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This single serving Paprika Chicken is a from-scratch dinner for one, ready in 25 minutes. Tender chicken simmers in a creamy, smoky paprika sauce with onions and garlic.
Featured Comment
“Fantastic recipe and is good as, if not better, than any restaurant…”
– Geri
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Equipment: 2-quart saucepan and 10-inch skillet
- Cook Method: Stovetop
- Servings: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Smoky and savory from the paprika, with a gentle warmth and a touch of sweetness from the tomatoes.
Made with easy-to-find ingredients, this single serving chicken paprika has a rich, velvety sauce that clings to every bite of pasta.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Some nights the best thing you can do for yourself is make a really good dinner, and this paprika chicken is one of my favorites for exactly that. It’s tender chicken under a rich, smoky paprika sauce, spooned over pasta, and it cooks in 20 minutes.
Smoked paprika is one of the reasons this dish tastes so good. It gives the sauce a deep, gentle warmth that makes a single chicken breast taste like something you fussed over, even though you didn’t. One reader told me it came out as good as any restaurant, and that’s exactly how it feels to eat.
I built this recipe around one chicken breast and tested the amounts until the sauce came out right for a single serving. You get a full, from-scratch plate with nothing left over, a proper paprika chicken dinner made for one.
If this is your kind of dinner, I make a few other creamy, skillet chicken meals for one: Tuscan Chicken For One, Chicken Cacciatore For One, and Chicken Stew For One.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what goes into this creamy paprika chicken and why each ingredient matters. If you have any ingredients leftover, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Chicken: I use one 5 to 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into ¼-inch strips so it cooks fast and evenly in a single skillet. Thighs work too if you prefer dark meat, cut them the same way. Extra chicken can be used in single serving Tandoori Chicken or Kung Pao Chicken For One.
Smoked paprika: This is the ingredient that carries the dish. Smoked paprika gives the sauce its deep, gently smoky flavor, which is my preference here. I usually reach for Simply Organic, McCormick Gourmet Organic, or Spicewalla. Traditional chicken paprikash uses sweet Hungarian paprika instead, so if you want a milder, more classic taste, swap in sweet paprika. We also use smoked paprika in Spanish Rice For One and single serving Tomato Soup.
Diced tomatoes: I use ½ cup of canned diced tomatoes with their juices for a little body and a touch of sweetness in the sauce. Half a can is left over, so add it to our Creamy Tomato Soup recipe or Chicken Cacciatore For One.
Chicken broth: Low-sodium broth builds the sauce without making it salty. If you only have regular broth, hold back on the added salt. Extra broth goes into Lasagna Soup For One or Chicken and Dumplings For One.
Heavy cream: Just 2 tablespoons makes the sauce rich, and because heavy cream thickens as it reduces, the sauce comes together on its own with no flour or cornstarch needed. Sour cream works instead if you want the tangier finish of a traditional paprikash, just stir it in off the heat so it doesn’t separate. Use leftover cream in Fettuccini Alfredo For One.
Pasta: Two ounces of dry rotini (about ½ cup dry, 1 cup cooked) works well because the ridges and twists hold onto the sauce. Penne or fusilli do the same job. Egg noodles are the traditional base for paprikash if you want to lean classic, and rice or quinoa work too.
Recipe Variations
A few simple changes let you adjust this recipe to your taste, including a more traditional chicken paprikash.
Traditional Chicken Paprikash: For a version closer to the Hungarian classic, use sweet Hungarian paprika in place of the smoked paprika, keeping the same 1 teaspoon, and stir in 2 tablespoons of full-fat sour cream instead of the heavy cream. Add the sour cream off the heat so it stays smooth. Serve it over egg noodles or spaetzle rather than rotini. To go further, replace the ½ cup diced tomatoes with an equal amount of chicken broth and leave out the Parmesan.
Add Red Bell Pepper: Stir in ¼ cup of chopped red bell pepper with the onions and cook until it softens. Peppers are common in Hungarian paprikash and add color and a little sweetness.
Make It Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne with the paprika, or use hot paprika in place of some of the smoked paprika.
How To Make Paprika Chicken For One
These step-by-step photos show you how to make this easy paprika chicken recipe. For the full ingredient amounts, see the recipe card below.
- Season the chicken: Toss the chicken strips with half the smoked paprika, the salt, and the pepper until evenly coated.
- Brown the chicken: Melt half the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook 3 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Move it to a plate and cover.
- Cook the aromatics: Melt the rest of the butter in the same skillet. Add the onions and cook 2 minutes, stirring now and then, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Bloom the paprika: Stir in the remaining smoked paprika and cook about 10 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes: Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. (Using a fresh tomato instead? Chop 1 medium tomato and add a splash more broth in the next step to make up for the missing juices.)
- Simmer the sauce: Add the broth, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Stir in the cream: Pour in the heavy cream and simmer 2 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is smooth and lightly thickened.
- Return the chicken: Add the chicken back to the skillet, lower the heat, and stir until it’s heated through.
- Serve: Spoon the paprika chicken over cooked pasta, rice, or quinoa.
Expert Tips
Bloom the paprika over moderate heat. Paprika is oil-soluble, so cooking it in the butter for a few seconds brings out its flavor and color. Keep the heat moderate and don’t let it cook too long, because paprika scorches easily and turns bitter.
Brown the chicken well before building the sauce. Get real color on the chicken strips first. The browned bits left in the skillet dissolve into the tomatoes and broth and give the sauce deeper flavor.
Taste and adjust the salt at the end. Chicken broths range from barely salted to quite salty, so taste the finished sauce and season at the end rather than the start.
Finish with fresh herbs. A little chopped parsley just before serving adds color and freshness. Dill is the traditional choice if you have it.
Troubleshooting
If your chicken paprika recipe isn’t coming out the way you want, here’s how to fix common issues like a thin sauce, bland flavor, or bitter paprika.
Why is my paprika chicken sauce thin?
Your sauce is thin because it hasn’t reduced long enough. Heavy cream thickens as it simmers, so let the sauce cook a few extra minutes over medium heat until it coats the back of a spoon.
Why does my paprika chicken taste bland?
Bland paprika chicken almost always comes down to old or low-quality paprika. Paprika loses its flavor within a year, so start with a fresh, good jar. Cooking it in the butter for a few seconds before adding the liquid pulls out its flavor and color, and tasting the sauce at the end lets you add enough salt to bring everything forward.
Why does my paprika chicken taste bitter?
Bitter paprika means it scorched over heat that was too high. Paprika burns in seconds. Add it to the butter over moderate heat and cook just until fragrant, about 10 seconds, then pour in the tomatoes and broth right away to stop it from cooking further. Old paprika can also taste harsh, so use a fresh jar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken paprika is a Hungarian-inspired dish of chicken cooked in a creamy paprika sauce. It’s made with chicken, onions, garlic, paprika, tomatoes, broth, and cream, then served over pasta, rice, or noodles. This single serving version makes one plate in about 25 minutes.
Chicken paprika and chicken paprikash are essentially the same dish. Paprikás csirke means “paprika chicken” in Hungarian. Paprikash usually points to the traditional version finished with sour cream and served over egg noodles or spaetzle, while “chicken paprika” often describes quicker, simplified versions like this one.
Chicken paprika is traditionally served over egg noodles or spaetzle. It’s also good over pasta, rice, quinoa, or mashed potatoes, anything that holds onto the sauce.
No, chicken paprika is not spicy. Paprika brings color and a gentle warmth, and on its own it has very little heat. For a spicier dish, add hot paprika, red pepper flakes, or cayenne.
Smoked paprika gives this chicken paprika its deep, smoky flavor. Sweet Hungarian paprika is the traditional choice for a milder, classic taste, and regular paprika works too. Whichever you use, start with a fresh jar, since paprika loses its flavor within a year.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you make this Paprika Chicken For One, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a star rating and a comment below to let me know, and if you snap a photo, tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen), we’d love to see it!
Paprika Chicken For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dry rotini pasta (½ cup dry, about 1 cup cooked)
- 1 (5 to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast – sliced into ¼-inch strips
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika – divided (½ teaspoon for the chicken, ½ teaspoon for the sauce)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons salted butter – divided (half for the chicken, half for the sauce)
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic – minced
- ½ cup canned diced tomatoes with some of the juices
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional for topping: chopped fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
- Cook the rotini in a small saucepan of boiling water until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, toss the chicken strips with ½ teaspoon of the smoked paprika, the salt, and the pepper until evenly coated.
- Melt half the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover.
- Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the remaining ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add the broth, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until the sauce is smooth and lightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and stir until heated through.
- Spoon the paprika chicken over the cooked pasta and top with the Parmesan and, if using, fresh basil or parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Fabulous! I used Gerard’s suggestion and used a whole can of tomatoes and left out the broth. I also added a little more chicken to make two servings and I added extra paprika. Excellent flavor.
So glad you loved it. Thank you!
thank you Joanie for a great recipe. you’re right about 20 minutes to prepare once I had everything out of the pantry or refrigerator. and the sauce was fantastic. I used a whole can, 15 oz, a fire roasted tomatoes and no chicken broth. I threw in a couple handfuls of fresh spinach and I use sour cream instead of cream in all my recipes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and I love the changes you made. That sounds like a delicious variation, especially with the fire-roasted tomatoes and spinach. Thanks so much for sharing!
Wow. I’ve never had this before and I’ll now be looking for it on a restaurant menu (but it can’t measure up to how much I enjoyed THIS!). I doubled the recipe so I wouldn’t have 1/2 a can of diced tomatoes. I think next time I’ll add a splash of white wine and like someone else did, add some cornstarch to thicken it a bit more. Absolutely delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this recipe several times and I love it every time. It was you who instilled me to purchase smoked paprika. That is the secret to this dish. Even so it’s very adaptable. This time I had nearly a cup of sliced mushrooms I needed to use up so I toss them in to saute with the onions and garlic and again I use the whole 15 oz can of diced tomatoes and no chicken broth. Finally I added a heaping tablespoon of corn starch to thicken it to my liking. Thank you for your great recipes.
I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying this recipe! Smoked paprika really does make all the difference. I love the idea of adding mushrooms — that sounds like a wonderful addition.
Fantastic recipe and is good as, if not better, than any restaurant. I found some spaetzle so the recipe would be more authentic.
Thank you so much! I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe, and using spaetzle is such a great touch — what a perfect pairing for an authentic feel.
Like dining out at a fine restaurant. I found spaetzle which makes it more authentic.
I didn’t have any paprika, so I substituted Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasong and omitted the salt. I used boneless skinkess thighs. Verrry good!
Delicious dinner tonight! I used regular paprika since I didn’t have a smoky and half-and-half since I didn’t have heavy cream. Still really yummy. This was a pretty large serving.
It was very good!!
I used chicken thighs instead & sour cream instead of heavy cream.
Marinated the chicken for 3 hours.
Only suggestion I have is definitely could use a kick so would use those red pepper flakes next time!
Thank you for sharing! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and love the adjustments you made with chicken thighs and sour cream—they sound delicious! Adding red pepper flakes for a little kick is a great idea. I hope it’s even better for you next time!
Made this tonight…was lovely. Love your recipes for one!!
Thank you! I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes.
Excellent blend of spices. I’ll make this again and again. I used chicken thighs since I prefer the dark meat and our local supermarket had them on sale for 99 cents a pound so I’ve got a lot. I doubled the recipe and used just a bit of cornstarch too thicken it since I used the whole can of diced tomatoes and no chicken broth. The key however is in the spicing which you have done well. Also, thank you for the suggestion a while back to peel the skin back on the thigh and spice the meat and then put the skin back on and spice the skin. It really enhances the meat. Thank you for a great recipe
Chicken Paprika absolutely gorgeous oh wow so tasty loved it will be passing the recipe around Thank you so much for this any many of your recipes yum
I made this recipe last night for myself, it was delicious and easy. I had some left over whipping cream, frozen pasta and just bought chicken breasts. Thank you for sharing it with us.
this recipe I would try, as well as many of the ones you publish. Love this site.
Thank you so much, Janet!
Made this for dinner last and it was delicious! Will definitely make again. I love your recipes!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!!
This dish is very similar to Chicken Paprikash. Replace the tomatoes with an equal amount of chicken broth. Replace 2 tablespoons sour cream for the heavy cream and omit the Parmesan cheese. Chicken Paprikash is served with Hungarian dumplings (Nokedli) made with 1 egg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3/8 cup water, and 1 cup flour, added gradually. Let this rest for 10″. Beat again. Spoon very small pieces in batches into the salted water and let cook till they rise to the top. Nokedli is very tasty. This recipe makes 2 servings.
Terrific recipe.