A comforting Romanian spring dish made with vibrant loboda leaves, creamy sauce, and juicy roasted chicken.
Creamy Loboda with Chicken and Garlic (Loboda cu Smântână și Pui la Cuptor)
Ingredients
For the Baked Chicken:
For the Loboda Dish:
Instructions
-
Prepare the Chicken:
-
Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
-
Place them in a baking tray, cover with baking paper, and bake at 200°C for ~40 minutes until golden and cooked through.
-
-
Prepare the Loboda:
-
Wash the loboda leaves well, piece by piece.
-
Finely chop the clean loboda and set aside.
-
-
Cook the Base:
-
In a heated pan, add olive oil and butter.
-
Sauté the chopped onion for 2–3 minutes.
-
Add ½ cup of water, then stir in the chopped garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes, until softened.
-
-
Add the Loboda:
-
Add the chopped loboda and sauté briefly.
-
Pour in chicken broth (or water) and season with a little salt.
-
Cook until the loboda softens completely.
-
-
Finish with Cream Sauce:
-
Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and 1 cup of cooking cream.
-
Add pepper to taste and the juice of half a lemon (adjust to your preference).
-
Optionally, stir in a handful of grated Parmesan at the end for extra richness.
-
-
Serve:
-
Serve hot, ideally alongside mashed potatoes or crusty bread.
-
Pair with the baked chicken thighs for a hearty meal.
Great for lunch or dinner. Kid-friendly and full of flavor! -
