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If you’re looking for a quick yet delightful meal that’s both comforting and easy to make, this single serving Chicken Paprika recipe is just what you need. In less than 30 minutes, you can have a dish that’s bursting with flavor, thanks to the rich and creamy sauce that beautifully coats tender chicken pieces. This classic dish, made with a blend of paprika, onions, and garlic, is not only simple but also incredibly satisfying, making it perfect for any time you’re craving something special.
Enjoy your single serving Paprika Chicken with creamy Buttered Noodles or smooth Mashed Potatoes. Pair it with a slice of warm, freshly-baked French bread for a truly comforting meal. If you’re looking for something lighter, add a fresh Spinach and Orzo Salad on the side. This combination of dishes creates a delightful balance of flavors and textures, perfect for a satisfying dinner for one.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Paprika Recipe
- Quick and Easy: Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s perfect for busy evenings.
- Flavorful: The combination of paprika, onions, and garlic creates a deeply satisfying taste.
- Comforting: This dish is like a warm hug in a bowl, perfect for cozy nights.
- Versatile: It pairs well with a variety of sides, suiting different tastes.
- Perfect Portion: Ideal for a single serving, ensuring no waste or leftovers.
What Is Chicken Paprika?
Chicken Paprika is a classic dish made with tender chicken pieces cooked in a flavorful sauce made with paprika, onions, and garlic. The dish is known for its warming, savory flavors, and rich, creamy texture. It’s a comforting and delicious meal that can be enjoyed on its own or served over a bed of your favorite grain or pasta.
Chicken Paprika has its roots in Central and Eastern European cuisine, with Hungary being particularly famous for its love of paprika. You can find various versions of Paprika Chicken throughout Europe and beyond and our recipe combines traditional flavors with a few modern twists to create a dish that is simple, delicious, and perfect for one.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy Chicken Paprika recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Chicken: Choose either a 5 to 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh. Cut it into ¼-inch thick strips for easy cooking and even flavor distribution. If you have a spare chicken thigh or breast, think about using it in single serving recipes like Kung Pao Chicken, Sheet Pan Greek Chicken, or Chicken Fajitas.
- Paprika: Smoked paprika is my top choice for its rich, smoky essence. However, sweet paprika is a great substitute for a milder taste. We use smoked paprika in many of our single serving and small batch recipes like Spanish Rice and Creamy Tomato Soup.
- Diced Tomatoes: Half a cup of canned diced tomatoes works well. Make sure to include some of the tomato juices for extra flavor. If you’ve leftover diced tomatoes, consider using them in a mini Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowl or Chicken Cacciatore.
- Onions and Garlic: These are crucial for adding depth and a layer of flavor. Their presence elevates the overall taste of the dish.
- Chicken Broth: Opt for low-sodium chicken broth to better manage the saltiness. If using regular broth, you may want to cut back on added salt. Remember to taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Use any leftover broth in any of our single serving soup recipes like Lasagna Soup or even in Chicken and Dumplings.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream are ideal choices. Both have over 36% milk fat, offering a rich texture to the dish. We also use heavy cream in many of our recipes. Consider using any leftover cream in Fettuccini Alfredo or in our Mini German Chocolate Cake!
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is recommended for its superior flavor.
- Pasta: Two ounces of rotini pasta are perfect. Its grooves are great for holding onto the sauce. This amount roughly translates to 1/2 cup dry, yielding 1 cup cooked. Use leftover pasta in a mini Hamburger Casserole or in an Italian Pasta Salad.
- Butter: Salted butter is used for cooking the chicken and vegetables, enhancing their flavors.
- Salt and Black Pepper: These basic seasonings are key for fine-tuning the overall taste of the dish.
For the full recipe with detailed instructions and measurements, please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
How To Make Chicken Paprika For One
These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make chicken in a creamy paprika sauce. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and season with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Melt half of the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 3 minutes on one side. Flip the chicken over and cook for another 3 minutes, until the chicken has lightly browned and is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate, cover, and set aside.
- Melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes. Next, add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently for 30 seconds.
- Add smoked paprika to the onions and garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 10 seconds.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 minute.
Pro Tip: Although I love using canned diced tomatoes, you can chop and use 1 medium-sized tomato instead. Add a bit more broth to the sauce in Step 6 to allow for the lack of tomato juices which would come from canned tomatoes.
- Pour in the broth and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently for 5 to 7 minutes.
Pro Tip: You want to cook the sauce until the mixture has reduced slightly and the sauce has thickened.
- Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes.
Pro Tip: The combination of chicken broth and heavy cream helps to create a rich, flavorful sauce that compliments the smoky paprika and tender chicken. You can’t get the same richness and flavor using whole milk.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, reduce the heat to low and stir until the chicken is heated through.
- Serve over cooked pasta, rice, or quinoa.
Expert Tips
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section of the post and gather your ingredients. We provide a lot of information within the body of this recipe post to ensure that your Paprika Chicken comes out perfectly every time. This dish comes together quickly so it’s a good idea to fully understand the recipe and have everything ready before beginning.
- Adjust the seasoning to taste: If you like your food spicier, you can add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can reduce the amount of paprika.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley: Chopped fresh basil or parsley adds a pop of color and freshness to the dish.
- Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving: This will allow the flavors to meld together and make the dish even more delicious.
- For a low-carb Chicken Paprika, enjoy without the pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but keep in mind that the smoky flavor is a key component of the dish. If you use regular paprika, the dish will still taste good but it won’t have the same depth of flavor.
When heavy cream simmers, some of the liquid evaporates which helps to thicken sauces. If you’d like your sauce thicker, simmer the cream longer than called for in the recipe.
Using heavy cream is a wonderful low-carb way to thicken a sauce without using flour.
Yes, you can make the sauce in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the sauce and cook the chicken.
Absolutely! If you’d like to make a second serving, just double the ingredient amounts.
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:
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried this Smoked Paprika Chicken recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Chicken Paprika For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dry rotini pasta (about ½ cup dry pasta). This will yield about 1 cup of cooked pasta.
- 1 (5 to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast , sliced into ¼-inch strips
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika , divided
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons salted butter , divided
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- ½ cup canned diced tomatoes
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional for topping: chopped fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
- Fill a medium-sized saucepan with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta to the boiling water and reduce the heat slightly to maintain a gentle boil. Cook until the pasta is tender, about 5-7 minutes. Drain in a colander and set it aside.
- Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and season with ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Melt half of the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 3 minutes on one side. Flip the chicken over and cook for another 3 minutes, until the chicken has lightly browned and is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate, cover, and set aside.
- Melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes. Next, add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently for 30 seconds.
- Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika to the onions and garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 10 seconds.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 minute.
- Pour in the broth and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, reduce the heat to low and stir until the chicken is heated through.
- Serve over cooked pasta and top with Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil or parsley.
Notes
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section of the post and gather your ingredients. We provide a lot of information within the body of this recipe post to ensure that your Chicken Paprika comes out perfectly every time. This dish comes together quickly so it’s a good idea to fully understand the recipe and have everything ready before beginning.
- Adjust the seasoning to taste: If you like your food spicier, you can add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can reduce the amount of paprika.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley: Chopped fresh basil or parsley adds a pop of color and freshness to the dish.
- Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving: This will allow the flavors to meld together and make the dish even more delicious.
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.
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.