by Ashley Galloway, MS RD

One snowy brisk October night in Illinois, my mother-in-law hosted a dinner book club in which the book of discussion was Lenin’s Tomb, The Last Day’s of the Soviet Empire. To complement the theme of the book, she created a marvelous Hungarian spread which included borscht, cabbage with caraway and fennel seed, black bread made with rye and more fennel seed, and lastly, Chicken Paprikash over egg noodles. Chicken Paprikash is remarkably hearty and full of flavor; a great way to warm the bellies and hearts of those living in piercing cold weather for most of the year. Mixed with canned tomatoes, the Hungarian (or sweet) paprika really gives this dish its flavor. It’s a deep and rotund flavor that my palate had never experienced before and I urge you to give it a try. Not only is this dish pleasant to the palate, but it’s also beneficial to your health. Canned tomatoes and paprkia are loaded with cancer-preventing lycopene and carotenoids, respectively. Additionally capsaicin, the active ingredient in paprika, elicits the relaxation of blood vessels, causing reductions in blood pressure. Need a comforting and wholesome dish to keep you warm this winter? Try this Chicken Paprikash and prepare to be swooned!

Chicken Paprikash over Egg Noodles

Ingredients

Serves 6

1 bag egg noodles, boiled and drained

1-28oz can crushed tomatoes

1-6oz can tomato paste

1 large onion, sliced

2 large red bell peppers, sliced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP oil (I used coconut, but olive, canola or vegetable would also work well)

1 cup chicken stock

1-2 TBSP Hungarian paprika* (or sweet paprika)

4 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sauté the onion, peppers and garlic in oil until soft; season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan and scrape up those cooked bits. Remove from heat and transfer to a deep baking dish.
4. Add both cans of tomato products, paprika and chicken to the onions and peppers, and stir to combine. Add one more hearty dash of salt and pepper and let cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes.
5. When done, serve over egg noodles.

*If you don’t have Hungarian or sweet paprika you can always use regular paprika. However, there is a huge taste difference so I encourage you to run to pick up some Hungarian paprika during your next grocery run. Some stores like Whole Foods sell spices in bulk so you can buy just the amount you need without having to commit to a full container. 

Quick Tips

• Feeling spicy? Add a squirt of sriracha sauce or a pinch of cayenne.
• This is my quick-serve version of chicken paprikash for the busy family, but it can be done in several other ways. Consider slow cooking chicken pieces (leg, thy, breast) in the sauce; bone-in meats add more flavor.
• Don’t skip out on the garlic! Just don’t.