Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil (or unsalted butter)
  • 5 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 1 medium Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 4 Tbsp Hungarian Sweet Paprika
  • 1 tsp Smoked Paprika (Spanish)
  • 3 cups Chicken Stock (low sodium)
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can Canned Diced Tomatoes, drained slightly
  • Salt, To taste
  • Black Pepper, To taste
  • 1/2 cup Full-Fat Sour Cream
  • 2 Tbsp Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Chicken: Pat the chicken pieces very dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. Sauté Aromatics: Heat the oil/butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper. Cook for 8–10 minutes until the vegetables are very soft and translucent (do not brown).
  3. Add Garlic and Tomato Paste: Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Bloom the Spice (Crucial Step): Remove the pot from the heat momentarily. Stir in the sweet paprika and smoked paprika rapidly. Cook off-heat for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly. Do not let it burn or turn brown, or it will become bitter.
  5. Build the Sauce: Return the pot to the heat. Deglaze the pot with a splash of the chicken stock, scraping up any fond (brown bits) from the bottom.
  6. Simmer: Stir in the remaining chicken stock and the diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
  7. Add Chicken and Cook: Add the seasoned chicken pieces to the sauce. Ensure they are mostly submerged. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot loosely, and simmer gently for 40–50 minutes, or until the chicken is fork-tender.
  8. Adjust Seasoning and Consistency: Taste the stew and adjust salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce is too thin, remove the lid, turn the heat up slightly, and simmer uncovered for 5–10 minutes to reduce.
  9. Temper the Sour Cream (Mandatory): Remove the pot completely from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk 2–3 ladlefuls of the hot stew liquid into the sour cream until smooth (this raises the temperature of the cream slowly).
  10. Final Stir: Pour the tempered sour cream mixture back into the Dutch oven and stir gently to combine. Do not allow the stew to boil once the sour cream is added, or it will split.
  11. Rest and Serve: Cover the pot and allow the stew to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish generously with fresh parsley.