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Creamy Paprika Chicken with Rice

Creamy paprika chicken with rice—an easy chicken paprikash-style dinner where bone-in thighs simmer in a deeply red sweet-and-smoked paprika sour cream sauce. The sauce turns silky and thick, then pools over fluffy white rice for a rich, Hungarian-inspired meal.
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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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Seasonings
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika to taste
Searing base
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Aromatics
  • 1 onion large, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
Paprika sauce
  • 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup sour cream full-fat for best swirl
To serve
  • 1 cooked white rice
  • 0.5 g fresh dill for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sear and cook the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, then heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until deeply golden, showing crisp, browned skin, then flip and sear 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.
  2. Lower heat to medium and add the onion; cook 5-6 minutes until softened and glossy. Add garlic and both paprikas and cook 1 minute until fragrant, stirring so the spices darken slightly without burning.
  3. Pour in crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, then bring the mixture to a simmer with visible bubbling around the edges. Return chicken skin-side up, cover, and simmer 18-20 minutes until the thickest part reaches 165°F, with sauce actively bubbling and the chicken cooked through.
  4. Turn off the heat and stir in sour cream until the sauce is smooth and creamy, creating visible cream swirls throughout the vibrant red paprika base. Let it thicken for a few seconds in the hot pan, then spoon over cooked white rice.
  5. Serve the creamy paprika chicken over white rice and garnish with fresh dill, finishing with a light dusting of paprika color from the sauce visible on top.

Notes

Pro tip: stir sour cream in off the heat to prevent curdling and keep the sauce glossy and swirled. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3-4 days; reheat gently. Freezing is not recommended for the sour cream sauce texture. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat sour cream (the sauce may be slightly less thick).