Rustic Creamy Chicken, Cabbage & Potato Bake

A cosy layered bake with tender potatoes, creamy chicken mince, cabbage, rosemary and a silky, well-seasoned sauce baked until golden.

This recipe came together from simple ingredients I already had on hand, and turned into the kind of comforting family dinner I love most. Thinly sliced potatoes are layered through a creamy chicken mince filling with onion, cabbage, garlic, rosemary and paprika, then baked until everything is soft, savoury and beautifully golden on top.

It is humble, hearty and deeply satisfying, the sort of one-dish meal that feels both practical and special, and exactly the kind of dinner that belongs on The Grace Table.

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 90 min · Serves: 6 · Category: Dinner

Ingredients

• 500 g chicken mince
• 1/4 green cabbage, finely sliced
• 1 large spring onion, finely sliced
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 150 g cream cheese
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard
• 2 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped, plus a little extra to finish
• 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C fan forced.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion with a small pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
4. Add the chicken mince and cook, breaking it up well, until no longer pink and beginning to take on a little colour.
5. Add the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard, chopped rosemary, salt and black pepper. Stir well and cook for 1 minute to let the flavours bloom.
6. Add the sliced cabbage and spring onion. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until the cabbage begins to soften.
7. Lower the heat and add the cream cheese. Pour in the chicken stock and stir until the cream cheese melts into the stock and forms a loose, creamy sauce.
8. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, then taste and adjust seasoning if needed. The sauce should taste well-seasoned and slightly stronger than you think, as the potatoes will absorb flavour as the bake cooks.
9. Layer the bake in a greased casserole dish: start with a little sauce on the base, then a layer of potatoes, then some of the chicken mixture with plenty of liquid. Repeat the layers, finishing with potatoes and the remaining sauce poured evenly over the top and around the edges.
10. Cover with the casserole lid and bake for 55 to 60 minutes.
11. Remove the lid and bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender and the top is golden.
12. Rest for 10 minutes before serving. Finish with a little extra rosemary and black pepper if you like.

Notes

Slice the potatoes very thinly so they soften evenly through the layers.

Be generous with the liquid between layers so the potatoes cook through properly.

Taste the sauce before assembling — it should be bold and well-seasoned.

Let the bake rest before serving so it settles and slices more neatly.

Serve with a simple green salad or steamed greens.