Chicken Paprikash
Chicken Paprikash
It was another sub-freezing night in Colonial Beach and tonight I wanted to make a recipe I remember my mom preparing…Hungarian Chicken. I’ve never made this before.
Instead of hauling out my trusty cast iron skillet, as I am wont to do, I had a new tool in my arsenal. A Dutch oven. True, I do have a cast iron dutch oven I use over open fires, but I haven’t had a porcelain oven in my life since settling down in Colonial Beach. My loving, caring fiancé Carolyn Flynn resolved that this Christmas by gifting me one. What a great lady.
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3-5 chicken leg quarters
• 2 medium yellow onions, very finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes (maybe add a can or roasted diced?)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced (optional)
• 3-4 tablespoons quality, genuine imported sweet Hungarian paprika. I only had regular paprika. It worked fine.;
• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• 1 TBSP freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used almond flour)
• 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature (important to avoid lumps; be sure also to use full fat)
Instructions
Heat the lard in a heavy pot and brown the chicken on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate. In the same oil, add the onions and fry until golden brown. Add the garlic and tomatoes (and pepper if using) and fry another 2-3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the paprika, salt and pepper (paprika becomes bitter if scorched).
Return the chicken to the pot and place it back over the heat. Pour in the chicken broth. The chicken should be mostly covered. Bring it to a boil. Put in the oven at 350° for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is done. You can also just leave it on the stove and put a cover on it, but I wanted that baked, crispy chicken.
Pull out the chicken ans in a small bowl, stir the flour (I used almond flour) into the sour cream/cream mixture to form a smooth paste. Stir the cream mixture into the sauce, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring it to a simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce is thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the sauce and simmer to heat through.
I served mine with a mashed garlic cauliflower and pan-seared blistered green beans.
• 1 large head Cauliflower (6 cups florets, cut off most of the stems)
• 1 tsp Olive oil
• 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 2 tbsp Unsalted butter (cut into chunks)
• 2 tbsp Cream cheese (cut into chunks)
• Chives (optional, for garnish)
• 1 Tsp poultry seasoning
1. Fill a large saucepan or pot with enough salted water to come right below a steamer basket fitted over it. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Place the cauliflower florets into the steamer basket and fit on top of the pan. Cover the pan with a lid.
3. Reduce water to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until cauliflower is very soft and mushy.
Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for about a minute, until fragrant.
Place the cooked cauliflower, sauteed garlic, butter, cream cheese, and poultry seasonin into a food processor. Puree for 1-2 minutes, until completely smooth. My food processor is small, so I used a beater in a 4 cup pyrex cup. Add some salt if you like.
Garnish with chives if desired. You can also drizzle some melted butter on top if you’d like.
As always, this and my plethora of other recipes can be found on my website at: https://goodpointofview.com/2022/12/27/chicken-paprikash/