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Creamy Paprika Chicken with Rice

Creamy paprika chicken with rice is a Hungarian-style chicken paprikash built on a deeply red paprika and sour cream sauce. Golden bone-in thighs are simmered until tender, then finished with sour cream for a silky, swirl-streaked coating over fluffy white rice.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Eastern European-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 0.25 tsp pepper
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika to taste
Cooking base
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Sauce
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup sour cream
Serving
  • 0.5 cup cooked white rice
  • 0.5 fresh dill for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to taste. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until deeply golden.
  2. Flip the chicken and sear on the second side for 4 minutes. Continue cooking until both sides show deep browning, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the paprika base
  1. Add the onion to the same pan and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, sweet Hungarian paprika, and smoked paprika, then cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Simmer until tender
  1. Return the chicken to the pan skin-side up. Cover and simmer at a gentle simmer for 18-20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sour cream until the sauce is smooth and creamy, keeping the color vibrant red.
  2. Serve the chicken and paprika sauce over cooked white rice. Garnish with fresh dill for a bright finish.

Notes

For the creamiest, swirl-through sauce, stir in the sour cream off the heat so it stays silky and doesn’t break. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently on low until hot. Freezing is not recommended because sour cream can separate when thawed and reheated. If you need a dairy-light version, use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and stir it in off heat.