Chicken breasts in sweet paprika sauce
Instructions:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 ounces (170 g) each
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 2 and 1 tablespoons
- 6 ounces (170 g) (1 medium) onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
- ½ medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
- ½ medium red pepper, finely chopped
- 1 medium ripe tomato, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon tomato paste plus ¼ cup water)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Dry the chicken pieces thoroughly with paper or kitchen towel. Heat a heavy 9 or 10- inch (25-cm) pan over medium to high heat. Brown both sides of the breasts in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken and set it aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sauté onion just until it begins to change color. Add paprika and continue to sauté for one minute, stirring constantly. (This step intensifies the paprika flavor by slightly caramelizing the sugar it contains, but be careful. If it browns too much, you\'ll end up with a bitter taste).
- Quickly add tomato, red and green peppers and continue stirring a few more minutes. Add chicken and salt, reduce heat to low, add a few tablespoons of water, if needed, cover pan and simmer very gently for 30 minutes until chicken is tender and has absorbed the flavors from the liquid. Check the moisture level once or twice, replace if necessary.
- While the chicken is simmering, blend flour and sour cream in a tiny bowl into a smooth, lump-free paste. Stir some hot sauce from the pot into the paste a teaspoonful at a time until the blend has the consistency of light cream.
- Shortly before serving, stir the sour cream blend into the sauce. This both tones down the flavor and thickens the sauce. Continue cooking uncovered, barely bubbling, for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve over buttered noodles sprinkled with one tablespoon poppy seeds, on the side fresh-cooked vegetables or marinated cucumber salad. Garnish with red or green pepper rings and a dusting of paprika.
- Makes 4 portions.