Chicken Sausage and Cabbage Skillet designed for fast weeknight cooking with simple prep and bold flavor.
Pan-Seared Sausage and Sassy Cabbage for Busy Nights
A quick one-skillet dinner that turns simple chicken sausage and cabbage into a caramelized, tangy weeknight winner.
This is the kind of meal that arrives when you need dinner to move: one 12-inch skillet, 20 minutes of active cooking, and bold, comforting flavor. Browning the chicken sausage gives you those savory, Maillard-crisp edges, while the cabbage soaks up every bit of pan flavor without turning to mush—think crisp-tender ribbons instead of limp sauerkraut.
The magic is in the rhythm: brown the sausage, soften the onion and bell pepper until they kiss the pan, then pile in shredded cabbage and let it wilt down. A splash of chicken broth to loosen the browned bits, plus apple cider vinegar and Dijon to add a bright, slightly tangy finish, keeps the skillet lively instead of heavy. Smoked paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes bring warmth and a subtle smokiness that plays nicely with the savory sausage.
This dish is very forgiving—swap in any pre-cooked sausage you like or stir in a handful of chopped herbs at the end for freshness. It’s great straight from the pan with crusty bread, tucked into warmed tortillas, or served over rice or farro for a more filling bowl. Leftovers reheat beautifully and actually taste better the next day once the flavors have melded.
Ingredients
How to Make Chicken Sausage and Cabbage Skillet
- Prep the produce and sausage: cut the chicken sausage into 1/2-inch slices, thinly slice the onion, core and thinly slice the bell pepper, mince the garlic, and roughly shred or thinly slice the cabbage.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil; when hot, add the sausage slices in a single layer and cook without moving for 2 minutes to brown, then flip and brown the other side, about 4–5 minutes total; remove the browned sausage to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 1/2 tbsp olive oil to the skillet, then add the sliced onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, dried thyme and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then stir in the shredded cabbage to pile it into the pan.
- Pour the chicken broth, apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard over the cabbage, sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper, toss to combine, then return the sausage slices to the pan and press everything into an even layer.
- Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the cabbage is tender but still has some bite, about 6–8 minutes; uncover and increase heat to medium-high and cook an additional 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, to reduce excess liquid and develop some caramelization.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot straight from the skillet—optionally with an extra pinch of red pepper flakes for more heat.
Recipe Card
Chicken Sausage and Cabbage Skillet
Chicken Sausage and Cabbage Skillet designed for fast weeknight cooking with simple prep and bold flavor.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep the produce and sausage: cut the chicken sausage into 1/2-inch slices, thinly slice the onion, core and thinly slice the bell pepper, mince the garlic, and roughly shred or thinly slice the cabbage.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil; when hot, add the sausage slices in a single layer and cook without moving for 2 minutes to brown, then flip and brown the other side, about 4–5 minutes total; remove the browned sausage to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 1/2 tbsp olive oil to the skillet, then add the sliced onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, dried thyme and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then stir in the shredded cabbage to pile it into the pan.
- Pour the chicken broth, apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard over the cabbage, sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper, toss to combine, then return the sausage slices to the pan and press everything into an even layer.
- Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the cabbage is tender but still has some bite, about 6–8 minutes; uncover and increase heat to medium-high and cook an additional 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, to reduce excess liquid and develop some caramelization.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot straight from the skillet—optionally with an extra pinch of red pepper flakes for more heat.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 15
- Saturated Fat
- 4
- Sodium
- 1350
- Fiber
- 5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 14
- Protein
- 24
- Fat
- 18
- Cholesterol
- 70
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 320
- Sugar
- 8