight for my family. My youngest daughter just received new chopsticks as a gift and can’t wait to use them! She should enjoy this one. Thanks
Oh love it Kathryn! 🥢