Easy paprika chicken. This quick and flavorful dish comes together in about 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight favorite. Serve over mashed potatoes or latkes for a comforting meal that’s as easy as it is delicious!

Why you’ll love this easy paprika chicken recipe
Paprika chicken is all about rich, comforting flavors. The chicken simmers in a tomatoey broth, while sweet and smoked paprika give it its signature warmth. Sour cream adds a touch of tanginess, perfectly balancing the flavors. It’s pure comfort in a bowl!
This is the kind of no-stress cooking that’s perfect for any night. Your tastebuds will thank you for this one.
I love serving it over latkes, but it’s just as delicious with mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice. Want to add more veggies? Go for it! Carrots, spinach, or cabbage all work beautifully.
This dish comes together in about 30 minutes and is guaranteed to be a midweek family favorite.
Follow my step-by-step VIDEO or on YouTube and let’s make this delicious meal together!

Paprika chicken ingredients
- Chicken: Use skinless, boneless chicken thighs for the best flavor and tenderness. If using chicken fillets, follow the recipe until step 3. Cook the bell peppers in the chicken broth until tender (about 10 minutes), then return the fillets to the skillet and simmer for just 3 minutes to warm through instead of the full 15 minutes, preventing them from drying out.
- Oil and butter: A combination of both ensures a higher smoke point for frying while adding richness to the dish.
- Bell pepper: Adds natural sweetness and depth of flavor, which intensifies as it sautés and simmers.
- Onion and garlic: Essential aromatics.
- Paprika: A mix of sweet and smoked paprika creates a rich, warm, and slightly smoky flavor.

- Seasonings: A flavorful blend of salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, and ground cumin.
- Tomato paste: Provides a rich tomato base while helping to thicken the broth.
- Chicken broth: Infuses the dish with deep, savory flavor—far more robust than using water alone.
- Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream (at room temperature) gives the sauce its signature creamy texture. If using low-fat sour cream, stabilize it by whisking in 1 tablespoon of flour before adding the tomato paste. Be mindful that lower-fat sour cream has a higher chance of splitting than full-fat (20–30%).

Recipe tips
- Boost the veggies! Add carrots, yellow bell peppers, potatoes, spinach, eggplant, mushrooms, or cabbage for extra flavor and texture.
- Finishing touch: Garnish with fresh parsley, scallions, or chives for a bright, fresh contrast.
- Switch up the creaminess: Swap sour cream for cream cheese for a slightly tangier, richer sauce.
- Serving suggestions: Enjoy over mashed potatoes, latkes, rice, egg noodles, cauliflower rice or creamy polenta.
- Pair it with a side: Serve with sourdough, crusty bread, or garlic bread for dipping, or balance it out with a creamy cucumber salad or a tangy tomato salad with vinegar dressing.

Make ahead
You can prepare this paprika chicken one day ahead, but hold off on adding the sour cream. When ready to serve, reheat the dish and stir in the sour cream (at room temperature) at the end to keep the sauce smooth and creamy. This way, you avoid any risk of curdling!
Storing tips
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Let the dish cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
- For best results, reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed to maintain the creamy texture.
Easy Paprika Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs - cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 bell peppers - red + green
- 1 onion - diced
- 2 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup full fat sour cream - at room temperature
- chopped parsley - for serving, optional
Instructions
- Get your prep done before you start cooking: Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Chop the bell peppers, mince the garlic cloves and dice the onion.
- Heat oil and butter over medium high in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or pan. Place chicken in a single layer and sear, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, stir and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to a clean bowl.
- Add bell peppers, sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in sweet paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute.
- Return chicken to the skillet. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in sour cream and finish off parsley. Enjoy!
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