Main Course Recipes
Creamy Paprika Chicken Kuře na Paprice
4 servings
Kuře na Paprice, or as you might know it, Creamy Paprika Chicken, is a true cornerstone of Czech and Slovak cuisine. For me, it's a dish that always evokes feelings of home and deep comfort. I've developed this recipe as a streamlined approach to this beloved classic. While traditional recipes can sometimes be quite lengthy, I've focused on preserving all the authentic, rich flavors of the tender, slow-simmered chicken and its velvety smooth sauce while making the process achievable for everyone, even if you're a novice in the kitchen. In this easy chicken recipe, you'll discover the delightful combination of chicken enveloped in a sauce infused with the warmth of sweet paprika and a touch of tangy cream. This is a taste of Central Europe, made easy for your own home. Read More
Main Course Recipes
Before You Start
Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…
A Taste of Home: My Creamy Paprika Chicken (Kuře na Paprice)
Hello, I’m Tom Slepicka, and I am so excited to share with you a recipe that is quintessentially Czech: Creamy Paprika Chicken, or Kuře na Paprice. This dish is pure comfort food, a staple of both Czech and Slovak cuisine that I grew up with. My version is designed to bring you all of the traditional, rich flavor without the lengthy process some older recipes require. We will create incredibly tender shredded chicken that is slow-simmered to perfection. The star of the show, however, is the velvety smooth sauce. It’s a beautiful, rich sauce made with a base of chicken broth, infused with the warm, sweet notes of paprika, allspice, and thyme, and finished with heavy cream for a luscious, tangy finish. This is an easy chicken recipe that delivers a truly authentic and comforting meal.
Preparing the Chicken: Why We Cook the Breasts Whole
In the first step of my Creamy Paprika Chicken Kuře na Paprice recipe, we prepare the chicken breasts. After rinsing them, I season them generously with sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. A key instruction here is not to cut the chicken into portions. We cook the chicken breasts whole throughout the simmering process. There’s a very good reason for this. Simmering the breasts whole allows the meat to cook gently in the flavorful liquid, ensuring that it becomes incredibly tender without drying out. This method results in the perfect texture for shredding later on. If we were to cut it into small pieces first, it would cook too quickly and could become tough. Keeping them whole is essential for achieving that succulent, tender chicken that this classic dish is known for.
Building Flavor: The Importance of Searing
After preparing the chicken, the next step is to build the foundational flavors for our Kuře na Paprice. I start by sautéing a finely chopped medium onion in oil until it’s glossy, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Once the onion is ready, I add the paprika-coated chicken breasts to the pan. I then sear the chicken for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side, just until a light brown sear is achieved. This step is crucial. Searing the chicken not only adds a beautiful color but also creates a deeper, more complex flavor in the final dish. As the chicken sears, I continue to stir the onions around it to ensure they don’t burn. This combination of sautéed onion and seared, paprika-seasoned chicken creates the first delicious layer of our velvety smooth sauce.
The Slow Simmer: Infusing the Dish with Flavor
Once the chicken is seared, we move into the simmering phase, which is where the magic really happens for this Creamy Paprika Chicken. I add butter, chicken broth, dry bay leaves, ground allspice, and dried thyme directly to the pot with the chicken and onions. After a thorough stir, I cover the pot with a lid, bring it to a simmer, and then lower the heat to medium. The chicken then cooks for about 30 minutes with occasional stirring. This slow, gentle cooking process allows the chicken to become perfectly tender while infusing it with all the wonderful aromatic flavors from the broth and spices. If you notice the sauce thickening too much during this time, you can always add a little water to dilute it.
Creating the Perfect Texture: How to Shred the Chicken
After the 30-minute simmer, the chicken breasts will be fully cooked and exceptionally tender. The next step is to create the signature texture of this Kuře na Paprice. While the sauce continues to cook with occasional stirring, I remove the chicken breasts from the pot and place them on a cutting board. Using two forks, I gently pull the meat apart, shredding it into bite-sized pieces. The forks work perfectly to separate the fibers of the slow-simmered meat. Once shredded, I simply let the chicken rest on the board as I move on to finish the sauce. This shredded chicken will be added back into the finished sauce at the end, ensuring every bite has the perfect combination of meat and that delicious, creamy sauce.
The Secret to a Velvety Smooth Sauce: The Cream and Flour Slurry
The final phase is all about creating that iconic, velvety smooth sauce for our Creamy Paprika Chicken. First, I remove and discard the bay leaves from the simmering sauce. Now, to thicken the sauce and give it its creamy texture, I prepare a slurry in a separate small mixing bowl. I combine the heavy cream, all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper in the bowl and stir them together thoroughly with a whisk. This is a critical technique. Mixing the flour with the cold heavy cream first creates a smooth paste, which prevents lumps from forming when it’s added to the hot sauce. Once the slurry is completely smooth, I stir it directly into the simmering sauce in the pot.
Finishing the Sauce and Bringing It All Together
After whisking the cream and flour slurry into the sauce, I cook it without a lid, stirring continuously, until it thickens, which usually takes about 1 to 2 minutes. The constant stirring is key to a smooth consistency. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can simply extend the cooking time for a few more minutes until you’re happy with it. For a quick fix, you can also dust an extra tablespoon of flour directly into the sauce, stir it in, and cook for one more minute. Once the sauce has reached the perfect thickness, I add the shredded chicken back into the pot. I let it all cook together for an additional 2 to 3 minutes with constant stirring to heat the chicken through. Finally, I give it one last taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
How to Serve Creamy Paprika Chicken Kuře na Paprice
Serving this dish is a delightful experience. The traditional Czech way to serve Creamy Paprika Chicken Kuře na Paprice is with slices of side dumplings (houskový knedlík), which are perfect for soaking up every last bit of the delicious, velvety smooth sauce. However, it is also wonderful served with rice or pasta. For an optional final touch that adds a bit of elegance and an extra layer of creaminess, I love to serve each portion with a scoop of whipped cream on top. Before serving, I always do one final taste test and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.
Popular questions
My sauce is too thick or too thin. How can I fix it for this Creamy Paprika Chicken recipe?
This is a great question, and my recipe provides a few simple solutions. If you find the sauce is getting too thick during the 30-minute simmering stage, you can simply stir in a little water to dilute it to your desired consistency. In the final phase, after you've added the cream and flour slurry, if the sauce is not as thick as you'd like, you have two options. You can either continue to cook it for a few extra minutes with constant stirring until it reduces and thickens more , or, for a quicker result, you can dust one extra tablespoon of flour directly into the sauce, stir it well, and cook for one additional minute.
Creamy Paprika Chicken Kuře na Paprice
Ingredients:
Click any ingredient to learn moreChicken:
1 ¼ LB of chicken breasts - skinless and boneless (about 2 - 3 pcs)
4 TSP of ground paprika (adjust if needed)
pepper - ideally freshly ground
Sauce:
¼ cup of frying oil (any kind) (adjust if needed, or lard)
1 onion - peeled and finely chopped
1 TBSP of unsalted butter (1/8 stick)
4 cups of chicken broth/stock (or vegetable broth or stock)
½ TSP of allspice - ground
1 TSP of thyme - dried (or 1 TBSP of fresh finely chopped)
1 cup of heavy cream
¼ cup of milk
5 TBSP of all-purpose flour
½ TSP of salt
½ TSP of pepper - ground
Optional final touch:
Nutrition per 1 Serving:(recipe split into 4 servings)
EstimatedCalories 750
Protein 39.8 g
Fat 55.2 g
Saturated fat 21.5 g
Carbohydrate 24.1 g
Sugars 7.9 g
Fiber 2.6 g
Sodium 659 mg
Cholesterol 174 mg
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients above using the United States Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central reference data. An estimate, not a measurement — brands, sizes and how much of a marinade actually ends up on the plate all move it.
Directions:
1.Meat Preparation:
Let’s start preparing Creamy Paprika Chicken (Kuře na Paprice) by preparing the chicken.
1.1.
Make sure that the chicken breasts are properly rinsed under cold water and the unwanted parts are removed.
Important:
Do not cut into portions. We are going to cook the whole chicken breasts. Place on a plate.
2.Sauté:
2.1.
3.Simmer:
3.1.
4.Shred the Chicken:
Important: Keep the sauce cooking with occasional stirring during the following steps.
4.3.
Let rest for the following steps.
5.Finishing Phase of Creamy Paprika Chicken Kuře na Paprice:
5.2.
5.4.
Cook without a lid with stirring for about 1 – 2 minutes.
Note:
If you would like to have your sauce thicker, extend the cooking time for a few minutes until you reach the desired thickness. If you are in a rush and don’t want to wait any longer, just simply dust an extra 1 TBSP of flour directly into the sauce, stir, and cook for an additional 1 minute.
5.5.
Add:
shredded chicken
Cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens (usually for about 10 minutes).
Notes:
- Czech sauces are generally thinner than what might be expected in the USA.
- The goal of the sauce, if cooked properly, is to gently coat a piece of the dumpling when it is dipped in (just the right amount, not too liquidy, but not creating a lump either).
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, feel free to increase the final cooking time until you reach the thickness of your liking.
- For a faster option, stir in some flour previously mixed in water or milk and cook until it thickens.
6.Serve Creamy Paprika Chicken Kuře na Paprice:
6.1.
Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
Kitchen Guide
Poultry
The USDA minimum safe internal temperature is 165°F.
The popular serving temperature is the same as the minimum serving temperature.
Read More
Share
Click on the icons below to share "Title of the item to share"