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Creamy Paprika Chicken with Rice

Creamy paprika chicken with rice featuring golden, skin-on thighs simmered in a deeply red paprika and crushed-tomato sauce, finished with sour cream swirls. Serve it spooned over fluffy white rice for a rich chicken paprikash-style easy dinner.
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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
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Seasonings
  • 1 Salt
  • 1 pepper
  • 1 garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 teaspoon to taste
Pan-frying oil
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Aromatics
  • 1 onion large, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
Paprika
  • 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika plus 1 teaspoon
Sauce base
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup chicken broth
Creamy finish
  • 1 cup sour cream
Serving
  • 1 cooked white rice
  • 1 fresh dill for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika to taste. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear the thighs skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until deeply golden; flip and sear 4 minutes, then remove to a plate.
Build the paprika sauce
  1. In the same skillet, add the finely diced onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic, sweet Hungarian paprika, and the 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, then cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer until tender
  1. Add crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, bring the mixture to a simmer, and scrape up any browned bits. Return the chicken to the skillet skin-side up, cover, and simmer 18-20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Finish with sour cream
  1. Turn off the heat, then stir in the sour cream until the sauce is smooth and creamy, keeping the color vibrant. Serve the creamy paprika chicken over cooked white rice and garnish with fresh dill.

Notes

Pro tip: stir sour cream in off the heat to keep the sauce glossy and prevent curdling. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because sour cream can break when thawed and reheated; for a dairy-free swap, use a plain unsweetened soy or oat sour cream replacement.