Recipe Snapshot
- Dish: Tender paprika chicken thighs with egg noodles and sour cream sauce
- Flavor Profile: Rich, savory, and mildly sweet with warm paprika flavor
- Key Technique: Cooking the chicken and noodles in separate pressure cycles gives each the right texture
- Method: Chicken thighs are pressure cooked first, followed by the noodles, then finished with sour cream and tomato paste
- Servings: 4
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Effort Level: Moderate
Why Make Chicken Paprikas in the Instant Pot
Chicken paprikas, also commonly called chicken paprikash, is a Hungarian-style chicken dish built around sweet paprika and sour cream. This Instant Pot version yields melt-in-your-mouth chicken thighs and tender egg noodles that absorb the rich flavor of the seasoned broth.
As the noodles cook, the flour from the chicken and starch from the pasta lightly thicken the cooking liquid. Sour cream and tomato paste are whisked in at the end to create a smooth, creamy sauce with deep, savory flavor. Although the Instant Pot doesn’t shorten the total cooking time significantly, the limited hands-on preparation still makes this a practical option for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredient Notes
A few key ingredients make this recipe work – here’s what to know. A complete list with quantities is in the recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are convenient and well suited to pressure cooking because they stay juicy and become melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Sweet paprika – Use good-quality Hungarian sweet paprika if possible. Its mild, earthy flavor defines the dish without adding heat.
- Egg noodles – Wide egg noodles work well because they cook quickly and absorb the seasoned chicken broth. Avoid extra-wide or unusually thick noodles unless you’re prepared to adjust the pressure-cooking time.
- Sour cream – Full-fat sour cream gives the finished sauce the smoothest texture and richest flavor. Add it only after pressure cooking is complete so it doesn’t separate.
- Tomato paste – A small amount of tomato paste rounds out the paprika and adds depth without adding noticeable tomato flavor.
A Quick Look at Preparation
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Paprikas
Here’s how this dish comes together, along with a few tips for the best results. Full instructions are in the recipe card below.
Start by coating the chicken thighs in flour seasoned with salt and paprika. Sauté the onion and celery in butter until lightly browned, then deglaze the pot with chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits for flavor.
Arrange the chicken in the broth and pressure cook until very tender. Remove it from the pot and keep it covered while the you complete the second step of cooking egg noodles in more broth.
Once the noodles are tender, return the chicken to the pot just long enough to heat through. Transfer the chicken and noodles to a platter, then whisk the sour cream and tomato paste into the hot cooking liquid until the sauce is smooth. Spoon it over the chicken and noodles and serve.
Tested Tips
- For tender noodles: Stir the noodles into the broth well before sealing the pot, making sure most of them are moistened rather than sitting in a dry clump.
- For a smooth, creamy sauce: Use full-fat sour cream and add it only after canceling the sauté function so it doesn’t bubble. Let the sauce cool for a minute or two to warm through and thicken.
More Hungarian Recipes
For more Hungarian favorites, try Hungarian Noodle Dumplings (Nokedli), the classic accompaniment to chicken paprikas; Pressure Cooker Hungarian Beef Goulash, a paprika-rich family recipe adapted for the Instant Pot; Creamy Hungarian Mushroom Soup, made with sautéed mushrooms, sweet paprika, and sour cream; and Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles, a buttery combination of tender cabbage and egg noodles.
Instant Pot Chicken Paprikas with Egg Noodles
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 teaspoons sweet paprika, divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 6 ounces wide egg noodles
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Instructions
- Combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of the paprika in a zip-top bag. Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs, add them to the bag, and shake until evenly coated. Discard the remaining flour mixture.
- Select the Sauté function on the Instant Pot and add the butter. Once melted, add the celery and onion and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until softened and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of paprika and cook for about 30 seconds longer (see notes).
- Add 1 cup of the chicken broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer, turning them once or twice to coat them with the broth mixture. Cancel the Sauté function.
- Lock the lid in place and set the Instant Pot to cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth to the pot and stir in the egg noodles. Separate any clumps and press the noodles into the liquid so they are evenly moistened.
- Lock the lid in place and cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 2 minutes, then open the valve to release the remaining pressure.
- Select the Sauté function and return the chicken to the pot. Cook just until heated through, about 2 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and noodles to a serving platter. Cancel the Sauté function.
- Whisk the sour cream and tomato paste into the hot cooking liquid until smooth. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and noodles and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
