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| Chicken, prunes, root vegetables and sauerkraut baked into a cosy Polish‑style zapiekanka |
Polish bigos, or 'hunter’s stew' is a staple in Polish home kitchens that has fed families through long winters for centuries. My version with sauerkraut leans into those same traditions but brings a lighter, more home‑kitchen feel by using chicken alongside the classic tang of sauerkraut, the sweetness of prunes, and a generous mix of root vegetables. It’s the sort of dish that feels both rustic and authentic, humble and hearty, all at once - and a flavor combination that would be right at home in a Polish countryside karczma or even in a cosy little bistro, if you’ll allow the French detour.
Bigos (in casserole form, zapiekanka) is likely one of those traditional family recipes that every household makes differently, and even more likely that every cook swears their version is the right one! Some are heavy and smoky, some sharp and tangy, some rich with game meats or sausage. What ties them all together is the balance of sweet, sour, savoury and earthy — a slow melding of flavours that becomes more than the sum of its parts. That’s exactly what this recipe is: the sauerkraut softens and mellows, the prunes melt into little pockets of sweetness, and the root vegetables give the whole dish a grounding, wintry depth.
Using chicken keeps things lighter than the traditional pork‑and‑game versions, but it still delivers that satisfying, cosy warmth. As it cooks, everything settles into a kind of cosy harmony — the vegetables turning tender, the broth thickens, the prunes infusing the sauce with their dark fruitiness. It’s the kind of casserole that tastes as though it’s been tended to all day, even if you’ve simply thrown it into the oven for a couple of hours and let it do its thing. Serve it with crusty bread or even just on its own in a deep bowl — it’s the sort of meal that warms you from the inside out.
Whether you know it as bigos, hunter’s stew or zapiekanka, and whether you keep it light with chicken or go stronger with beef, pork or wild game, this casserole is pure winter comfort: tangy, sweet, savoury, nourishing and wonderfully old‑fashioned in the best possible way. It’s a dish inspired by old‑world Polish kitchens but right at home in a New Zealand one, too, especially the kind that's not afraid to try different things and cook on the wild side.
Ingredients
500–800 g meat pieces of your choice, skinned and boned
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely sliced
1/3 cup white wine (the cheapest is fine)
1 cup chicken stock
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
10–12 pitted prunes
200–300 g sauerkraut
6–8 small potatoes, cut into chunks (skins on)
1/4 tsp each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan).
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium‑high heat. Add the meat pieces and leave them undisturbed for a few minutes to brown, then turn to brown the other side. Transfer the browned meat to a deep casserole dish.
Reduce the heat to medium‑low and add the onion, garlic and celery to the pan. Sauté for several minutes until softened. Turn off the heat, pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, then add the chicken stock.
Layer the carrots, potatoes and prunes over the meat in the casserole dish. Pour over the onion and stock mixture, then finish with an even layer of sauerkraut.
Bake covered or around 2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and everything is tender.
Serve with crusty, buttered bread.
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