Quick and Easy Chicken Paprikash: Instant Pot Recipe

If you are looking for a comforting and hearty chicken dish with a velvety sauce that combines the perfect blend of sweet, smoky, and slightly tangy flavors, look no further than this Chicken Paprikash Instant Pot Recipe.

The tender chicken practically falls apart in your mouth, and each bite is an explosion of flavor that showcases the essence of Hungarian cuisine. 

Chicken Paprikash is the first meal I ever learned to make as a teenager and I have been making it ever since. My mom taught me to cook the original recipe on the stovetop, but as my circumstances have changed, I have found that cooking it in an electric pressure cooker is more convenient for our new RV lifestyle. I promise that this is a foolproof method that turns out delicious EVERY time! 

What is Chicken Paprikash? 

Chicken Paprikash, also known as “Paprikás Csirke” in Hungarian, is a traditional Hungarian dish that is known for its rich, creamy, and flavorful sauce. It features tender pieces of chicken cooked with onions, garlic, and plenty of paprika, which gives the dish its distinct red hue and smoky undertones. The dish is often served with a side of egg noodles or rice to soak up the scrumptious sauce.

Benefits of Cooking Chicken Paprikash in an Electric Pressure Cooker such as an Instant Pot

• Time-Efficient: Living in an RV is all about efficiency, and a pressure cooker excels in this regard. It drastically reduces cooking time, making it perfect for busy days.

• Minimal Cleanup: With limited space in an RV, the Instant Pot minimizes the number of pots and pans you’ll need, leading to easier cleanup after a delicious meal.

• Intensified Flavors: The sealed environment of a pressure cooker traps flavors, allowing the spices and ingredients to meld perfectly, resulting in a tastier and more aromatic dish.

• Versatility: An electric pressure cooker can be used to cook a wide range of dishes, making it an essential tool for any RV kitchen.

I love using my pressure cooker to make comforting family favorites like Chicken Adobo or this Apple Cider Pot Roast in a fraction of the time!

I always give instructions with step-by-step photos in my posts just in case some readers have questions. But if you are just here for the recipe, click the JUMP TO RECIPE tab under the title and it will take you straight there. You can also print the recipe card with full instructions or you can click one of the SHARE BUTTONS and save it for later!

Let’s Gather Up the Ingredients

• Chicken– Whole Chicken cut into 10 pieces. You will have four parts of chicken breasts, two thighs, two wings, and two legs. Save the backs and neck for stock. For more information, check out this post for How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken

• Large Yellow Onion– Sliced into half moons

• Butter– One stick of butter. Yep, the whole thing!

• Sour Cream– Use full-fat sour cream for a richer flavor. This is not diet food and we ARE using an entire stick of butter

• Paprika– I use a combination of Hungarian Sweet Paprika and Smoked Paprika. Choose a good quality brand because this is the most important ingredient.

• Salt– Kosher salt

• Pepper– Fresh cracked black pepper

• Garlic Powder

• Corn starch– To make a slurry that will thicken the sauce

Now Let’s Get Cooking

Saute the onions and garlic

Cut both ends off of a large onion. Cut it in half vertically, peel it, and then slice it into half moons. Smash the garlic cloves and then mince.

Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function and adjust to medium-high heat. Add the stick of butter to the insert. Once melted, add the onions and garlic and saute using a wooden spoon until the onions have softened and are slightly translucent.

Layer and season the Chicken

Mix both kinds of paprika together with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Layer five pieces of the chicken on top of the sauteed onions and season with half of the seasoning mixture. Then repeat with the other half of the chicken and spices.

Add one cup of water or chicken broth. Put the pressure lid on and turn the pressure valve to the seal position. Press the pressure function button and set it to high pressure for 20 minutes.

Once it’s done, do a natural release for ten minutes before the quick release of the remaining pressure. Remove the lid and carefully transfer the cooked chicken pieces to a serving platter. 

Make the paprika sauce

Add three tablespoons of cornstarch to a small bowl. Mix the cornstarch with a little cold water until it is very smooth. Set the Instant Pot to high saute again and bring the sauce to a boil. Gradually stir the cornstarch mixture into the hot liquid until it’s blended. Be sure to stir constantly. Boil it for one minute or until the sauce has thickened. 

Now turn the pressure cooker to low and add the sour cream. You don’t want the sauce to boil after the sour cream has been added. Stir until the sour cream is completely incorporated into the sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Back to the pot

Transfer the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pot and nestle it into the sauce. Simmer for about ten minutes or until the chicken is heated through.  

How to serve 

Growing up we always ate this dish served over white rice, but you could also serve it over spaetzle, egg noodles, or even mashed potatoes. Add a vibrant green vegetable like this roasted broccoli and you are all set! 

Substitutions

This Chicken Paprikash Instant Pot Recipe is meant to be simple. There are no hard-to-find ingredients to substitute for or any major decisions to make. This kind of meal is the definition of home-cooked comfort food, and the biggest mistake you can make with these types of dishes is overthinking them. 

You could, however, substitute the whole chicken for whatever bone-in chicken pieces your family enjoys. I am a big believer in using dark meat for this recipe, but my husband prefers white meat. I use the entire chicken so the whole family can have their pick.  

​If you wanted to spice it up, you could swap out the smoked paprika for hot paprika instead.

Tips for Success

• Trim any excess skin off of the chicken before cooking it.
• Use bone-in chicken. The bones add a depth of flavor, essentially creating a rich chicken stock as the chicken cooks. You just can’t achieve this with boneless meat.
• I like to use Argo Corn Starch as a thickener because it ensures that there are no lumps in your sauce. Check out their tips for getting the proper consistency here.
• Use full-fat sour cream, and don’t allow the sauce to boil once it has been added. Boiling will cause the sour cream to curdle. Instead, you want to keep the sauce at a gentle simmer. If it seems too thick after the addition of the sour cream, use a little heavy cream or water to thin it out.
• Always use a wooden or silicon spoon when cooking in your pressure cooker so that you don’t scratch the bottom of the pot. 
• This easy instant pot recipe will work with whatever brand of electric pressure cooker you own. Just follow the directions for your specific model. I personally have a Ninja Foodi.

More Comforting recipes I think you will love

Easy Italian Bow Tie Pasta

Pork Medallions in Creamy Mushroom Sauce

The Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese

Tomato Basil Soup

I’m telling you guys, this is a family favorite for a reason!

There is no reason that cooking in your RV should hinder your desire to explore new foods. With a little adaptation, this meal comes together quickly and easily with the most basic ingredients.

If you decide to make this or any of my other Chicken Recipes, please be sure to give it a rating and let me know how yours turned out. I love hearing your feedback and I will do my best to answer any questions you have as quickly as I can. 

As always, I will be back next week with more delicious recipes from my RV kitchen to yours!

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