Monday, February 28, 2011

Weeknight Chicken Paprikash

How was your weekend? Mine was too short, like all the rest of them. This week is going to be one of those crazy busy ones, a perfect storm of recitals, lessons, meetings, classes, and responsibilities, culminating in an important Saturday afternoon with West getting baptized. I looked at West this weekend and I was feeling a little melancholy. Eight is a significant benchmark for LDS families. I've been squeezing my boy a little tighter, staring maybe a little too intently, feeling a little too emotional. I put my arm around his shoulder, and just like I have a hundred times in the last few weeks, said "I'm sad you are growing up so fast, West." This time I think he'd had it. He said, "Mom, look. I'm not that old and you're not that old. I'm not dead and you're not dead. So let's just be happy, OK?"
I meant to be offended, but I burst out laughing first. Oh, this kid. What will I ever do without him? Thank goodness I won't have to find out anytime soon, since we're both young and alive. Here's one of my boy's favorite dinners and mine, too. In about 25 minutes, you'll have a scrumptious sauce of paprika and sourcream over chicken and buttered noodles. It's perfect for busy weeks, like this one. It's also rich and satisfying on a cold winter night and will cure any melancholy you might have about your jam-packed schedule or your children growing up too fast. Weeknight Chicken Paprikash
Estimated Cost: $8.00 for four-six servings
Money Saving Tips: Don't run out to buy Hungarian paprika, if you don't have it on hand. Use my substitution below. Buy chicken breasts when it's on sale and cut it up and freeze it in 1 lb. portions. Put your water on to boil when you start cooking, and everything will be hot and ready at the same time.
1 tablespoon butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1 lb chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup Hungarian sweet paprika (OR sub 1/4 cup regular paprika, plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar and a pinch of red pepper flakes)
2 cups chicken broth (use bouillion cubes to save more)
1/2 cup sour cream, mixed with 1 tablespoon flour
a few drops of lemon juice
hot cooked noodles, tossed with 2 tablespoons butter
Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 7 minutes, stirring often. Add bell pepper and chicken and cook until chicken is browned on outside, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and paprika and cook for one minute. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and flour mixture. Return to heat and bring to a low boil to thicken sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and a few drops of lemon juice. Serve over noodles.
Up Next: Microwave Carmels

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks delicious and I love how speedy it all comes together. It's the perfect busy work-week meal! Thanks.

Tanji said...

Prudy to the rescue!!! Making this for dinner tonight! Thank you! Love the story about West ` too cute!

gigi said...

He is just to cute.
This sounds so good and so easy. I love easy!
Thank you.

Seth and Julie said...

West is too funny. I am sure our kids do think we are nuts sometimes, but one day they will look back and say oh, that's what mom was talking about. I like that he wants to live in the moment and enjoy his time with you. So cute. Yummy looking chicken too. I need more busy week night dishes, not because I am super busy, but for times when I am just not up for hours in the kitchen.

Shelley said...

Prudy, I made this tonight for dinner & it was fantastic! Everyone loved it; I'll be making it again! Oh, West is growing up - what a sweetheart. Don't you just love when he says something so...so...truthful?

Michal said...

I love you, West, but I'm with your mom. I am dying over here at how quickly my little ones are growing up, and I just can't seem to find the pause button. We moms only know how to savor the here and now by realizing that our busy lives make time fly by all the faster.
A quick dinner like this is just the thing to give us more time with our chicks before they fly the coop!:)

Leslie said...

Boys are so practical aren't they? Let's leave the sentiment and emotion out of it and just be happy.
I love Westy and can hardly believe he is 8 years old. I know Saturday will be a great day for your family.

My kids would love this dinner and I will have to make it for them. Erin Leigh saw the picture andsaid it looked delicious.

The JR said...

That's a very good looking meal!

Jodie said...

I made this for dinner last night and it was so good! My sauce was a lot thinner than your's looked in the picture. I was thinking that it would be super yummy over rice. Thanks for sharing!

Catherine said...

I read this post yesterday and I've been thinking about Westy ever since. I remember the day you found out that you were expecting a second baby and what a happy day that was. And I remember the day you found out, that baby would be a boy. And I remember the day that boy was born, and now he's giving you such practical advice. What a boy! We can't wait to see you guys this weekend and we're so happy taht we get to share Westy's special day with him.

Catherine said...

PS the dinner looks delicious. Is it yummy without the chicken?

Prudy said...

Jodie,
I had really thick sour cream; it was noticeably thicker than my usual sour cream. That might be why. It would be fantastic over rice, especially if the sauce is a little thinner!

http://tucsonidobostorta.blogspot.com said...

I am a Hungarian woman, and I know that nobody has ever put sugar and lemon into a Hungarian Paprikash. If you put them into it, then it is no longer a Paprikash.

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