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You and your family will love this Chicken Paprikash. Sometimes referred to as Paprika Chicken, this recipe is rich, creamy, and delivers a little punch! With just 30 minutes of cook time, this cozy dinner is perfect for weeknights.
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This family-approved chicken paprikash is a dish worth repeating, believe me. Not only is it weeknight friendly, but it tastes so damn good. Sour cream brings on a rich tanginess while hot Hungarian paprika packs a punch. Big flavors, cozy vibes, and an all around simple dish to create. It’s the perfect thing to curl up with during these cooler months!
Looking for more simple-but-impressive chicken dinners to serve the fam? These crispy golden Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets are a DREAM. You’ll also love these classic easy Chicken Marsala and Chicken Piccata. And if you’re a sheet pan dinner fanatic, this Greek Sheet Pan Chicken With Feta is where it’s at.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s comforting—There’s something special about finding comfort in a meal, and this classic delivers.
- It’s really easy—This is basically a one-pot dinner minus the pasta, which you cook separately. If you can sauté ingredients and let them simmer, you can make this chicken paprikash.
Chicken Paprikash (Paprika Chicken) Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Sour cream—Be sure to use full fat sour cream! Light versions have a hard time holding up to the heat and can curdle.
- Chicken—A traditional chicken paprikash uses bone-in chicken, but boneless cook much more quickly and I love serving the chicken into bite-sized cubes.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Type of chicken—I love using boneless thighs since they’re nice and tender. You could absolutely use diced chicken breasts however, or use traditional bone-in chicken. If going the latter route, note that cooking time will vary as bone-in chicken needs more cook time.
- Sour cream—If you want to put a healthier spin on this dish, you can use full fat plain Greek yogurt and temper it into the sauce to prevent curdling.
- Paprika—Both sweet paprika or hot Hungarian paprika work well in this recipe. Go for sweet if you’re not a fan of heat in your dishes.
Here’s How to Make It
Step 1. Heat the oil in a pot or deep skillet. Add the chicken and sear until lightly golden on all sides. (This should only take about 5 minutes.) With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl or plate.
Step 2. Add the onions to the pan and sauté until soft and golden in color. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes until everything is well combined and the tomato paste is evenly distributed.
Step 3. Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the paprika. (The paprika may burn if you leave it on the heat, and paprika gives off a bitter taste when scorched.)
Step 4. Transfer the chicken back to the skillet, then bring the pan back to the stove over medium heat. Add the broth, covering the chicken, and bring it to a boil. Partially cover the skillet and reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through with an internal temperature of 160-165º F.
Step 5. In a small mixing bowl, mix the sour cream, heavy cream, and flour. Make sure there are no lumps. When the chicken is done, transfer the chicken to a bowl again. Whisk the cream mixture into the tomato sauce until smooth and simmer for a minute to thicken. Transfer the chicken back to the skillet and stir to coat.
Step 6. Give it a taste and season it with a bit more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve the chicken paprikash over egg noodles or mashed potatoes!
How to Serve Chicken Paprikash
I like serving this recipe spooned over egg noodles just like I do with beef stroganoff, or a pile of creamy mashed potatoes. You could also serve it over spaetzle! On the side, air fryer green beans or oven-roasted broccoli work well.
Frequently Asked Questions
A sauce for paprikash is made up of chicken stock, garlic, onions, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and good quality paprika. Typically hot Hungarian paprika is used.
Aside from being savory, creamy, and tangy, flavor can depend on what type of paprika you use. Hot Hungarian paprika will give you warm smoky notes while sweet paprika will offer up a mild sweetness.
Paprikash and goulash are both paprika-based dishes, however paprikash is usually made with chicken and goulash is made up of beef and vegetables.
More Easy Weeknight Chicken Recipes…
If you try this Easy Chicken Paprikash, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Easy Chicken Paprikash (Paprika Chicken)
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes
- 1 tsp sea salt, more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, more to taste
- 1 sweet yellow onion, minced
- 4 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
- 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 3 TBSP Hot Hungarian Paprika
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 3 TBSP all purpose flour
- 1 cup full fat sour cream
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Egg noodles, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pot or deep skillet. Add the chicken and sear until lightly golden on all sides. (This should only take about 5 minutes.) With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl or plate.
- Add the onions to the pan and sauté until soft and golden in color. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes until everything is well combined and the tomato paste is evenly distributed.
- Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the paprika. (The paprika may burn if you leave it on the heat, and paprika gives off a bitter taste when scorched.)
- Transfer the chicken back to the skillet, then bring the pan back to the stove over medium heat. Add the broth, covering the chicken, and bring it to a boil. Partially cover the skillet and reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through with an internal temperature of 160-165º F.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix the sour cream, heavy cream, and flour. Make sure there are no lumps. When the chicken is done, transfer the chicken to a bowl again. Whisk the cream mixture into the tomato sauce until smooth and simmer for a minute to thicken. Transfer the chicken back to the skillet and stir to coat.
- Give it a taste and season it with a bit more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve the chicken paprikash over egg noodles or mashed potatoes!
Admittedly, I was nervous about the spice factor so I used regular paprika. Regular paprika did not give it much flavor at all so I will be using what’s recommended the next time. I also used half of the sour cream mixture which I preferred.
I used chicken breasts due to dietary preference as well. My son is vegetarian so I did chickpeas for him and he loved it!
A great way to use a much maligned cut of chicken. This was a Sunday dinner and used as a meal prep idea for the following week. The kids are noodle fiends and ate this up along with the delicious sauce. Very reminecent of when I make Chicken Tikka Masala. An easy five star review.
I’m so glad this was a hit for you and your family, Brian! I appreciate the feedback :)
I really enjoyed this dish and it was a hit for my 2 boys and husband too. I think the sour cream gives it such a creamy texture but it’s not too heavy . I love how the flavors combine and I feel like a chef when I use the whisk ;) My only variation was I used half of the tomatoes called for because my boys don’t always love ” lumpy” sauces. Thank you for another recipe in the rotations
Haha, I love your joy of using a whisk! So glad everyone enjoyed it :)