Recipe: Chicken Paprikas (using chicken legs and thighs)

CHICKEN PAPRIKAS

3 whole chicken legs
6 extra chicken thighs
vegetable oil (for sprinkling)
2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika, divided use
salt and pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
1 quart chicken stock
4 plum tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional)
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Hot buttered noodles (to serve)

Turn on the broiler.

Set the chicken legs and thighs, skin side up, in a roasting pan and sprinkle them with oil, 1 tablespoon of the paprika, salt, and pepper. Broil about 15 inches from the element for 10 minutes. Turn the drumsticks and continue cooking the chicken for 5 to 10 minutes more, or until the skin browns. Remove the pan from the oven and set it aside.

In the meantime, in a large flameproof casserole, heat the oil and cook the onion over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, or until it softens.

Add the peppers and cook for 5 minutes more, turning the vegetables often.

Stir in the remaining paprika. Add the chicken to the pan and turn it in the vegetables. Skim and discard the fat from the roasting pan, and tip the remaining juices into the chicken pan.

Pour in the stock, tomatoes, and caraway seeds, if using. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pan, and cook the chicken for 30 minutes or until it is falling off the bone.

In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream with a few spoonfuls of sauce from the casserole. Add a few more spoonfuls of sauce and whisk well. Adjust the heat under the chicken to its lowest setting. Pour the sour cream mixture into the chicken dish and stir thoroughly. Cook the sauce just until it is warmed through, but do not let it boil. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if you like.

Spoon the chicken and sauce over noodles into dishes, sprinkle with parsley, and serve at once.

Serve this with buttered noodles.

NOTES: The dark meat of chicken legs stands up well to the bold taste of a good paprika (buy some made in Hungary) and caraway seeds. Mix whole legs with extra thighs, which are meatier than the drumsticks. The sauce should not boil after the sour cream is added.

Servings: 6
Source: Sheryl Julian and Julie Riven; Boston Globe, February 16, 2003