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How would you like a delicious Chicken Paprikash recipe that’s been made a tad leaner? Made with chicken breasts instead of the traditional thighs and legs, this recipe is not only lower on calories, it is also so much quicker.
Serve this chicken with our Baked Mashed Potatoes and Homemade Bread.
Traditional Chicken Paprikash is one of my favourite meals to sit down to as a family. It’s delicious and comforting. Chicken braised in a rich sauce flavoured with paprika and enriched with sour cream is a delight.
It can be a bit heavy and calorie-laden. So I was determined to lightened it up. And after a few trials I ended up with something incredibly delicious even though not entirely authentic.
Lighter Version of Chicken Paprikash
Traditionally chicken paprikash is made with chicken legs and thighs that need to be fried first in order to crisp up the skin, which means ….more fat. Then it’s braised in a rich paprika sauce.
I wanted to avoid frying the chicken, so I chose boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead. And to make things even lighter I used half the amount of chicken. Then I added red peppers for some needed vitamins.
I scaled down on the oil and sour cream to reduce the calories. Not only is this chicken paprikash healthy, it is also economical!
To bulk up the dish I added canned chickpeas. If you are a chickpea fan like myself, I don’t need to convince you what a great texture they add. Also being simmered in Hungarian paprika sauce makes them off the scale flavourful…little smoky nuggets of goodness.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Sear sliced chicken strips over high heat to brown the meat. This step adds extra flavour to the chicken and the sauce.
- Do the same with red peppers. We want to see some colour on them.
- Use paprika that is still potent and fragrant. Dried spices do go out of date, so make sure to check the expiration date.
- Use full fat sour cream as low fat tends to separate in sauces. Also stir in sour cream at the end and take off the heat immediate to keep the sauce from curdling.
Serving suggestions
Serve this creamy paprikash with rice, noodles or mashed potatoes. A salad or vegetables on the side can also be welcome to offset the creaminess of the main dish.
I’m also a fan of adding a sprinkle of fresh parsley before serving for a little colour and freshness. A pinch of black pepper can also be a great way to finish it off.
Storage and leftovers
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and enjoy within three days.
This paprikash also freezes beautifully—just place it in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container and keep it for up to three months. When ready to use, thaw completely, reheat, and enjoy within 48 hours.
To reheat, warm gently in a This is an affiliate link.saucepan on the stove or pop it in the microwave until heated through.
More chicken breast recipes
Better Chicken and Chickpea Paprikash
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, sliced in strips
- 1 red bell pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.sweet paprika, or This is an affiliate link.smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp flour
- 375ml/1 1/2 cups This is an affiliate link.chicken stock
- 400ml/14oz canned diced tomatoes
- 400ml/14 oz canned chickpeas, drained
- 125ml/1/2 cup sour cream or creme fraiche, full fat
- flat leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cut chicken breast in strips and season with salt and pepper.
- In a large pan sear chicken strips in olive oil until just sealed but not completely cooked, approximately for 5-7 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Add sliced pepper and stir fry over medium-high heat until slightly charred but still crispy. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to low and add chopped onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes until soft, add garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
- Add paprika and flour, stir to combine until you have a red paste.
- Whisk chicken stock in until the paste is completely blended into it. You might want to add 1/2 cup first and whisk, then the rest of the stock to avoid lumps.
- Add diced tomatoes.
- Return chicken to the pan and add chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes uncover your chicken paprikash, stir in sour cream, add red peppers and take off the heat immediately to avoid sour cream separating.
- Taste and add more salt if necessary.
- Serve sprinkled with chopped flat leaf parsley and steaming rice or noodles.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Spent all afternoon making this, disappointed to be honest. We are used to lots of flavours and this lacked as it was severely bland. Just tasted of tomato, there was no umph.
Needs another ingredient, don’t know what!
Hi Alice, I would be disappointed too if I spent all afternoon on a recipe that takes 30 minutes to make! Chicken Paprikash is a Hungarian recipe and I am guessing you were expecting something else. I added chickpeas for more texture and protein but other than that it’s pretty traditional. Central and Eastern European recipes aren’t huge on spices. They rely on quality ingredients to deliver comfort food style dishes.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
Hi David, I wouldn’t recommend freezing anything that has sour cream or cream in it simply because the sauce tends to split when defrosted. It doesn’t necessarily affect the taste but the texture is not the best in my opinion.
Fabulous and so easy to do, quick tasty and above all empty plates!
Excellent!!
Absolutely delicious! Perfect amount of flavours. My kids licked the bowl and they WON’T eat ANYTHING!
I am thrilled this recipe was a winner with your kids, Lauren!
Been a favorite of mine for 4 years!
I am so happy to hear that!
Just tried this recipe. Had to substitute rice for a cauliflower rice and sour cream for cream cheese. It was alright and felt nutritious but it was quite bland. Wouldn’t make it again. Although it was nice to try something new and the chicken was nice and juicy.
Lovely recipe, My son is a huge lover of Goulash (makes it himself in the colder months), I was looking for something similar, found this, only things I changed (out of necessity & my son looking over my shoulder), I only had a 796ml can of diced tomatoes, so, didn’t use chicken stock, just added a little water, used extra peppers (because I love them), extra paprika (my son!)..and no flour, used cornstarch slurry instead. Will definitely make again!
Great outcome, Carolyn!! Thank you for sharing this with me!
Delicious! I added carrots and cauliflower to add a bit more veggies. Then I added chipotle chili’s powder along with the paprika, as I too like more of a stronger flavor. It was amazing. This is a dish I will definitely be sharing with friends.
Fantastic! Thank you for your review, Jenn!
I’ve been wanting to make this for a while and finally had some time during these quarantine days. This recipe was absolutely outstanding. Such comfort food but not too heavy. I might have not added enough smoked paprika or maybe mine was not the best quality. My boyfriend and I just wanted to lick our plates. Thankfully there is a little bit of leftovers for tomorrow :). Now I am excited to try your other recipes.
I am beyond thrilled this dish is giving you joy and comfort right now, Ingunn!!
Initial timing given is very misleading, 5 mins for chicken, 5 mins for peppers, 10 mins for onions, 20 mins at the end to simmer is already 40 mins without time for creating the paste, 45-50 mins cooking time would be more accurate