Several weeks ago, a friend surprised me by bringing dinner to my family – unannounced and seemingly without cause. There hadn’t been a death or tragedy in our family. She just knew that I’d had a busy week, could see that I was a little ragged around the edges, and could use a little care. It’s rare when someone makes me dinner and it was such a gift to be given a night off from the planning all the way to the cleanup for one busy weeknight. Thank you, Friend.
Holding that care in my heart long after the meal had disappeared from our plates, I was making this Chicken Paprikash several nights later and decided to make extra. To pay that care given to me forward to another friend, also a busy working mom.
Chicken Paprikash
This recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The dark meat on chicken is much more flavorful and in a stew type dish holds up a little longer, allowing for an extended cooking time to develop more flavor before it completely falls apart in shreds as chicken breasts are likely to do.
If you plan to freeze or refrigerate this dish to serve later, leave out the sour cream. When you reheat it, add the sour cream just before serving. It won’t curdle if you freeze it and it will keep longer if you refrigerate it.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
several grinds fresh black pepper
2 cups diced onions; about 1 large onion
1 1/2 cups diced green bell pepper, seeded and diced; about 1 large pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic; about 2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons paprika
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
several dashes of Worcestershire
8 ounces button mushrooms, quartered; about 3 cups
1 cup sour cream
2 ounces finely shaved Romano cheese; about 1 cup lightly packed (for garnish)
Heat the oil in a large, wide stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, salt, and pepper to the pot and cook until browned on all sides. Add the onions, peppers, garlic and paprika and sauté for another 10 to 15 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the tomato paste, stirring for about a minute. Add the wine, tomatoes, and Worcestershire. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender, about 45 minutes. Add water if needed. Add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes.
Stir in the sour cream. Serve with noodles, potatoes, rice, or polenta. Garnish with Romano cheese.
Serves 4 to 6
Wide Hand-cut Noodles
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 teaspoons or more water, if needed
On the counter, combine flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the eggs and yolks into the well and stir with the tips of your fingers working the flour on the outside into the eggs. Add enough water to bring the mix together in a ball. The water will vary with the size of the eggs and the moisture in the flour. Turn it out onto the counter and knead for 10 to 15 minutes. The dough should be smooth and firm. Cover to prevent a dry skin from forming and let rest for 45 minutes. Roll out the dough using a hand-cranked or electric pasta machine to create sheets of pasta, dusting with flour where needed. You should be able to see through the sheets when you are finished. Lay the sheets of pasta out on the counter and roll them up loosely into a log. Cut strips 3/4-inch wide and then toss to loosen the roll until you are ready to cook.
When ready to serve, drop the pasta loosely into a pot of salted, boiling water. Stir well but gently. The pasta is done when it floats or is al dente – just the tiniest bit firm when you bite into it, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6
No Comments