This one-skillet Creamy Chicken Paprika with Caramelized Onions 🧡🍗🧅 is so rich and flavorful! The chicken is lightly crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, and seasoned to perfection with paprika and red pepper flakes for a touch of heat. The cream sauce is silky smooth and takes this EASY chicken recipe that’s ready in 30 minutes to the next level!
Easy Creamy Chicken Paprika Recipe
- My grandma used to a make chicken with paprika that she seared in a skillet and while I don’t remember her using a cream sauce, it’s said that chicken paprika, or chicken paprikash, is a Hungarian, Austrian, or Eastern European dish, which tracks given my genealogy and heritage.
- Because the chicken is lightly coated with flour and cornstarch, it crisps up on the exterior while the interior stays juicy.
- Coupled with the cream sauce that everything is tossed in at the end, no chance of dry chicken here! Tip: If you like things extra saucy, double the amount of heavy cream you add.
- From a flavor perspective, paprika is made from crushed and dried red bell peppers so it’s not hot, and instead it has a very faint sweetness. I use a bit of red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper for some very mild heat, but it’s optional and easy to tweak based on your preferences.
- While I love caramelized onions as evidenced by my French Onion Chicken and French Onion Pork Chops, they’re not truly essential here and I discuss in the recipe card how to omit them if you’re short or time – or just don’t care for onions.
- I love that this is a 30 minute, one-skillet recipe because after making dinner on busy weeknights, the last thing I want is a bunch of pots and pans to clean up!
Ingredients in Paprika Chicken (Chicken Paprikash)
- For Coating the Chicken + Seasonings: Flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper. Wondering about using smoked paprika? I love it because of the smoky aspect and if that’s up your alley, feel free to use smoked paprika rather than regular or sweet paprika as it’s sometimes called.
- Chicken + olive oil: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts but boneless chicken thighs are fine.
- Yellow onions + butter: For caramelizing onions, I prefer yellow or sweet Vidalia onions rather than white onions. The extra sugar in them really helps the caramelization process.
- Sauce: Water, low sodium chicken broth, and heavy cream. Half-and-half may be subbed for the heavy cream. I’ve also seen traditional recipes Hungarian paprika chicken recipes for paprikás csirke use sour cream rather than heavy cream.
- Garnish: Optionally garnish with fresh parsley or the herbs of your choice.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How To Make Chicken Paprika with Caramelized Onions
- To a large bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper. Stir and set aside 3 tablespoons of this dry mixture.
- Dredge the chicken breasts with the dry mixture in the large bowl. To a large skillet or Dutch oven, add the olive oil, coated chicken pieces, and cook for about 4-5 mins per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside when done.
- No need to wipe out the skillet. Add the butter, onions, and cook over medium-low to low heat for about 20 minutes to caramelize them. Stir very frequently. Add a splash of water at the end to deglaze your pan if necessary.
- Sprinkle the 3 tbsp of flour mixture that you set aside, and allow it to cook for 1 minute. Tip – This is how to make a roux (butter + flour) and helps the sauce to thicken later on, so don’t rush this step now!
- Add the chicken broth and season to taste. Mix and simmer until thick over medium heat, about 1-2 mins. Pour in the heavy cream, stir to combine, add the chicken back in, toss and flip in the sauce with the onions, garnish and serve!
Note: Scroll down to the Notes sections of recipe card section below for Storage and Reheating recommendations.
what to serve with creamy chicken paprika
Because there’s a saucy component, rice, potatoes, or egg noodles are great! To keep it lighter, a salad or roasted veggies are great.
Creamy Chicken Paprika
This one-skillet, 30-minute 🧡🍗🧅 Creamy Chicken Paprika with Caramelized Onions features chicken that's lightly crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, and seasoned to perfection with paprika and more. The cream sauce is silky smooth and takes this EASY chicken recipe to the next level! See Tip in Step 4 if you don't care about the caramelized onions – you can omit them.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, plus more if desired
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, plus more if desired
- 2 teaspoons paprika, smoked paprika may be substituted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional and to taste
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise (select chicken breasts that are about 3/4 to 1 pound each and then halve them; or use 4 breasts that are about 1/3 to 1/2 pound each; boneless skinless chicken thighs may be substituted)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin rings (sweet Vidalia onion may be substituted)
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream, (you can add more, up to 1 cup total, if you prefer more sauce)
- Fresh parsley, finely minced for garnishing; optional to taste (or your favorite fresh herbs)
Instructions
- Chicken – To a large bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes, and optional cayenne pepper. Mix lightly with a fork to combine. Transfer and set aside 3 tablespoons of this mixture, which will be used later in the recipe (Step 5).
- Add the chicken to the bowl, and dredge to coat it on all sides with the flour mixture.
- Cook Chicken – To a large skillet, add the oil, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes or until chicken is done. Flip once midway through cooking. Chicken is done with a thermometer reads 160F degrees, allow it to rest on a plate while you continue with the recipe, the temp will increase to 165F which is when it's safe to consume.
- Onions – Add the butter to the skillet (do not wipe it out – that's where the flavor is) and allow the butter to begin to melt for about 30 seconds and add the onions. Turn the heat to medium-low or low, and saute the onions for about 20 minutes, or until caramelized. Stir and toss very frequently. Tip – Caramelizing onions is a labor of love but worth it! However, if you don't care about having onions in the dish, you can skip them. Still melt the butter, and them move onto the next ste and add the flour for the roux.
- Roux – Add 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture you set aside to the skillet and cook for 1 minute over medium to medium high heat; whisk continuously. Tip – This is how you make a roux, which helps the sauce to thicken later on, so don't shortcut this step. You also want to cook the flour long enough so there's no raw flour taste in the finished dish.
- Broth – Slowly add the chicken broth and whisk until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes over medium to medium-high heat. Whisk continuously.
- Cream – Add the heavy cream to the skille and whisk for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined and thick. Tip – If you want more sauce, add additional cream, as desired; up to about 1/2 cup additional.
- Taste – Taste and check for seasoning balance and if desired, add additional salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne, paprika, etc. Flavor Tips – If it tastes at all flat, it likely needs more salt so don't be afraid to add it. I usually add another 1/2 to 1 teaspoon. The dish shouldn't be overly spicy but should have a slight amount of heat so add red pepper flakes and/or cayenne carefully but appropriately for flavor.
- Combine – Add the chicken back into the skillet, toss around in the sauce, flipping a few times, and cover with the onoins, before optionally garnishing with parsley and serving.
Notes
Storage: Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Reheat gently in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or as desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 387cal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 92mg, Sodium: 690mg, Potassium: 385mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 1367IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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