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For a quick, comforting, and easy meal, try this single serving Chicken Paprika recipe. Ready in under 30 minutes, it features tender chicken in a rich, creamy sauce with paprika, onions, and garlic.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Cooks in 20 Minutes: A quick and easy meal.
- Rich Flavor: Paprika, onions, and garlic create a bold, satisfying taste.
- Single Serving: Perfectly portioned with no waste.
I’m excited to share my Chicken Paprika—a classic dish with tender chicken in a creamy, paprika-rich sauce with onions and garlic. Inspired by Hungarian cuisine, it’s warm, savory, and great alone or with grains. My take mixes tradition with modern ease, delivering a bold, delicious meal for one.
Enjoy with any of these sides:
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy Chicken Paprika recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Chicken: Use a 5 to 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut into ¼-inch thick strips for even cooking and flavor. If you have an extra piece, try it in Kung Pao Chicken, Sheet Pan Greek Chicken, or Chicken Fajitas.
- Paprika: Smoked paprika adds a rich, smoky flavor, while sweet paprika offers a milder taste. We use smoked paprika in Spanish Rice, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, and Creamy Tomato Soup.
- Diced Tomatoes: Use ½ cup of canned diced tomatoes with their juices for extra flavor. Leftover tomatoes? Add them to a Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowl or Chicken Cacciatore.
- Onions and Garlic: Essential for building deep, savory flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Low-sodium broth helps control saltiness. If using regular broth, adjust the added salt. Leftover broth works well in single serving soup recipes like Lasagna Soup or Chicken and Dumplings.
- Heavy Cream: Adds richness to the dish. Use any extra in Fettuccini Alfredo or a Mini German Chocolate Cake.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan gives the best flavor.
- Pasta: Two ounces of rotini (about ½ cup dry, 1 cup cooked) hold onto the sauce well. Extra pasta? Use it in a Hamburger Casserole or Italian Pasta Salad.
- Butter: Salted butter enhances the chicken and vegetables.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Key for balancing flavors.
How To Make Chicken Paprika
These photos and instructions help you visualize how to make chicken in a creamy paprika sauce. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Season the Chicken: In a bowl, toss the chicken with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the Chicken: Melt half the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes per side until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate, cover, and set aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the Paprika: Stir in the smoked paprika and cook for 10 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Simmer the Sauce: Pour in the diced tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Pro Tip: Using fresh tomatoes? Chop 1 medium tomato and add extra broth in Step 6 to make up for the missing juices.
- Reduce the Sauce: Add the broth, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add the Cream: Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pro Tip: Heavy cream creates a rich, flavorful sauce that pairs well with smoky paprika—whole milk won’t give the same result.
- Combine: Return the chicken to the pan, reduce heat to low, and stir until warmed through.
- Serve: Enjoy over cooked pasta, rice, or quinoa.
Expert Tips
- Prepare Ahead: Read the full recipe and ingredient notes before starting. This dish cooks quickly, so having everything ready ensures success.
- Adjust the Spice: For more heat, add red pepper flakes or cayenne. For a milder taste, use less paprika.
- Add Freshness: Garnish with chopped basil or parsley for extra color and flavor.
- Let It Rest: Allow the dish to sit for a few minutes before serving to enhance the flavors.
- Low-Carb Option: Skip the pasta and enjoy as is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if needed.
Let the sauce simmer for a few extra minutes until it reduces.
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:
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.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Chicken Paprika For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dry rotini pasta (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
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 5-7 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Season the Chicken: In a bowl, toss the chicken with ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the Chicken: Melt half the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes per side until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add Paprika: Stir in the remaining ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika and cook for 10 seconds.
- Build the Sauce: Pour in the diced tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer: Add the broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.
- Finish the Sauce: Stir in the cream and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Combine: Return the chicken to the pan, reduce heat to low, and stir until heated through.
- Serve: Spoon over cooked pasta and top with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley.
Notes
- Prepare Ahead: Read the full recipe and ingredient notes before starting. This dish cooks quickly, so having everything ready ensures success.
- Adjust the Spice: For more heat, add red pepper flakes or cayenne. For a milder taste, use less paprika.
- Add Freshness: Garnish with chopped basil or parsley for extra color and flavor.
- Let It Rest: Allow the dish to sit for a few minutes before serving to enhance the flavors.
- Low-Carb Option: Skip the pasta and enjoy as is.
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.
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.