Entree: Romania – Transylvania – Papricaș de pui (Romanian chicken paprika stew with onions, bell pepper and sour cream, traditionally served with noodles or polenta)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 35 min

Total 55 min

Ingredients

- 4 bone-in chicken thighs (approx. 2 lb / 900 g total)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or lard
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
- 2 tbsp (12 g) Hungarian sweet paprika, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (approx. 6 g)
- 1 large tomato, chopped or 1/2 cup (120 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream
- 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
- 12 oz (340 g) wide egg noodles, cooked according to package directions (or serve with polenta)

Instructions

1. Brown the chicken: pat the chicken pieces dry and season with a little salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the chicken on both sides until golden, about 4–5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
2. Cook the aromatics: reduce heat to medium, add the sliced onion to the pan and cook until soft and beginning to color, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sliced bell pepper and cook 2–3 minutes more.
3. Add paprika and tomatoes: remove the pan from the heat briefly and stir in 1 1/2 tbsp (9 g) of the sweet paprika to bloom the spice without burning. Return to heat, add the chopped tomato or crushed tomatoes and cook 2 minutes.
4. Simmer with stock: return the browned chicken to the pan, add 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock and the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 25–30 minutes.
5. Thicken and finish: remove the chicken to a plate. Mix 1 tbsp (8 g) flour into 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the cooking liquid to form a slurry, then whisk the slurry back into the sauce to thicken slightly. Stir in the remaining 1/2 tbsp (3 g) paprika.
6. Temper the sour cream: in a small bowl, whisk the sour cream with a few tablespoons of the hot sauce to temper, then stir the tempered sour cream into the pot off the heat to avoid curdling. Return chicken to the sauce and warm gently for 2–3 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
7. Serve: spoon over cooked wide egg noodles or alongside mămăligă (polenta). Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.