Name: Instant Pot Chicken Paprika Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds chicken thighs ((bone in with skin - about 4 thighs)); 3 tablespoons butter ((or other animal fat)); 2 teaspoons salt ((to season chicken thighs before browning)); 1/2 teaspoon pepper ((to season chicken thighs before browning)); 1 medium onion (chopped); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 3 tablespoons Hungarian paprika; 1 tablespoon flour; 1-15 ounce can diced tomatoes (drained); 1 cup chicken stock (or chicken bone broth), (unsalted); 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1-2 teaspoons salt (to taste); 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pin6K

Yum362

Tweet312

7K Shares

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

If you're into creamy, juicy tender chicken packed with ultimate flavor and served over a bed of egg noodles, then you will fall in love with this Instant Pot Chicken Paprika recipe. It takes less than 30 minutes to make for an easy weeknight meal!

chicken in orange sauce with parsley on top

I mean guys, what's better than curling up in front of the fireplace with a big 'ol bowl of comfort? This is seriously the ONE thing I like about winter...comfort food.

Creamy bowls of steaming delicious goodness...like this German goulash recipe or even this paprika schnitzel recipe. It's SO GOOD. Like, lick the bowl good. That kind of good.

If you're into ultimate comfort, you'll probably also love these Instant Pot recipes:

Plus, guys, we're talking about Instant Pot cooking here, so you know it's going to be easy. If you don't have an Instant Pot yet...why not???? Just kidding (not really).

Read more about the Instant Pot in this Instant Pot Review to find out if it's right for you (it's definitely right!!).

Serve this chicken paprika with buttered egg noodles, steamed white rice or with these air fryer pierogies.

Jump to:

Why This Recipe Works
The Ingredients
Step By Step Instructions
Expert Tips
Recipe
💬 Comments

Why This Recipe Works

- Using fresh paprika adds the most incredible flavor to the chicken;

- The addition of sour cream at the end of cooking adds a creamy, tangy component to the dish;

- Browning the chicken first adds a deeper flavor to the dish, as well as helping to keep the chicken tender and juicy;

- A touch of fish sauce really help to bring out the flavors.

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Went Here 8 This.

The Ingredients

The most important ingredient in this recipe is the paprika. It is VERY IMPORTANT to use fresh paprika for the best flavor.

Don't use the 2 year old bottle you have in your pantry - go out and invest in some fresh paprika. It makes a huge difference.

What is Paprika?

Paprika is made from dried peppers and ranges from sweet to savory and mild to spicy. There are many different kinds of paprika. This recipe call for Hungarian paprika, which has an amazing deep flavor, and a little spice. (paid link)

Read this post on the Different Types of Paprika from Bon Appetit for more information.

This easy chicken paprika recipe also calls for fish sauce, which may seem a bit strange for a Hungarian dish, but I promise it adds a delightful umami flavor to the dish. It does not make it taste fishy at all. Just delicious. (paid link)

Is Chicken Paprika Spicy?

This Paprika Chicken recipe can be spicy is you use a hot paprika. Hungarian paprika can be hot or sweet. If you don't enjoy spicy food, I recommend going with the sweet paprika. Either one however, will taste amazing in this recipe.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat in a skillet and season the chicken generously with salt (2 teaspoons salt) and pepper (½ teaspoon pepper).

Brown the chicken for 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. You can do this in the Instant Pot as well for a full one pot meal, but I find the results are much better in a cast iron skillet.

Step 2: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the Instant Pot on the normal sauté setting. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft, about 2-3 minutes.

**I use the 6 quart 9-in-1 Instant Pot. (paid link)

Step 3: Add the flour and paprika and stir to coat the onions. Continue stirring to keep the paprika from burning and sticking to the pan. Cook for 1 minute.

Step 5: Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, fish sauce, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a simmer.

Step 6: Add the chicken back to the pot and pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then use the manual release for any remaining pressure.

Step 7: Stir in the sour cream and the lemon juice and season with additional salt to taste if necessary.

Serve over egg noodles or rice. You can also serve it with bread such as naan, pita or toasted French bread.

Expert Tips

It is very important to use fresh paprika in this recipe. I also highly recommend Hungarian paprika for the best deep flavor. Look for sweet Hungarian paprika if you prefer a less spicy dish. Regular paprika can be substituted in a pinch. While not quite as flavorful, the dish still comes out amazing.
Be sure to use chicken stock, not broth. The chicken stock has a much richer mouth feel and adds better flavor. Learn how to make Chicken Bone Broth.
Do not add the sour cream until the end. Simmering the sour cream may cause the sauce to curdle and get lumpy. Stir it in at the very end after the heat is off for a perfectly creamy texture.
I use the 6 quart 9-in-1 Instant Pot for this recipe. The instructions should be the same using the larger size.

Chicken Paprika Freezing Instructions

If you are making this dish ahead of time, follow all the instructions but leave the lemon juice and sour cream out. Freeze the chicken in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then heat on the stove top.

**Add additional stock if it is too thick. Once warmed, add the lemon juice and sour cream and stir to combine.

To freeze leftovers, place in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until warmed through.

**Note that the sour cream may curdle slightly, resulting in a less than smooth texture. However, the flavor will be the same.

side view of chicken in red sauce in a bowl

More Recipes Using Paprika

Chicken is such a versatile meat - browse all the Chicken Recipes for some new ideas on how to cook it!

Don't forget to sign up for the email list (don't worry, it's only one a week and it's packed full with AMAZING recipes!) and get your FREE Instant Pot Cookbook!!

Did you make this Paprika Chicken recipe? Rate the recipe and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out!

This recipe was originally posted in January 2019. It has been updated for content and photos.