Chicken Paprika
Chicken Paprika is a great budget-friendly meal made for those days when you just want something different to do with the chicken you’ve got sitting in the fridge. You only need 5 ingredients for that nice smoky flavor, and although it looks spicy, it isn’t at all. My kids gobble it right up!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Chicken Paprika
- Ready In: 40 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Main Ingredients: 2-4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, olive oil
- Why You'll Love It: Chicken Paprika is great for one of those days when you just want something different to do with boneless skinless chicken breasts! This recipe gives them a nice smokey flavor and although it looks spicy, it isn't at all.
Not Your Average Baked Chicken
Chicken has a way of getting real boring, real fast in my house… there are only so many times you can put the same baked chicken on the table before everybody starts giving you that look (you know which one I’m talking about!) That’s exactly why this chicken paprika has become such a regular in our rotation.
Five simple ingredients you probably already have on hand, and suddenly that same old chicken tastes smoky, savory, and completely new. Don’t let the deep red color fool you either – it looks spicy, but it isn’t even a little bit, which means even the pickiest eaters at the table will clean their plates, saving you from a night of negotiating over “three more bites.”
Rather just throw something in a casserole and call it a day? Try my delicious Chicken and Rice Bake!
Made with Only 5 Ingredients:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Smoked paprika (of course!)
- Garlic powder
- Salt & black pepper
- Olive oil (sub for vegetable oil if that’s all you have!)
How to Make Delicious Chicken Paprika
Step 1: Preheat & Prep
Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Getting this out of the way first means you won’t be scrambling mid-recipe!
Step 2: Flatten the Chicken
You want to pound these kinda flat… trust me on this. A meat mallet works great, but honestly, whatever’s on top of the utensil drawer will do the job too.
Aim for about ½ inch thickness. Nothing too precise, you just don’t want a thick chicken breast that takes forever to cook through in the middle.
Step 3: Mix Your Spice Paste
Combine all of your spices in a bowl. It may seem like a lot of salt, but don’t be tempted to cut back too much. Salt is what gives these flavors their sparkle, and without enough of it, the chicken ends up tasting pretty bland.
Add your olive oil and stir until it comes together into a paste.
Step 4: Coat the Chicken
Brush the spice paste onto both sides of each chicken breast, making sure everything is nicely coated.
Step 5: Bake
Bake uncovered at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
Step 6: Rest & Serve
Let the chicken sit for a minute or two before cutting. This keeps the juices in!
Serve over rice and spoon those pan juices right over the top. So good.
Tips for Making Chicken Paprika
- Don’t skip the rest. Letting the chicken sit for a couple minutes before cutting makes a real difference. Slice into it too soon, and all those good juices run right out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
- Pan juices are everything. Don’t leave those behind in the baking dish! Spoon them generously over your rice and chicken when serving – that’s where a lot of the flavor lives.
- Check for doneness. The best way to know if your chicken is ready is to use a meat thermometer. Stick it in the thickest part, and it should read 165°F.
Great Sides to Serve with Chicken Paprika
Now, you can’t go wrong serving this chicken paprika over a bed of fluffy rice to soak up all those good pan juices. My Hot Buttered Sweet Rice would be delicious! Homemade Mashed Potatoes are another classic choice that’ll never let you down.
If you’re looking for something a little lighter, some Fresh Green Beans, Broccoli with Cheese Sauce, or a Quick & Easy Greek Salad is always a welcome addition to round things out!
How to Store
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat, a quick trip to the microwave with a tiny splash of water will do the trick and keep that chicken nice and juicy.
Ingredients
- 2-4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Place chicken in a plastic bag and pound until it is about 1/2 thick.
- Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and add chicken breasts to dish.
- Combine all spices in a small bowl and stir to mix. Stir in olive oil until it forms a nice thin paste.
- Brush on both sides of the chicken breasts. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.
- Allow to cook for a minute or two before cutting into. Serve over rice, adding pan juices over the top.
Made this tonight and my family is still singing my praises! Thanks for the great recipe Christy!
I am so glad to hear it was such a hit!!!
You said to pound them, but your chicken breasts look pretty thick, no?
about 1/2 an inch. But before that they were about an inch.
AWESOME recipe! One small typo – in step #5 – I think you mean to let the chicken “cool” for a minute or two – not “cook”… Love your recipes Christy!
I like your new web page. I would love hearing about your garden. Show us pictures. Keep us up to date. What all have you planted? Talk to us more about gardening.
Check out the spices at TJMAXX. They almost always have varieties of the smoked paprika, and they carry the good NielsenMassey vanilla! And recently I ran across “chocolate”extract – I still haven’t used it – but if i ever need it – i’ve got it!!
How cool!! Great tip!! I found this smoked paprika at walmart and I’m almost positive Kroger’s has it too.
Christy,
I like your new web page. Very Nice!
Linda
Thank you Linda!!
“He’s not in the garage eating chicken paprika, that’s for sure”. Seems like old times.