That's the motto cookbook author Jessie Sierra-Ross uses to describe her philosophy on whipping up delicious meals. Jessie came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her book and the recipes within. Among the recuring themes, a love of her Eastern European heritage and how that influences her cooking. On her favorites list, a Hungarian-inspired Chicken Paprikash that uses thighs instead of breasts for better flavor. She uses smoked paprika here since it's also more flavorful and a little spicy. It sounds like a lot, but Jessie told Tonia it only takes about an hour!
serves 4-6
2 pounds (about 6 thighs) boneless skinless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons of flour
1 1/2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 tablespoon + 3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
3 large shallots, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup sour cream
freshly chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
mashed potatoes or buttered noodles for serving
For the Chicken
Gently pat dry the chicken thighs. Add the flour & 1/2 teaspoon of paprika to a plate. Stir.
Season both sides of the chicken with salt and black pepper, then dredge in the seasoned flour.
Reserve both the chicken and the leftover flour mix. We’ll be using it to make a roux in a moment
Preheat a large dutch oven or skillet, over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot.
Once heated and slightly foamy, start to sear your chicken in batches. We want to brown and almost cook the chicken completely. About 4 minutes on each side (about 6 per side would be fully cooked). Make sure not to burn the oil.
After completely cooked, place the chicken on a plate and reserve. Keep the oils in the pan for the next stage.
For the Sauce
Using the same dutch oven as you used to cook the chicken, add your minced garlic. Let cook while stirring, until fragrant. About 1 minute.
Next, add in the diced peppers & shallots with a heft inch of kosher salt. Stir and cook until slightly softened. About 5 minutes
Now, to make the roux:
Push the cooked vegetables to one side of the pot and add the 3 tablespoons of reserved butter. Heat until foamy.
Add the 3 tablespoons of flour and stir the flour/butter continuously. (Try to keep the veggies on one side of the pot, but don’t worry if a few escape!)
Cook the roux until it becomes a nutty brown. About 3 minutes.
Once light brown in color, mix the cooked veggies into the roux, and add the remainder of the paprika, along with 1/2 teaspoon of cumin. Mix.
Slowly add the chicken stock to this mix, while stirring until thickened.
Add the chicken back to the pot, along with 1/2 cup of sour cream while mixing. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer on low for 5 minutes.
Serve over noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice.
Garnish with fresh Italian parsley.
