I apologize for being away so long and to the person who waited for this recipe,
and the person who asked for it this week.
This is my revised version of the recipe I was given. It originally called for two cut-up chickens, but I find the wings and legs are next to impossible to be useful.
Although using bone-in chicken breasts cuts down the work needed to keep the chicken moist, it makes it far more difficult to serve, and I often serve this in buffets. The choice is yours. Meatless alternative recipe below.
Chicken Paprika
5 lbs chicken breasts,
4 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cups chopped onions
2 cloves of garlic, crushed or 1 Tbsp. dried, minced garlic
3 Tbsp sweet paprika, (or 2 1/2 + 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika)
1 1/2 [approximately] cups chicken broth,
(homemade, strong bouillon, or reduced gluten-free canned broth)
(optional: 1 small can mild green chilis)
2 Tbsp. corn starch, (all-purpose flour can be used, if you do not need for it to be gluten-free)
2 cups room temperature sour cream, or preferably, crème fraîche *
(*recipe below)
Melt butter into a heavy, large, deep pan. Fry the chicken quickly, just to brown on all sides, (if you cut your chicken breast pieces thin or small, you can skip this. Remove from pan and keep warm.
Add onions to the pan and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Stir in paprika; cook for one minute. Add the chilis, if using and the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for two minutes; season with salt and pepper.
Return the chicken to the skillet. Cook slowly and covered for about twenty minutes or until cooked; add more broth if needed; do not overcook. Add the cornstarch or flour to the sour cream/crème fraîche Remove the chicken again and whisk the cream mix into the simmering broth. When thickened, return the chicken to the pan and keep warm.
Serve over rice, ( I prefer mixed white and wild rice). Use mashed potatoes, or cooked white beans for low-carb.
MEATLESS ALTERNATIVE:
(Vegetarian, not vegan)
Instead of raw chicken, use cubes or thick strips of Quorn roast, Tofurkey, Bean-based patties, Firm Tofu, or other firm meat alternatives. Seitan/Wheat protein can also be used, but of course, it is not gluten-free. Only brown the pieces quickly in the pan with the sautéed onion and garlic. Later, only add them to the simmered cream sauce to warm before serving.
*Crème Fraîche
Crème Fraîche is a lighter and less acidic-tasting version of sour cream. It can be made with different ingredients, but the basic technique is the same.
It always begins with heavy cream, the heavier the better.
Use the formula of 1 cup of the cream, plus any one of the following:
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice,
1Tbsp. white vinegar,
2 Tbsp. buttermilk
OR
1 1/2 Tbsp. sour cream
Put the cream into a glass jar, Add the lemon juice, vinegar, buttermilk, or sour cream, and mix well. Leave the top off, and cover with a cotton cloth, cheesecloth, or very fine mesh. Leave the jar out of the refrigerator, away from high heat for several days, stirring after the first day; (it will not ‘sour’; it will ‘culture’). On the third day, (it should be thickened), put the lid on and place it into the refrigerator. It will keep for weeks.
Tonette Joyce:Food,Friends,Family 