Welcome to a delightful twist on a beloved Eastern European classic! If you love the comforting taste of cabbage rolls but not the time-consuming process of wrapping them, then these 'lazy' cabbage rolls, or Lenivye Golubtsy, are for you. This recipe takes convenience a step further by using tangy kvashenaya kapusta (sauerkraut) mixed right into the tender chicken filling. Baked in a creamy tomato sauce, this dish is hearty, flavorful, and perfect for a cozy family dinner.
Lazy Cabbage Rolls with Sauerkraut and Chicken Fillet
Ingredients for Lazy Cabbage Rolls with Sauerkraut and Chicken Fillet
- 700 g chicken breast fillet
- 160 g rice
- 250 g kvashenaya kapusta (sauerkraut)
- 120 g onion
- 80 g carrot
- 200 g smetana (a type of sour cream)
- 150 g tomato puree
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- salt, olive oil
- asafoetida, optional
How to Make Lazy Cabbage Rolls
Wash and pat dry the chicken fillet, then cut it into small cubes. You can easily turn the fillet into ground meat for the lazy golubtsy (cabbage rolls) without a meat grinder or blender; just chop it with a meat cleaver for a few minutes, and it will turn into mince. If this method seems too difficult, you can pass the meat through a meat grinder (using the coarse plate).
Wash, pat dry, and cut the chicken fillet into small cubes
Finely chop the onion and grate the carrot on a coarse vegetable grater. Pour olive oil into a skillet, add the vegetables, and sauté over medium heat for 15 minutes.
First, thoroughly rinse the kvashenaya kapusta (sauerkraut) with cold water. Then, pour boiling water over it, bring to a boil, drain the first water, pour boiling water over it again, and cook for 15-20 minutes.
Wash the rice, pour it into a saucepan, and add a glass of cold water. After it boils, reduce the heat to a minimum, cover tightly with a lid, and cook for 12 minutes.
Sauté the onion and carrot over medium heat for 15 minutes
Boil the sauerkraut
Cook the rice
For the sauce, mix smetana (a type of sour cream) and tomato puree in a bowl, add ground sweet paprika, and salt to taste. Homemade preserves work great for this sauce; in my recipe, I use a tomato puree with sweet peppers and onions, which is delicious!
Make the sauce for the cabbage rolls
Now, prepare the filling for the lazy cabbage rolls. In a large bowl, combine all the prepared ingredients—the minced chicken fillet, cooked rice, sautéed vegetables, and boiled sauerkraut. If the sauerkraut was coarsely chopped, I recommend chopping it finer. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to your taste. I also suggest adding a pinch of asafoetida. This Eastern spice is made from the milky sap of the Ferula foetida plant and has a pungent, garlic-onion aroma. Add it carefully, just a small amount, as the scent is unusual and may not be to everyone’s liking—it’s not for nothing that asafoetida is also known as devil’s dung or stinking gum.
For the filling, combine all prepared ingredients and season
Mix the filling thoroughly so that the ingredients are evenly combined.
Mix the filling thoroughly
With wet hands, form oval-shaped cabbage rolls and place them in a greased baking dish, leaving a small space between them.
Form the cabbage rolls and place them in a greased baking dish
Pour the smetana-tomato sauce into the dish, drizzle the lazy cabbage rolls with olive oil, and place them in a preheated oven.
Pour the sauce into the dish, drizzle with olive oil, and place in the oven
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 40 minutes. Serve the lazy cabbage rolls with sauerkraut and chicken fillet hot.
Bake the lazy cabbage rolls with sauerkraut and chicken fillet for about 40 minutes
And there you have it—a wonderfully satisfying dish that brings the rustic flavors of Eastern Europe to your table with minimal fuss. These Lazy Cabbage Rolls are best served hot, perhaps with an extra dollop of smetana (a type of sour cream) and a sprinkle of fresh dill. It's a meal that warms the soul and is sure to become a new family favorite. Enjoy the delicious results of this simple yet brilliant culinary shortcut!
0 comments