Chicken Paprikash(Ish)

1. 1

   Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. 2

   Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven, add chicken in a single layer, sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Saute until golden brown. (Do in two batches if necessary - don't crowd the pan.) Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.

3. 3

   Add the butter to the same pot, then the sliced onion and saute until translucent and just starting to turn golden. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Add both paprika's, then the tomato paste. Stir and cook for a minute. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring for another minute.

4. 4

   Raise flame to medium high and add the chicken stock. Bring just to a boil, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, then lower the flame to a simmer. Add more salt, depending on saltiness of your stock. (Taste first - even low sodium canned broth can be pretty salty.) Put the chicken pieces back in the pot and combine everything together.

5. 5

   Put the pot in the oven for about 30 minutes, mixing a couple of times. Start uncovered, until sauce has thickened a little after around 15 minutes, then cover. If it cooks down too fast, add a few tablespoons more broth. (I like to do this in the oven, but you can finish it on the stove top instead, if you prefer.)

6. 6

   Remove from oven and mix in the sour cream and dill. If you need to reheat, do it gently - don't let it boil or the sour cream will separate.

7. 7

   It might look like a lot of sauce in proportion to the meat, but that's the best part, served over Spaetzle (aka Nokedli in Hungary.) If you can't manage that, it's also good served over buttered egg noodles, or even orzo.

8. 8

   *In my experience, Paprikash has a mellow flavor with just a bit of a kick. If you prefer it a little spicier, you can increase the hot paprika, but not to the point of making it assertively spicy.

No additional tips available.