Chicken Paprikash

Frank was dreaming about Chicken Paprikash a while ago, so in this time of comfort food,  I thought it might be a nice treat for him. Serves 4-6

Chicken Paprikash

  • 3 to 4 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks, or whole chicken legs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil, like canola
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large yellow or Spanish onion, peeled and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 3 tablespoons Hungarian paprika, sweet or hot, or a combination
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes or 1 large ripe tomato, chopped
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 pound egg noodles
  • ¾ cup sour cream

Heat oven to 400°. Season the chicken aggressively with salt and pepper. Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, heavy, oven-safe sauté pan or Dutch oven set over high flame, until the butter is foaming. Sear the chicken in batches, skin-side down, until it is golden and crisp, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Then turn the chicken over, and repeat on the other side, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.

Pour off all but a tablespoon or two of the accumulated fat in the pot. Return the pot to the stove, over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently with a spoon to scrape off any browned bits of chicken skin, until the onion has softened and gone translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and stir again, cooking it until it has softened, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the paprika and the flour, and stir well to combine, then cook until the mixture is fragrant and the taste of the flour has been cooked out, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and broth, whisk until smooth and then nestle the chicken back in the pan, skin-side up. Slide the pot into the oven and cook until the chicken has cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, set a large pot of heavily salted water to boil over high heat. Cook noodles in the water until they are almost completely tender, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Drain the noodles and toss them in a bowl with the remaining butter, then toss again to coat.

Place the chicken on top of the noodles, then add the sour cream to the sauce, stir to combine and ladle it over everything. Serve and enjoy!

My verdict:

This chicken paprikash was a good dish, nostalgic, but not incredible. A little hot paprika might have helped, or an Eastern European heritage.

I found it a little heavy and gloppy, but it tasted good. Not sure what I would do to improve it, or if I would give it another shot. Any thoughts out there?

 

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