Comfort food can take on many forms, but generally, comfort food seems to always have a bit of nostalgia attached to it. Foods from my childhood have become some of my favorite adult comfort foods, like Creamy Chicken Paprikash Over Buttered Egg Noodles. Chicken Paprikash is a Hungarian dish of chicken, cooked in a creamy paprika-flavored sauce. My mom used to make this Creamy Chicken Paprikash for us on cold winter nights, and always spooned it over egg noodles to make the most of the yummy sauce.
Now that it’s February, I think it’s the perfect time to share this childhood favorite recipe! Cold winter months are the perfect time to enjoy old comfort food favorites or to try new ones, like my take on Creamy Chicken Paprikash.
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons paprika, sweet or hot (I’d suggest using a combo, maybe 1/2 of each for a subtle spice)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 (12 oz) bag Egg Noodles
- 1 cup sour cream
- fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. In a large pot or Dutch oven (paid link), heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over high heat. 
Season your chicken with salt and pepper. When the butter has completely melted, add a few pieces of the chicken to the pot, but do not overcrowd. Cook the chicken undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, or until browned. Flip the chicken and cook another 3-4 minutes, or until browned.
Remove the chicken from the pot and reserve. Repeat with remaining chicken.
When all the chicken has been browned (it will not be completely cooked through, we will finish it off in the oven), add in your chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and stir occasionally, for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Add in the tomato paste and stir to coat evenly. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir to combine, scraping at the bottom with a wooden spoon to scrape off any browned bits at the bottom.
Add the chicken back to the pot and add to your oven, uncovered.
Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce has thickened up a bit.
While the chicken cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil. When boiling, heavily salt the water, then add in the egg noodles. Cook for 7 minutes, drain, and add to a bowl.
Add in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, tossing until the butter has completely melted and the egg noodles are coated in butter. Set aside. 
When the chicken is finished cooking, remove the chicken pieces and set aside.
Add in the sour cream to the sauce and stir to combine.
To serve, spoon some buttered egg noodles into a bowl, and add some chicken. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and egg noodles. If desired, top with chopped parsley. 
The paprika adds a peppery note and colors the sauce (along with the tomatoes) that beautiful orangey red color.
This recipe makes a nice amount of sauce, so the extra wide egg noodles are essential.
Before digging in, stir your dish up to evenly coat the egg noodles in all of that creamy chicken paprikash goodness!
Creamy Chicken Paprikash Over Buttered Egg Noodles
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons paprika sweet or hot (I’d suggest using a combo, maybe 1/2 of each for a subtle spice)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 12 oz bag Egg Noodles
- 1 cup sour cream
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over high heat.
- Season your chicken with salt and pepper.
- When the butter has completely melted, add a few pieces of the chicken to the pot, but do not overcrowd.
- Cook the chicken undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, or until browned.
- Flip the chicken and cook another 3-4 minutes, or until browned.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and reserve. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- When all the chicken has been browned (it will not be completely cooked through, we will finish it off in the oven), add in your chopped onion.
- Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the minced garlic and stir occasionally, for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the flour and paprika, stirring to combine.
- Add in the tomato paste and stir to coat evenly. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir to combine, scraping at the bottom with a wooden spoon to scrape off any browned bits at the bottom.
- Add the chicken back to the pot and add to your oven, uncovered.
- Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce has thickened up a bit.
- While the chicken cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- When boiling, heavily salt the water, then add in the egg noodles. Cook for 7 minutes, drain, and add to a bowl.
- Add in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, tossing until the butter has completely melted and the egg noodles are coated in butter. Set aside.
- When the chicken is finished cooking, remove the chicken pieces and set aside.
- Add in the sour cream to the sauce and stir to combine.
- To serve, spoon some buttered egg noodles into a bowl, and add some chicken.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken and egg noodles. If desired, top with chopped parsley. Serve.
