Paprika Chicken

Paprika chicken – smothered or etouffeed chicken with peppers, onions, and fennel. Cooked low and slow for a rich, luscious dish.

I was watching one of my favorite cooking shows recently (as usual) and saw the host make the most delicious looking recipe for Paprika Chicken. This particular show is about French food and cooking and I always enjoy her presentations.

As the chef got further into the recipe, the more I thought how familiar the technique looked. She browned the chicken, removed it from the pan, added some veggies which she sauteed for a while and then deglazed with wine. She then added back the chicken, lowered the temperature and cooked it until done.

Hmmm. Well, that’s the same thing that we in the South call “smothering.” Ah-ha! A lightbulb went off in my head and I started researching. And guess what I found? The French word étouffée means, guess what, “smothered.” And where do you hear étouffée used? In Creole and Cajun cooking…in the South.

I just love how cooking travels halfway around the world and ends up in another place known by another name but with the same wonderful results.

Whether you choose to call this étouffée or smothered is beside the point. And whether it came directly from France or made its way through Canada and down South with the Cajuns, it’s still scrumptious.

Paprika chicken - smothered or etouffeed chicken with peppers, onions, and fennel. Cooked low and slow for a rich, luscious dish. Click To Tweet

How to Make Paprika Chicken

Pat the chicken as dry as possible. The drier the chicken the better and more brown the sear. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

Heat the canola oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning several times, until pieces are browned on all sides. Remove the chicken to a plate while you proceed with the recipe.

Drain all but about a tablespoon of fat from the skillet.

Lower the heat and add the red bell pepper, onion, fennel, and paprika. Cook until the vegetables are soft adding the garlic for the last minute of cooking.

Add the wine to the pan and stir to bring up any cooked bits from the bottom. Add the tomatoes and bay leaf. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken back to the pan along with any juices that may have accumulated on the plate while the chicken was resting.

Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat, turning the chicken occasionally, until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove the chicken to a serving plate and cover with foil to keep it warm.

Turn up the heat under the skillet and boil until a sauce-like consistency is reached.

Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Check for seasonings and adjust if necessary.

Enjoy!

More chicken recipes from never enough thyme

• Chicken Country Captain
• Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
• Chicken Cacciatore
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Buttery Barbecued Chicken
• Chicken Jallop

Smothered recipes from other bloggers:

• Smothered Pork Roast over Rice from The James Beard Foundation
• Onion Smothered Pork Chops from Tasting Spoons
• Smothered Steak with Mushrooms and Onions from Eat at Home

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Paprika Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Paprika chicken - smothered or etouffeed chicken with peppers, onions, and fennel. Cooked low and slow for a rich, luscious dish.

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Ingredients

• 4 small chicken legs
• 4 small chicken thighs (or one whole, small chicken cut into 8 pieces)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tblsp. canola oil
• 2 tblsp. butter
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1/2 small fennel bulb, cut into strips
• 1 tblsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tblsp. sour cream

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken as dry as possible. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the canola oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning several times, until pieces are browned on all sides. Remove the chicken to a plate while you proceed with the recipe. Drain all but about a tablespoon of fat from the skillet.
3. Lower the heat and add the red bell pepper, onion, fennel, and paprika. Cook until the vegetables are soft adding the garlic for the last minute of cooking.
4. Add the wine to the pan and stir to bring up any cooked bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes and bay leaf. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the chicken back to the pan along with any juices that may have accumulated on the plate while the chicken was resting.
5. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat, turning the chicken occasionally, until tender. About 30 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken to a serving plate and cover with foil to keep it warm. Turn up the heat under the skillet and boil until a sauce-like consistency is reached. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Check for seasonings and adjust if necessary.

Notes

The fennel is this recipes is optional but I'd encourage you to try it even if you think you don't like fennel. It adds a beautiful flavor to the sauce.

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Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Szeged Sweet Paprika Seasoning Spice 4oz (Pack of 2)
• 
  Cuisinart 733-30H Chef's Classic Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Cover
• 
  Wusthof Classic Chef's Knife: 6"

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 2 pieces
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 982Total Fat: 58gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 37gCholesterol: 533mgSodium: 627mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 99g

Nutrition information is calculated by Nutritonix and may not always be perfectly accurate. Use your own judgment.

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Lana Stuart

Lana Stuart is the author, photographer, cook, and occasional traveler at Never Enough Thyme. A former IT professional, she enjoys time in the kitchen and the art studio.