Chicken Paprikash is one of those comfort foods that is uncomplicated and unpretentious, yet is full of the legendary flavor that has made it a classic. It is easy to make, outstanding in taste, and low-carb and keto friendly.
Jump to: RECIPE | What is Paprika Spice? | What to Serve with Chicken Paprikash
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What is Paprika spice?
The distinguishing ingredient of Chicken Paprikash is, of course, paprika. Most of the traditional paprikash recipes call for sweet Hungarian Paprika. I did an extensive search trying to figure out if there was a particular pepper variety that was the essence of paprika spice, and found that the definition was very nuanced.
Because of this nebulous definition I decided to test a few “paprika” pepper varieties on our farm where we grow a wide range of peppers. The Alma paprika variety won in the taste category, and so that is what we now grow and dry for our ground paprika spice.
In Hungary, where paprika is the national spice, it is divided into eight grades. Each grade has its own unique characteristics. The one that’s most commonly found in the US is a full-bodied, fruity paprika.
I opted for the sweet, fruity, non-smoked paprika in this recipe in an attempt to stay as loyal to the traditional dish as possible.
Paprika, even more so than other spices, loses its flavor quickly over time and deteriorates into a bitter ground spice. If you don’t want to dry and grind fresh peppers that you get at the farmers market or grocery store, get the freshest sweet Hungarian paprika spice you can find.
Ingredients
Specific measurements of the ingredients are found in the recipe card below. Here is a visual of the ingredients you will need:
What to Serve with Chicken Paprikash?
Typical accompaniments to serve with chicken paprikash are some sort of carb. Here are my favorites:
- Jasmine rice
- Egg noodles (typical in U.S.)
- Boiled potatoes
- Dumplings (a small Hungarian dumpling called Nokedli, which is similar to German Spaetzle)
- Mashed potatoes
- Bread
- Green vegetable (like broccoli)
- Cucumber salad
Keto Chicken Paprikash
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs or legs bone-in, skin-on
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Hungarian paprika or paprika of your choice,
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 14 Ounce Diced tomatoes canned
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ½ cup sour cream can alternatively use heavy cream
- fresh strips of basil optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400o F. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste.8 chicken thighs or legs, salt and pepper
- Melt 2 Tbsp butter in large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 min per side; remove from pan and set aside.3 tbsp unsalted butter
- Melt remaining 1 Tbsp butter in the skillet. Add garlic and paprika and cook quickly until fragrant, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken broth and diced tomatoes, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to medium-low and stir in parmesan, thyme, oregano and sour cream or heavy cream (add sour cream slowly).3 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp Hungarian paprika, 1 cup chicken broth, 14 Ounce Diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, 1/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 cup sour cream
- Bring everything to a simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring to combine. Return chicken to the skillet and nestle into the sauce.
- Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through reaching an internal temperature of 175o F, about 25-30 min.
- Serve with rice if you are not doing a low carb meal.
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