Paprika Chicken Drumsticks with Rice & Sautéed Cabbage — One-Pan Meal

Easy paprika chicken drumsticks and rice – a one-pan meal with cabbage for a hearty, flavour-packed dinner the whole family will love.

This recipe is tasty, filling and budget-friendly. It combines chicken drumsticks with rice and plenty of vegetables in a single dish for easy cooking and minimal cleanup.

Cabbage and mushrooms turn this into a complete one-dish meal, but you can serve it with a simple green salad or steamed vegetables if you’d like extra freshness on the side.

For a creamy finish, stir in a spoonful of sour cream just before serving — paprika and sour cream pair beautifully — though the dish is delicious without it.

What You’ll Need

The base of this dish is economical chicken drumsticks and plain white rice. You can swap vegetables according to what’s available — green beans or carrots work well — and use chicken thighs instead of drumsticks if you prefer.

To make the Paprika Chicken and Rice

Browning the chicken first is optional but adds extra depth of flavour. If you’re short on time, you can skip browning and assemble everything in the baking dish.

Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Heat a little oil or butter in a large frying pan. Season the drumsticks with salt and pepper and brown them briefly on all sides over high heat. Remove and set aside. (This step can be omitted if you prefer.)

Step 2 – In the same pan, sauté the sliced onion until it is starting to soften. Add the garlic, shredded cabbage, sliced capsicum and mushrooms and cook for about 2 minutes to begin softening — they will finish cooking in the oven. Transfer the vegetables and the uncooked rice to a baking dish.

Step 3 – Return the frying pan to the heat and add the tomato paste, paprika, stock and water. Bring to a gentle boil, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Pour this mixture over the rice and vegetables in the baking dish and stir to combine.

Step 4 – Arrange the browned (or raw, if you skipped browning) chicken pieces on top of the rice. Season the chicken with a little extra paprika, salt and pepper if desired. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Step 5 – Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20–30 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. To check, cut into the thickest part of a drumstick — the juices should run clear and there should be no pink in the center.

Step 6 (optional) – Remove the drumsticks from the dish, fluff the rice with a fork and, if you like, stir in the sour cream for a creamier texture. Return the drumsticks to the rice, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Leftovers – Storage and Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Reheat covered in the oven or in the microwave until piping hot. If the rice has dried out, add a splash of water or stock before reheating to restore moisture.

Yield: 4 serves

Paprika Chicken Drumsticks with Cabbage

One-pot drumsticks cooked with rice and plenty of vegetables for an easy, flavourful meal.

Prep Time
15 minutes

Cook Time
1 hour

Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 chicken drumsticks
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cabbage, finely shredded
• 1/2 red capsicum, sliced
• 200 g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 1 1/3 cups (330 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) water
• 1 tbsp sour cream (optional)
• Parsley to serve (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Heat a little butter or oil in a large frypan or saucepan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and lightly brown on all sides, then remove from the pan (optional).
3. Add the onion to the pan and sauté until nearly soft. Add the cabbage, capsicum and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a baking dish with the rice.
4. Add the tomato paste, paprika, stock and water to the frying pan, bring to the boil while scraping up browned bits, then pour over the rice and vegetables and stir to combine.
5. Arrange the chicken on top of the rice, cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the foil and bake for a further 20–30 minutes until the rice and chicken are tender and cooked through. Check the chicken by cutting into the thickest part.
7. Remove the drumsticks, fluff the rice and stir in the sour cream if using. Return the drumsticks to the rice.
8. Sprinkle with parsley before serving, if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 626
Total Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 13g
Cholesterol: 259mg
Sodium: 376mg
Carbohydrates: 49g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 4g
Protein: 56g

Nutritional information is approximate and may vary depending on ingredient brands, measurements and preparation. Use your preferred nutrition calculator for precise values based on the ingredients you use.