Paprika gives the sauce its color and gentle warmth, while sour cream stirred in off the heat keeps it smooth. A simple spaetzle batter can be pushed through a colander into simmering water, so no special tool is required.
Serves: 4
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
Method
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven and brown chicken in batches for 3 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
- Cook onion in the pot for 5 minutes. Stir in paprika and tomato paste for 30 seconds, then add broth and scrape up browned bits.
- Return chicken and simmer covered for 15 to 18 minutes, until the thickest pieces reach 165°F.
- Whisk flour, eggs, milk, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a thick batter. Push portions through a large-hole colander into boiling salted water and cook until spaetzle float, about 2 minutes. Drain and toss with butter.
- Remove chicken from the heat. Stir sour cream with a few spoonfuls of hot sauce, then stir that mixture back into the pot. Serve over spaetzle.
Variations
Use boneless chicken breast and shorten the simmer, checking for 165°F. Add sliced mushrooms with the onion, or serve with buttered egg noodles instead of spaetzle.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate chicken sauce and spaetzle separately for up to 3 days. Warm the sauce gently until steaming; reheat spaetzle in a skillet with a small amount of butter or water.
Read the the weekly meal planning guide and the pantry and freezer expiry review for more practical dinner planning. Add this recipe to the Lucru Home meal planner and note any missing ingredients before shopping.
