Paprika Chicken For One
This Paprika Chicken is a single serving dinner made from scratch, with tender chicken in a creamy, smoky paprika sauce. It comes together in one skillet with easy-to-find ingredients.
Servings: 1 serving
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
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 185mg | Sodium: 732mg | Potassium: 747mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1151IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 2mg
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