Another good one.

Tonight I returned to The New York Times Chicken Cookbook. I am attempting to find new ways to cook chicken for easier weeknight meals. So far I am succeeding. Usually if I have a cut up chicken, or chicken parts, my first reaction is to simply bake it. Which is good, but it's getting a little old. So this week I am mastering the art of braising. The Mustard Chicken the other night was an excellent example. Tonight's Chicken Paprikash is another such creature.

Chicken Paprikash is what it sounds like. Chicken is browned first and then braised in a liquid containg lots of paprika. I have never made a Paprikash, and this won't be my last. My first thought tonight as I tried my first bite of chicken was that the flavor was subtle. Silly, I thought to myself, Paprika is subtle. The sweet earthiness of the paprika really shone though, and with a few minor adjustments, this dish will be a winner. It is most definitely a keeper, but I would like to see double the onions, double the garlic, and adding some Hot or Smoky Paprika to the Sweet Paprika for added flavor. The recipe as written made a lot of sauce that would have been fantastic over some egg noodles. We had baked potatoes, which worked fine for me, but it really begged for some noodles to soak up the sauce. So we will make this again. Andy deemed it a keeper, and that's enough for me.

Later this week/weekend, I have one more braised chicken dish that I plan on trying. Until then, here is the recipe for Chicken Paprikash, adapted from The Best of Craig Claiborne.

Chicken Paprikash

1 3-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon sweet paprika (I used Penzey's Hungarian Sweet Paprika)
1/2 cup fresh or canned chicken broth
1 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)
1 tablespoon flour

1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet and add the chicken pieces, skin-side down. Cook over moderately high heat for about 5 minutes and turn the pieces. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes until brown on second side.
3. Sprinkle the onions and garlic around the chicken pieces. Sprinkle with paprika and stir. Add the chicken broth and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes or longer, until the chicken is cooked. (Mine was about 20-25 minutes over med-low heat.)
4. Remove the chicken to a warm serving dish.
5. Blend the sour cream and flour and stir it into the sauce. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
Yield: 4 servings