Chicken Paprikash

Name: Chicken Paprikash
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 37 min
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. olive oil or butter; 1 large onion, chopped or 2 small onions, chopped; 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or a large package of chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces; Salt and pepper to taste; 8 Tbsp. paprika, plus more if needed; 1 16 oz. container, full fat or ⅓ reduced fat sour cream (not fat free); Hot, cooked egg noodles, dumplings, gnocchi or gluten free pasta

Jan 7

Written By Kelly Meer

Compared to the typical American foods like hamburgers and mac n’ cheese, mine tend to be out of the ordinary and you probably have never heard of them before. One of my favorite go-to comfort meals is one that I learned from my Hungarian grandma Kitty. It is called Chicken Paprikash. While the traditional dish has many different variations, I still love my grandma’s version because not only is it delicious, but it also brings back memories of the times I got to spend with her. I do not exactly remember when I fell in love with this dish, but I know I was a child. Unfortunately, I did not get to see my grandparents very often because of how much we moved when I was growing up. However, some of my favorite memories I have of visiting her revolve around cooking or food! When I was a teenager, I finally asked my grandma to teach me how to make this dish and she did! The only downfall was her version took ALL day to make. She would take bone-in chicken thighs and simmer them all day until the chicken fell off the bone. Then she would make the gravy from the juices of the meat and then move on to making homemade dumplings. Now, do not get me wrong, it was delicious, as it should be after all of that hard work, but I could not help respond with “Grandma, I don’t have all day to cook this dish!” She laughed and with her help, I adapted her version to a much quicker version that I make at least once a month. My version takes about thirty minutes or less. I use either chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut up into bite size pieces. It still makes some juice for the gravy; so don’t worry. It will still taste delicious. In both versions, the chicken is swimming in a sour cream-paprika gravy that is then served over homemade dumplings. To save time, I serve it over wide egg noodles or store bought, frozen dumplings. You can even serve it over gnocchi, which are potato dumplings. If you have the time, then, by all means, simmer it all day and make homemade dumplings. I LOVE this the next day. Not only is the dish delicious, but being able to cook this brings back those special memories I made with my Grandma Kitty in the kitchen.

Chicken Paprikash

2 Tbsp. olive oil or butter

1 large onion, chopped or 2 small onions, chopped

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or a large package of chicken tenders,

cut into bite size pieces

Salt and pepper

8 Tbsp. paprika, plus more if needed

1 (16 oz.) container, full fat or ⅓ reduced fat sour cream (not fat free)

Hot, cooked egg noodles, dumplings, gnocchi or

Gluten free pasta tubes or fusilli

Start the water for the egg noodles, dumplings, or cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Salt and pepper the chicken. In a large skillet, heat oil until hot. Add onion and sauté until tender. Add chicken and about 4 large tablespoons paprika. Add ⅛ cup of water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. If the water or juice has evaporated, then add a little water from the pasta cooking or use regular water to the pan. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Add the sour cream. Stir until smooth. Add 4 more tablespoons paprika. Stir until complete blended and heated through. The sauce should be a salmon-pink color. If needed, add more paprika until the color is apparent. Put the chicken back into the pan and heat through. Serve over hot egg noodles or dumplings.

Yield: 6-8

Author: Kelly Meer