Chicken Paprika

This streamlined chicken paprika uses vegetable juice cocktail as the sauce base instead of the traditional chicken stock and tomato combination. The juice already has tomato, celery, and seasoning built in, which means the sauce comes together with less fuss while still hitting the right savory, slightly sweet notes that paprika chicken needs.

Paprika goes into the sauce mixture before cooking, not just dusted on the chicken. Mixed with flour and vegetable juice, it creates a smooth slurry that thickens into a glossy, rust-colored sauce as it simmers. Two teaspoons of paprika for two servings is assertive enough to taste, which is the whole point. Weak paprika flavor defeats the purpose of the dish.

The sour cream stir-in happens off the heat. This is the move that turns the sauce from a thin tomato-paprika broth into something creamy and Hungarian. Served over rice with a parsley garnish, it’s a complete dinner in about 35 minutes.

Kitchen Tips

• Stir the sour cream in off the heat. Adding it to a simmering sauce curdles it into a grainy mess
• Use good quality paprika, preferably Hungarian. Stale paprika from the back of the spice cabinet has no flavor
• Cut the chicken into uniform strips so they cook evenly. Thick and thin pieces in the same pan means some overcooked and some underdone
• The microwave instructions are included for convenience, but the stovetop version develops better flavor from the sautéing step

Variations

• Use sweet Hungarian paprika for a milder sauce, or smoked paprika (pimentón) for a smokier twist
• Add sliced bell peppers with the onions for a more traditional Hungarian lecsó-style sauce
• Swap sour cream for Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier finish