Chicken Paprikash

Savory, Smoky, and Sweet – My chicken paprikash recipe hits all the flavor notes! Savory chicken, sweet Hungarian paprika, and the perfect amount of smokiness thanks to the smoked paprika and fire roasted tomatoes.

Lightened Up – To make my version of the recipe a little healthier I opted to use lean chicken breasts instead of skin on chicken thighs and legs. Swapping sour cream with Greek yogurt is a great way to boost the protein the sauce while still keeping the creamy, velvety consistency.

Quick and Easy – Traditional chicken paprikash takes a fair amount of time to make because the chicken simmers and is braised in the sauce. My version is made in one skillet, ready to eat in 30 minutes, and still delivers bold delicious flavors!

Chicken paprikash also known as paprika chicken is a traditional Hungarian dish. In fact it’s actually the Hungarian national dish. My skillet version is definitely not traditional, but it’s great for a quick dinner and if you want a version with some healthy substitutions.

Traditional recipes call for quartered chicken parts or chicken thighs and are simmered in the sauce for an extended period of time.  I went with chicken breasts for a leaner protein and cubed them so they’d cook fast.

As you probably guessed from the name, paprika is the predominant spice used in this dish. Sweet Hungarian paprika is normally used or sometimes combined with hot paprika. To give my version a smoky flavor I used both sweet and smoked paprika.

Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts are recommended, but you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.

Onion and Garlic – The aromatics that add lots of flavor to the sauce. Yellow onion or white onion can be used. Fresh garlic is best, bottled or jarred garlic doesn’t have as good of flavor.

Paprika – This recipe uses both sweet Hungarian paprika and sweet smoked paprika for a wonderful smoky flavor.

Fire Roasted Tomatoes – Diced fire roasted tomatoes add to the wonderful smoky flavor of the sauce. If you don’t like big chunks of tomatoes, look for petite diced tomatoes.

Chicken Broth – Low sodium chicken broth should be used to prevent the sauce from being too salty. Vegetable broth can be used as a replacement if needed and shouldn’t affect the flavor.

Greek Yogurt – It’s important to use plain 2% or whole milk Greek yogurt for this recipe or it’s likely to break or curdle when mixed in with the sauce.

Parsley – I love adding a fresh herb to brighten up the flavor and flat leaf parsley goes perfectly with paprikash!

• Fire roasted tomatoes can be substituted with regular canned diced tomatoes.
• Use a jar of roasted red peppers instead of tomatoes. Drain and dice them, then add them in when you would add in the tomatoes.
• Sour cream can be used in place of Greek yogurt. Use full fat.
• Make it spicy and use smoked hot paprika. You can also just use Hungarian paprika if you don’t want the dish to have a smoky flavor.

My favorite way to eat chicken paprikash is on top of egg noodles or even pappardelle. You can use any type of pasta, but the egg noodles have a wonderful rich flavor and silky texture. Other pasta shapes that would work well are penne, cavatappi, fusilli, or bowtie pasta.

Rice is another great option to serve chicken paprikash on top of, especially if you’re looking for a gluten-free option. My creamy mashed potatoes are another delicious and gluten-free way to serve it. For a low carb option, try cauliflower rice.

The leftover chicken paprikash recipe will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers because of the dairy in the sauce. Once defrosted the texture will change and be grainy.

Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or on medium-low heat on the stovetop until warmed through. Be careful not to bring it to a boil on the stovetop or you’ll risk curdling the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a splash of chicken stock or water. It will continue to thicken as it reheats.

• Skillet Thai Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry
• Mexican Chicken, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Skillet
• Lemon Chicken and Rice
• Pesto Baked Chicken with Tomatoes
• Chicken Stir Fry