Chicken Paprika

This dish was so reminiscent of something my Mom would make. Her parents were from Hungary and although she did not talk much about her heritage she did love Hungarian food and growing up, we ate a lot of it! I have blogged a recipe closer to my Mom’s original

https://cookwithcindy.com/2013/01/14/csirke-paprikas-aka-chicken-paprika/,

but I really liked this one with tons of smoked paprika and little baby, golden potatoes. The gravy is rich and deeply satisfying. Perfect with the potatoes!

It is relatively simple to put together, very flavorful and perfect for a casual Sunday supper. It tasted like the old country! As the weather cools, this is a perfect comforting dish for fall.

Start by placing 6 bone-in/skin-on chicken thighs on a large platter; big enough to hold the chicken in one layer. If they are super-fatty, trim a little fat, but not too much. Sprinkle with 2+ Tbsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Flip to coat as evenly as possible. Place in a zip-lock bag and let marinate for at least 1 hour. Bring to room temp before browning.

Pull the chicken out of the bag and if there are any bare spots, cover with more smoked paprika. In a large heavy, generously oiled frying pan, add the chicken and cook until brown; about 2-3 minutes on each side. Do not crowd the chicken pieces and if they don’t fit all at one time, cook in batches. Add more oil, as needed.

Remove to a plate. Set aside.

Add garlic and shallot (or onion) to the hot pan, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and a bit more salt and pepper.

Stir to ensure that all veg are covered with the oil and spices. Cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the potatoes, onions and garlic from the pan and de-glaze the pan with some white wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook down for about 5 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock and simmer for about 3 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. butter.

Next, make a slurry. A slurry is just a mixture of starch (in this case flour) and liquid (chicken stock and heavy cream), which is used to thicken sauces, soups or stews. I used 3 Tbsp. flour, 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until they are smooth and blended. You can also shake the ingredients in a jar, but I think the first method is much easier.

Add the slurry to the broth/wine mixture in the frying pan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook on low for another 5 minutes.

Add the chicken and potatoes/onion/garlic back to the frying pan. Cover and cook on medium-low for about 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and chicken registers just under 165 degrees. I generally stop cooking at 160 degrees as the chicken will continue to cook and reach 165 degrees (recommended USDA temp) very quickly. You don’t want dry chicken, although with all this gravy I do not think that possible. Stir from time to time, but be careful not to coat the top of the browed, crispy chicken with the sauce, as you want that to stay crispy; just stir the potatoes in the gravy.

When chicken and potatoes are done, check for seasoning; add salt and pepper if necessary, serve and enjoy this old world traditional dish!

“EGESZSEGERE!”

“Cheers” in Hungarian, which is pronounced Egg-A-Sheg-Ada…or so my Mom said!

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Chicken Paprika

Humble, but deeply satisfying. Smoked paprika adds a nice fall touch. Perfect for Sunday football! This is a one-pot wonder!

Ingredients

• 6 lge. Chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on Slightly trimmed of fat.
• 1/2 tsp. Salt/Pepper
• 2+ Tbsp. Smoked Paprika
• 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. Butter
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced; about 2 Tbsp.
• 2 Shallots, sliced; about 1/2 cup
• 16 small Golden potatoes; like Yukons
• 1/2 cup White wine
• 1 cup Chicken Broth, divided in half
• 3 Tbsp. Flour
• 1/2 cup Heavy cream

Instructions

• Place the chicken thighs on a platter and coat both sides with the paprika, salt and pepper. Put the chicken in a zip-lock bag and place in the fridge for at least an hour to marinate.
• Before browning, bring the chicken to room temperature. Remove from the zip-lock and make sure all the chicken surfaces are coated with paprika. Add more if necessary.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until brown; about 3 minutes on each side. Do not turn the chicken over until it is completely browned on one side. Do not crowd the chicken. If your pan is not large enough to cook all pieces at one time, cook the chicken in batches. When thoroughly browned remove and place on a platter. Set aside.
• Add the shallots and garlic to the hot pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and a little more salt/pepper. Stir to coat all veg evenly with the spices and oil. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the veg from the pan and set aside.
• Add 1/2 cup white wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
• Add 1/2 cup of chicken stock and stir to combine and cook down for about 3 more minutes.
• Add 1 Tbsp. of butter. This brings the sauce together.
• Make a slurry by combining 3 Tbsp. flour with the last half of chicken broth and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a bowl. Whisk vigorously to make a smooth paste with no lumps.
• Add the slurry back into the pan. Bring to a quick boil, reduce heat and cook for another 5 minutes. Next, add the chicken and potatoes back into the pan. Make sure you also add any juices that have accumulated.
• Cover the pan, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the chicken and potatoes for about 40 minutes, until potatoes are tender and chicken registers about 160 on a meat thermometer. Check for seasoning and serve.