Creamy Paprika Chicken
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This 30-minute creamy paprika chicken skillet will wow thanks to a tangy sauce and tender bites of pan-seared chicken breast. Paprika is a classic and powerful spice that adds savory flair and is perfectly complemented by the zip of a little sour cream. Serve with baby potatoes and your favorite veggie or salad for a truly quick yet enticing meal.
Paprika chicken is near to my heart because I share its central European roots. My Dad made sure we knew all about our strong Slovak heritage—his own parents emigrated from the Slovak Republic to the US—and also made it clear that, from his perspective, we had way more in common with the people of Hungary than with Czechia. Ha!
So, chicken paprikash—paprikás csirke—is a classic Hungarian comfort food dish marked by tender chicken in a rich sauce. Onion and garlic give the sauce a savory aromatic profile, sour cream gives it a creamy tang, and a heaping spoon of dried paprika contributes big flavor and a vibrant red color.
My American take on the dish is quick and easy, of course, but keeps all the signature taste. The whole family can enjoy this weeknight winner, with or without the cultural tie!
Why You’ll Love Creamy Paprika Chicken
- Quick and easy to make in 25-30 minutes and one pan
- No flour or artificial thickeners
- Family-friendly: the sauce is a little tangy, a little sweet, and very approachable
- The extra sauce is perfect to drizzle on pasta, potatoes, and any veggie you like
- Something fun and a little different to do with those ever-present chicken breasts!
Ingredient Notes
Fresh Paprika is Essential!
Paprika loses potency faster than other dried spices. Be sure yours is not over the hill! As with any spice, buy the highest-quality you can and store it in a cool, dark spot, away from heat or sunlight that will make it oxidize more quickly and lose aroma and flavor. Replace even high-quality ground paprika every 3-6 months.
Not sure how long that jar has been there? The simple sniff test is a good one: if you open the lid and it smells bland, sadly, it probably will lack flavor. Grab a fresh jar—a small one, perhaps, so less goes to waste. Though once you’re cooking with fresh, fragrant paprika, you may love it so much you start using more!
Sear, Sauce, Serve
This chicken paprika follows the same tried-and-true steps as so many of my favorite chicken skillets. It’s a fundamental method that yields tender chicken and flavorful sauce no matter what!
Season and sear the chicken. A little sprinkle of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning ensure the chicken itself is well-flavored. Cook in a smidge of butter and drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat, just until both sides are golden, then transfer to a plate.
Start the sauce. In my experience, it’s important to lower the heat to medium as you start the sauce, otherwise the onions tend to burn and blacken on the edges before they soften and mellow, which is what you mainly want for the best mild flavor. After adding garlic and paprika to toast briefly, you’ll pour in the chicken broth.
This is the perfect time to scrape the bottom of the pan and loosen any browned bits, so that excellent flavor winds up right where it belongs—in your sauce.
Pro Tip
Give the sour cream some room to “merge.” This is just my term for slowly bridging the gap between cool cream and a warm pan sauce, which helps everything maintain a smooth consistency and not curdle. I’ve tried a few methods, and my favorite is just to measure the sour cream into a small bowl, then add a spoonful of the simmering sauce to it, whisk, and repeat. After two additions, the cream is a little warmer, a little thinner, and ready to go fully into the pan.
Finish and serve. Once the sauce is smooth and bubbling very gently, tuck the chicken breasts back in and simmer until the sauce is thickened a bit and the chicken is cooked through to 165°F. Resist the temptation to turn up the heat; if you want it to go a little faster, it’s better to tent the pan loosely with a lid or with foil instead.
Paprika Chicken Pairings
Roasted potatoes are a great match for creamy paprika chicken. You can do it up with these Parmesan-crusted red potatoes, or just quickly toss a little olive oil, salt, and Italian seasoning on the mini tubers sold pre-washed in bags. Egg noodles or other pasta also make a great side.
For my fellow vegetable lovers, I highly recommend paprika chicken with green beans, broccolini, Brussels sprouts, or a delightfully large arugula salad. Something big, fresh, and green!
More Quick Chicken Skillets
Creamy Paprika Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter divided
- 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon sweet paprika see note
- 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- parsley minced fresh or dried, optional garnish
Instructions
- Measure the sour cream into a small prep bowl and set it out at room temperature to start.1/4 cup sour cream
- Slice each chicken breast lengthwise through the middle, so you have four thinner cutlets. Season each on both sides with a light sprinkle of kosher salt, black pepper, and the garlic powder and Italian seasoning.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt and black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Warm olive oil and melt 1 Tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden but not quite cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons butter
- Reduce heat to medium, then add the remaining 1 Tablespoon butter and the diced onions. Cook for about 4 minutes, until the onions are softened, then stir in the minced garlic and the paprika. Cook for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.1/2 medium yellow onion, 2-3 cloves garlic, 1 Tablespoon sweet paprika
- Quickly pour in the chicken broth. When it simmers, scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits.2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Add a small spoonful of the simmering sauce to the bowl with the sour cream. Whisk gently or stir well with a fork, then repeat with another spoonful of sauce.
- Now slowly whisk the sour cream into the skillet. Once the sauce is smooth and bubbling gently, sample and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Return chicken to the pan, tent with a lid or foil, and cook for another 4-5 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the sauce is thickened slightly. Resist the temptation to turn up the heat; if the sauce starts bubbling too fast, it will separate.
- Turn off heat as soon as chicken is done, sprinkle with parsley, and serve. Enjoy!parsley
Notes
- Chicken Cutlets: Slice two regular chicken breasts lengthwise through the middle to make two thinner, quick-cooking cutlets, or purchase thin-sliced chicken to save this step.
- Sweet vs Smoked Paprika: Substitute smoked paprika if you’re after a distinctly smoky flavor in the sauce, or mix the two if you like a little sweet and a little smoky flair.
- Use Fresh Paprika! Paprika loses potency faster than other dried spices. Be sure yours is not over the hill! As with any spice, buy the highest-quality you can and store it in a cool, dark spot, away from heat or sunlight that will make it oxidize more quickly and lose aroma and flavor. Replace even high-quality ground paprika every 3-6 months.
- Storage & Reheating: Leftover paprika chicken will keep in the fridge for at least 3 days, tightly-covered. Warm over low heat or in the microwave on 50% power, both so the chicken doesn’t dry out and so the sauce doesn’t separate.
