Tender chicken and sweet strips of peppers and onions are simmered in a colorful paprika sauce in this luxurious, easy-to-cook stew, mixed with a little yoghurt for a creamy finish, making traditional Hungarian paprikas lighter and more flavorful. It is arranged with lots of vegetables. You can make it with any type of sweet paprika, but it’s worth treating yourself to a jar of Hungarian paprika, which tends to be brighter in color, more aromatic, and sweeter. Chicken thighs are ideal here as they stay moist and tender when braised, but you can replace the chicken thighs with chicken breasts if you prefer. In that case, reduce the cooking time slightly so that the chicken is cooked through.
storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat slowly over low heat until warmed through.
material
- Cut 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1/2-inch-thick strips.
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt (divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (divided)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (separated)
- 1 large yellow onion (12 oz), halved and thinly sliced
- 2 medium red, orange, and yellow bell peppers, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick strips
- 2 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika (preferably Hungarian)
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth, more as needed
- 1/2 cup plain full-fat yogurt
- 3 tablespoons lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
- Cooked egg noodles, for serving (optional)
direction
step 1
Place the chicken in a medium bowl, season with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine.
Step 2
In a large, deep skillet with a lid or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add half the chicken and cook, stirring once or twice, until browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
Step 3
Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. If the pan seems dry, add a little water or broth. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 4
Return the chicken to the pot with any accumulated juices and add the paprika, cayenne pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir the soup, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 5
Remove from heat, add yogurt and stir until dissolved. Serve with parsley on top of the egg noodles if desired.