“Waiter, there is too much pepper in my paprikash. But I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie.”
A classic line from When Harry Met Sally, but have you ever made chicken paprikash at home? It’s a Hungarian dish that gets its name from the sweet Hungarian paprika mixed generously in the sauce. It’s important to use sweet paprika or the flavor of the dish will be a little off (and a little too spicy). If you like a little spice, I suggest adding just a teaspoon or so of regular paprika in addition to the sweet Hungarian version. Don’t try using only regular paprika by itself.
This recipe is prepared in your slow cooker to save a little of the time spent leaning over a hot stove. While not quite traditional (I’ve added a few extra ingredients) it’s tasty and can be prepared in the morning to cook in the crock pot all day while you’re at work (well, if you get up as early as I usually do, anyway). Or you can cook it overnight and store in the fridge. The flavor actually improves when it sits overnight. Just reheat in a large pot the next day.
Slow-cooker Chicken Paprikash
- 8-10 skinless chicken thighs, bone-in
- 1 bell pepper, cut into large chunks
- 16 cherry tomatoes (I use on the vine, at your grocer in a mesh bag)
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion, sliced
- 1 8 oz carton mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1 C chicken broth (I use Pacific Foods organic, available at Costco)
- 1 T sweet paprika
- 1T olive oil
- 1 T butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or 1 ½ t jarred minced garlic
- ½ t salt
- ¼ t black pepper
- 1/3 C sour cream, plus more for garnish
- All purpose flour
- Chopped dill or parsley for garnish
- Cooked egg noodles
Sprinkle onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, paprika, salt and pepper on the bottom of the crock. Lightly dust the chicken thighs with flour. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Add the chicken thighs, meat side down, and brown on both sides. Place the browned thighs on top of the onion mixture. Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth, and pour the broth over the chicken. Add cherry tomatoes and garlic. Cook 5-8 hours on low. Remove chicken and vegetables from the crock to a serving platter. Slowly whisk the sour cream into the broth, and pour the resulting gravy over the chicken. Top with additional dollop or two of sour cream, add a little chopped parsley or dill for color, and serve with cooked egg noodles.
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