Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash is the kind of meal you make when you are craving comfort food. If you want a fast and flavorful dinner your whole family will love, this is it.
Suitable for Gluten Free diets.
Chicken Paprikash is a Hungarian dish that has been served around the world for ages. If it hasn’t made its way into your home yet, get ready for a tasty treat that you will make again and again.
Table of Contents
Easy Chicken Paprikash
This dish is flavored with lots of sweet Hungarian Paprika simmered in tomato sauce. Sour cream is added at the end to make the sauce incredibly creamy and flavorful. You want to serve this with nokedli (Hungary’s version of German Spaetzle), egg noodles, or dumplings so you can soak up all of the flavorful sauce.
Authentic Chicken Paprikash is slowly simmered in a pot for nearly an hour so the chicken can cook through and become tender. Pressure cooker chicken paprikash follows the same traditional method, but the chicken is done in a fraction of the time.
For More comforting chicken recipes check out Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie and Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup.
Yeap, Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash is sooooo fast and easy. You can have dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. #instantpotforthewin
Why Make This Recipe
- Fast – Get slow-cooked flavor and texture in just 30 minutes.
- Flavorful – Paprika is the star of this dish, and it has a lovely sweet and mild flavor.
- Budget-friendly – Chicken thighs are inexpensive and so flavorful!
Ingredient Notes
- Butter – Butter adds a lot of flavor to this dish but feel free to substitute a light oil if you prefer.
- Chicken Thighs – Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are perfect for this recipe, but chicken legs also work well.
- Red Onion – Use sweet or white onion if that is what you have on hand.
- Hungarian Paprika – Hungarian Paprika is not smoked and has a moderately sweet flavor. You can use regular paprika if Hungarian paprika is unavailable.
- Garlic Cloves – For the fullest flavor, use fresh minced garlic rather than jarred.
- Cornstarch – This is used to thicken the sauce.
- Tomato Sauce – Use regular tomato sauce, not spaghetti sauce.
- Chicken Stock – Chicken stock adds a lot of flavor. You can substitute water.
- Sour Cream – This adds creaminess and a bit of tang. You can use whipping cream if you prefer.
- Lemon – The fresh lemon juice brightens this dish and ties all the flavors together.
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash
Get full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Melt butter in the Instant Pot and sauté the chicken thighs until the skin is golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side.
- Remove the chicken and add the onion and paprika. Sauté until the onions are tender, and add the garlic and cornstarch, stirring to combine.
- Stir in the chicken stock and tomato sauce and return the chicken to the Instant Pot.
- Cover, seal, and cook for 10 minutes at high pressure, followed by a quick release of pressure. Then open the lid, stir in the sour cream and lemon juice and serve.
Tips For Success
- Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The temperature should be 165F / 74C when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken. If you use drumsticks or chicken breasts instead of thighs, you may need to adjust your cooking time.
- Use authentic Hungarian Paprika. Its flavor is similar to the paprika you probably have in your pantry but a bit sweeter and more robust in flavor.
- Use fresh paprika. No matter what kind of paprika you use, buy a new bottle. Paprika that’s been in your pantry for several years will be dull and nowhere near as flavorful as fresh paprika.
- Wait to add the sour cream at the very end, just before serving.
- The cook time listed does not include the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure.
Variations
- Spicy Chicken Paprikash – Look for Hot Hungarian Paprika to add a spicy kick to this dish.
- Serve It As a Topping – Scoop a piece of chicken and a generous helping of sauce over rice, noodles, nokedli, spaetzle, or dumplings.
- Add Peppers – Slice bell peppers and toss them in with the ingredients before bringing them to pressure. If you like heat, you could even add sliced jalapeno as well.
Budget-Friendly Tips
- Buy Chicken In Bulk – Stock up on chicken when it’s on sale or buy it in bulk and freeze for later.
- Make Paprika Last Longer – Stored on your shelf in a clear glass container, paprika can lose its flavor quickly. To make it last longer, store it in a dark container in the fridge. It will retain its flavor for up to three years.
- Add a Pasta or Grain – Serve this chicken over rice, noodles, nokedli, spaetzle or dumplings.
- Add A Side – Steamed or roasted veggies go very well with Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash.
Make Ahead And Storage
Prep Ahead – If you want to make this dish in advance, leave out the sour cream and lemon juice. After reheating on the stove or in the microwave, add the sour cream and lemon juice just before serving.
Store – Leftovers should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container and used within 3 days. The sour cream may curdle slightly while reheating, and while the sauce may not be as smooth, the flavor will still be the same.
Freeze – This recipe is excellent for freezing.
- Make the recipe as instructed but leave out the sour cream and lemon juice.
- Pour everything into a freezer bag and seal.
- Freeze up to 3 months.
- Defrost in the fridge overnight and empty the contents into a saucepan to reheat.
- If the sauce is too thick, you can add a bit of chicken stock to loosen it up.
- Once heated through, stir in the sour cream and lemon juice before serving.
Meal Prep
- Make an extra batch and freeze it for later. See our instructions above for making this freezer-friendly.
- This can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, so take the leftovers for an easy lunch.
FAQs
You can easily swap out any bone-in chicken, such as drumsticks or chicken breasts. You can also use boneless thighs or breasts. Cube the chicken or cook it whole and shred it before serving. For cubed chicken, you may want to reduce the cooking time to 7 minutes. Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer.
Serving Suggestions
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes. <= soooo good.
- Dump and start Garlic Butter Instant Pot Red Potatoes. <= popular with the whole family.
More Recipes You May Like
- Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie. Comforting and warming.
- Baked Chicken Ranch. Crispy and family approved.
- Chicken Parmesan Sliders. Great dinner and snack.
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Get The Chicken Paprikash Instant Pot Recipe:
Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound (453g) chicken thighs
- 1 red onion chopped
- 3 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup (225g) tomato sauce
- 1 cup (236ml) chicken stock
- ½ cup (123g) sour cream
- Juice from 1 lemon
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot on the sauté setting and melt the butter. Add chicken and cook until the skin is golden brown, around 3 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add red onion and paprika and cook, stirring constantly until the red onion is softened and the paprika is fragrant, around 3 minutes. Add garlic and cornstarch and stir to combine.
- Stir in the tomato sauce and chicken stock. Return the chicken thighs to the pot. Close the lid and valve and set on high pressure for 10 minutes. When done perform a quick pressure release.
- Open the lid, stir in the sour cream and lemon juice, then serve.
Notes
- Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The temperature should be 165F / 74C when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken. If you use drumsticks or chicken breasts instead of thighs, you may need to adjust your cooking time.
- Use authentic Hungarian Paprika. Its flavor is similar to the paprika you probably have in your pantry but a bit sweeter and more robust in flavor.
- Use fresh paprika. No matter what kind of paprika you use, buy a new bottle. Paprika that’s been in your pantry for several years will be dull and nowhere near as flavorful as fresh paprika.
- Don’t add the sour cream until the very end, just before serving.
- Leftovers should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container and used within three days. The sour cream may curdle slightly while reheating, and while the sauce may not be as smooth, the flavor will still be the same.
Katie Centers
This sounds amazing – I love that I can use the instant pot if I’m in a bind for time. I would definitely try this with the hot hungarian paprika too sometime!
Michelle
Such a quick and easy dish to whip up! Loved it with penne pasta 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Meenakshi Thakur
I am always looking for quick and easy chicken recipes. This one is so delicious and approachable. Thanks for the recipe.
Jessica Formicola
I love chicken paprikash, but I love it even more now that I know I can make it in the Instant Pot! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Angela
The instant pot cooks chicken so well. This recipe was a breeze and so tasty!
Jeanne @ Cooksister
Mmmm, chicken paprikash is one of my favourite comfort foods! There is something about its creamy, smoky flavour that I just find irresistible – thanks for sharing!