Name: Paprika chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 6 chicken thighs; 2 shallots finely diced; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 2 garlic cloves crushed; 1 tbsp tomato purée; ½ tsp dried thyme; 300ml chicken stock; 100ml crème fraîche or soured cream

Pot of chicken thighs in a paprika sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
6 chicken thighs
2 shallots
finely diced
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 garlic cloves
crushed
1 tbsp tomato purée
½ tsp dried thyme
300ml chicken stock
100ml crème fraîche or soured cream

Method

step 1
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and put skin-side down in the pan. Fry for 15 mins until deep golden and crisp, flip the chicken and cook for another 6-8 mins until lightly golden, then remove to a plate. Drain any excess fat from the pan leaving 1 tbsp.
step 2
Turn the heat to low, and add the shallots. Fry for 6-8 mins until lightly golden and softened, scraping off any crispy bits of chicken off the base of the pan, then stir in the paprika, garlic, tomato purée and thyme. Fry for a few minutes until fragrant, then stir in the chicken stock, stirring any bits that have stuck to the pan back into the sauce.
step 3
Turn the heat back to medium-high and simmer for 3-4 mins. Stir in the crème fraiche until well incorporated, then nestle the chicken back into the sauce (with any of the resting juices), skin-side up. Bubble for 10-15 mins until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly. Season and serve with rice or pasta.