Paprika Chicken is juicy, packed with flavor, and one of those dishes that gets made all the time at our house because it's always delicious and super easy.
Paprika Chicken with Marinated Peppers and Herbed Yogurt Sauce
As is the case with most simple recipes, paprika chicken is super versatile. Besides the fact that it's so delicious, it's simple versatility one of the reasons it's a staple recipe in our house.
Most of the time I make it exactly as you see here, with bone-in dark meat chicken served on a bed of arugula with marinated peppers and a dollop of yogurt sauce. But, you can also make it with boneless, skinless chicken - white or dark meat, or a combination of the two.
- Instead of serving it over arugula and marinated peppers, shred the meat and layer it in warm tortillas with a bit of sour cream and Salsa Verde for delicious, unique tacos.
- Chop it up into bite size pieces and serve it in bowls over wild rice.
- Roll it up into crispy chili rellenos with chorizo and jalapeño cream sauce.
One of my daughters has even made this while camping, cooking it over an open flame. It's all good.
Marinated Bell Peppers are a Delicious Compliment to Baked Paprika Chicken
Roasted Bell Peppers marinated in a simple vinaigrette flavored with garlic and fresh herbs are one of my favorite refrigerator staples.
Usually, when I make this dish, I roast and marinate many more peppers than what I know we'll eat that night with paprika chicken because they are delicious. Also, they'll last in the refrigerator for at least a week.
Having them in the refrigerator means I can add them to salads, sandwiches, omelettes or frittatas throughout the week. They also make a delicious addition to a cheese board.
Making marinated peppers is easy, but make sure to do it before you begin cooking the chicken so they have plenty of time to soak in their vinaigrette. The peppers can be made 3 weeks ahead of time, kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Get the recipe for Marinated Roasted Bell Peppers.
Herbed Yogurt Sauce Gives Paprika Chicken a Tangy, Creamy Finish
Just like the paprika rub for the chicken and the vinaigrette for the marinated peppers, the herbed yogurt sauce in this recipe requires little more than dumping some stuff in a bowl and giving it a stir.
And, to be honest, on my laziest nights, I don't even bother with the yogurt sauce at all. But, that's also ridiculous, because it literally takes about 2 minutes to make and is such a lovely contrast to the smokiness of the chicken.
Bake Paprika Chicken is still delicious without it. But, even better with it.
More simple recipes you might like:
- Creamy Chicken Paprikash with Buttered Egg Noodles
- Tahini Grilled Chicken
- Easy, Cheesy, Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
- Perfect, Simple Roast Chicken
- Rotisserie Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- 20-Minute Garlic Chipotle Pasta
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- Indian Butter Chicken {Non-dairy, Slow Cooker}
- BBQ Fried Chicken Pizza
If you have leftover paprika chicken, use it to make this super easy 30-minute chicken soup!
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #alittleandalot on Instagram.
📖 Recipe
Paprika Chicken with Bell Peppers
Paprika Chicken is delicious roasted or grilled.
Ingredients
For the buttermilk brine:
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For the Paprika Chicken and Peppers:
- 4 pounds chicken pieces, bone-in, skin-on (Use a whole cut-up chicken or any combination of pieces.)
- 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
- Dash of ground cayenne pepper (optional)
- Marinated Roasted Bell Peppers (*See note)
- 3 cups of arugula or other tender greens for serving (optional)
For the herbed yogurt sauce:
- 1 cup plain, unsweetened greek yogurt (or, use homemade labneh)
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Brine Chicken in Buttermilk (*Optional):
- Pour the buttermilk and 1 tablespoon salt into a large zip-top bag. Add the chicken pieces. Zip the top (make sure it's completely closed!) and smush the chicken around in the bag a bit to coat evenly with buttermilk and salt. Put in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Make the chicken:
- If roasting chicken, heat the oven to 425 degrees F. If grilling the chicken, prepare the grill.
- Lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry on all sides.
- In a large bowl, add the paprika, salt, pepper, brown sugar, and cayenne. Stir to mix. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss it around in the spices to coat the chicken completely.
- If roasting in the oven put the chicken in a roasting pan and cook for 30-40 minutes until cooked through. When pierced with a fork, the chicken's juices should run clear.
- If cooking the chicken on the grill, place the chicken over a low-heat section, cover it, and let roast for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over, cover, and cook for another 15 minutes, until cooked through.
Make the Herbed Yogurt Sauce:
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir to mix. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if desired. Chill the sauce until ready to serve.
To Serve:
- Add a pile of greens to each plate and top with a few slices of marinated peppers and a drizzle of the vinaigrette the peppers are soaking in. Top with a piece or two of chicken. Serve with the yogurt sauce.
Notes
- You can substitute 2 jars of roasted red peppers instead of preparing marinated roasted bell peppers yourself.
- No buttermilk? No problem. DIY Buttermilk: How to make your own
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
This combination of spices is making me drool!!
I can't get enough chicken recipes. Bookmarking this to make sometime soon!!
Sara says
This looks like a really flavorful dish. I have a ton of chicken in the freezer and a fully loaded pepper plant on the porch. It was like destined to be made this week!