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Creamy Chicken Paprika

creamy chicken paprika in a bowl over egg noodles

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5 from 5 reviews

Creamy chicken paprika is an easy one-skillet version of traditional chicken paprikash, with all the same flavors that make the dish special. 

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped or thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped or thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup creme fraiche or full-fat sour cream

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 425 F
  2. In a wide oven-proof skillet (12-inches), warm the olive oil over medium heat
  3. Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook until the onion is soft, 7 to 10 minutes. 
  4. Add the garlic. Cook a few minutes more. 
  5. Add a splash of white wine (optional) and simmer for 1 minute or slightly less
  6. Add the chicken broth, paprika and salt.
  7. Add the chicken thighs to the skillet. Drizzle olive oil over the thighs and season generously with salt and pepper. 
  8. Bring the broth to a simmer.
  9. Slide the pan into the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked, 15 to 18 minutes. 
  10. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and slice on a cutting board. Taste, and add more salt if needed.
  11. Whisk the sour cream or creme fraiche into the sauce, a little bit at a time. Creme fraiche won't curdle, but if the broth is too hot, or you add too much sour cream at once, it might curdle. Low fat or non-fat sour cream will curdle in hot liquid, so make sure to use full-fat. 
  12. Return the sliced chicken to the skillet. Serve the chicken and creamy sauce over pasta, grains like farro, rice or mashed potatoes. 

Notes

This recipe can also be made with chicken breasts or bone-in, skin-on thighs.
Breasts: Medium-sized (6 to 8 ounces) need 18 to 25 minutes in the oven and larger breasts can take close to 30 minutes. If the breasts are large, it's better to cut them diagonally lengthwise to make two smaller breasts that will cook faster. 
Bone-in, skin on thighs: Brown the pieces in a drizzle of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then set aside. Add the chicken back to the skillet and braise for 35 to 40 minutes in the oven. 

Sweet paprika is the type of regular paprika you see in grocery stores. Smoked paprika will be labeled as "smoked" on the label.