The first step to making this dish is to brown the chicken. Sear it over medium-high heat until both sides are browned, then set the chicken aside on a plate. I chose to use chicken breasts because I had extra in the freezer, but I believe it is more traditional to use bone-in thighs or legs. The meat turns out tender and delicious either way.
The onions are added to the skillet next, and are sautéed for about 10 minutes or until soft. Then the main seasoning for the dish is stirred in, the paprika and cayenne. To get the right flavors, try to find a sweet paprika (versus a smoky paprika). Paprika can go flat if it’s too old, so be sure to check it for taste before starting the dish.
In this recipe I decided to include tomato in the mix. When I looked into different versions of chicken paprikash it seemed that there were many slight variations on a traditional recipe, based on family favorites. Some people add bell pepper, or more paprika, or tomato. The dish is based on a traditional Hungarian recipe, and this recipe is my own twist on it. Feel free to try out different ingredients to meet your own tastes, or if you already have a favorite way to prepare it, please share in the comments!
In the traditional recipe, about a half cup of sour cream is used. Since dairy products are not Paleo-approved, I decided to substitute in coconut cream. This is another way in which my recipe deviates from the customary ingredients. The cream can be skimmed off the top of a can of refrigerated coconut milk. I ended up also adding a little arrowroot powder to thicken the stew, since the sour cream usually acted as a thickener.
As an optional step you can shred the chicken into smaller chunks in the pot before serving. This dish is usually served with dumplings, so I made a simple side of roasted parsnips. It made a great side dish to soak up all of the delicious sauce. Try something new with this simple, tangy, sweet, and delicious recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp ghee
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup coconut cream
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
Directions
- Melt the ghee in a large, deep pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place into the pan. Cook for 4-6 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onions to pan and sauté for 8-10 minutes until soft. Add the paprika, cayenne, and a dash of black pepper to the onions and stir. Add the tomato and chicken broth and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Place the chicken back into the pan and cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- When the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the pan to a plate. Whisk the arrowroot powder with a tablespoon of water and add it to the pan. Stir in the coconut cream, then adjust the salt to taste. Add the chicken back to the pan and coat with the sauce. Shred the chicken if desired. Serve warm.
Awesome recipe! Made it tonight and followed it to a T except I used 1 red onion and 1 yellow onion and my own unsalted chicken broth. I will be making this again…thanks for sharing 🙂
This was an amazing dish. My husband and I are both Hungarian and this was a great chicken paprikash! We served it with cauliflower rice, since my husband does not like parsnips and I used two tomatoes instead of one. Flavor was amazing! Thank you.