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Creamy Paprika Chicken with Rice

Creamy paprika chicken with rice inspired by chicken paprikash: bone-in thighs simmered until tender in a vibrant red paprika and sour cream sauce, served over fluffy white rice. The sauce is deeply colored from sweet and smoked paprika with visible cream swirls throughout.
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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: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Seasonings
  • salt, pepper, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika to taste Use to taste; includes the smoked paprika amount listed.
Cooking oil
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Aromatics
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
Paprika
  • 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Tomatoes and broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup chicken broth
Cream component
  • 1 cup sour cream
Serving
  • 1 cooked white rice
  • fresh dill for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and the smoked paprika. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until deeply golden, with the skin looking crisp and browned.
  2. Flip the chicken and sear for 4 minutes more until the second side is browned. Remove the chicken to a plate and keep any juices in the skillet.
Build the paprika base
  1. In the same skillet, cook the diced onion over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and both paprikas, then cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring so the spices toast without burning.
Simmer until tender
  1. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Return the chicken skin-side up to the pan, cover, and simmer on low for 18-20 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, with the sauce visibly bubbling and thickening.
Finish with sour cream and serve
  1. Remove the skillet from the heat, then stir in the sour cream until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Keep stirring until the red sauce looks glossy with cream swirls throughout.
  2. Serve the creamy paprika chicken over cooked white rice and garnish with fresh dill. Spoon extra sauce over the rice so the chicken thighs and vibrant red paprika cream pool thickly.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the skillet off the heat before adding sour cream so it stays silky instead of curdling. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken and sauce without fresh dill for up to 2 months, then reheat gently. For a lighter option, use low-fat sour cream (texture will be slightly thinner but still creamy).