Love comfort food? Try this instant pot chicken paprikash! Easy-to-pull-apart chicken thighs cooked in plenty of creamy sauce are ready in less than 30 minutes.
Chicken paprikash is one of my favorite dinners. My mom and grandmother have been making this dish for years and we all love it!
This instant pot chicken paprikash is my pressure cooker version of their recipe with some minor changes. Guys, if you haven’t tried this easy dish, you gotta do it soon! It will become your family favorite meal!
Making instant pot chicken paprikash is easy and quick. You can enjoy this delicious dinner in about 30 minutes and that my friends, is pretty cool!
By the way, since I bought Instant Pot I’ve been using it like crazy! I made few easy instant pot meals, so if you wanna check them out, here they are:
- Instant Pot Chicken Curry
- Instant Pot Chicken Lentil Soup
- Instant Pot Fried Rice
- Instant Pot Tortellini Soup
Step-by-step how to make Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash
Turn on instant pot and press the SAUTE function. Pour in olive oil and add diced onion. Sauté for about a minute before adding minced garlic. Now stir this frequently. You don’t want the garlic get burnt. When the onion has translucent color, add in the chicken pieces.
Sauté these on both sides. You don’t want to cook them much, all you are after is locking the juices inside the chicken.
When this is done, season them with salt, pepper and the most important ingredient – paprika. Without paprika chicken paprikash wouldn’t be paprikash! So be generous!
Now what I do is I give everything a good mix with a wooden spoon. I want my chicken pieces coated with the seasoning before I add the chicken stock in.
After all the ingredients are in the pot, you just lock the lid and set the MANUAL function to 5 minutes.
You can do 10 minute natural pressure release or wait completely until the pin drops down itself – you will not overcook the chicken.
The last stage of this Instant Pot chicken paprikash is simple. Press SAUTE again and pour in whipping cream and give it a stir. To make the sauce extra creamy I added corn starch diluted in water. So bring the sauce to a boil and you can now turn off the pot. It should still be cooking for about 2 minutes which is exactly all you need here.
Now the last and most important ingredient is lemon juice. The juice gives the sauce nice flavor and cannot be omitted. Without it, you will have bland sauce, unless you increase the amount of seasoning. However, the lemon juice is as important as the paprika.
Ingredient substitutions
- Chicken stock – vegetable stock can be used as well as chicken broth.
- Olive oil – If you don’t have olive oil, use butter or vegetable/sunflower oil.
- Whipping cream – sour cream is another delicious option.
- Chicken thighs, bone in – chicken thighs, boneless are fine to use, chicken drumsticks as well and so are chicken breasts. Cooking time could vary slightly. This would depend on the type and size of the pieces as well. If you are not sure, I suggest increasing the cooking time by 1 minute or letting the pressure drop naturally – which will prolong its cooking time slightly.
So guys, if you are looking for Easy Instant Pot Recipes, this pressure cooker chicken paprikash is definitely one of them!
Want to see how to make chicken paprikash? Watch the video!
Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash
Ingredients
- 1 Large Onion
- 2 Garlic Cloves , minced
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 pounds Skinless Chicken Thighs , bone in (900 grams)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Sweet Paprika
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1½ cup Chicken Stock
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 tablespoons Sour Cream
- 5 tablespoons Corn Starch
- ½ Lemon or more to taste
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince garlic.
- Press “SAUTE” function on your Instant Pot. Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the inner pot. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté this for a few minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning the garlic. In about 3 minutes, add the chicken thighs. Cook them on both sides for a few minutes. All you need is to lock the juices inside.
- Add salt, pepper and sweet paprika. Stir everything around with a wooden spoon so the thighs are coated with the seasoning.
- Throw in bay leaf and pour in the chicken stock. Close and lock the lid, set the steam release to “SEALING” position. Press “MANUAL” and adjust the time to 5 minutes.
- After the cycle is finished, wait for 10 minutes before releasing the pressure manually.
- Press “SAUTE” and pour in heavy cream, sour cream and corn starch diluted in little water.
- At last, squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon and taste. Add more seasoning or lemon juice, if needed.
- Serve with dumplings, or pasta of your choice.
Notes
- Chicken thighs are the best to use here, but you can also use drumsticks or chicken breasts (bear in mind the cooking time might vary slightly).
- Cream can be substituted with sour cream (to achieve smooth and creamy sauce, take about a cup of the juice from chicken and mix with sour cream before you pour this mixture into the inner pot).
- If you don’t have chicken stock, use vegetable stock or chicken broth instead.
- If you prefer thicker sauce, add more corn starch (always dilute this in a little water first).
- This recipe was made in a 6 quart/6 liter Instant Pot.
- The cooking time does not include time needed for the pot coming to the pressure and also time needed to release the pressure. Count with extra 15 minutes.
Sarah says
I LOVE making chicken in my Instant Pot! Will definitely have to try this recipe next! That sweet paprika, sour cream and heavy cream combo is making my mouth water!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You will love it, Sarah! :)
Dawn says
Oh my goodness! These looks super good! Love comfort food any time of year, especially now. Gotta try this one out soon :)
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you, Dawn!
Kelly says
Can I double this recipe
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Yes, you can. I’d say you would need to saute the chicken into 2 batches though. The cooking time should be the same if the pot is not overfilled. However, note that it may take longer for the pot to come to the pressure.
Tina says
Yay! I was waiting for some Instant Pot Indian recipes to come my way:) Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
I believe Chicken paprikash is a Hungarian dish :) but I highly recommend you give it a go!
debi says
This looks delicious. So full of flavor, and that sauce looks amazing. Maybe Santa will bring me an instant pot.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you, Debi! :)
Jenn says
I love my Instant Pot. I loved it so much, I even bought one for my mom. My family would love this dish!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Instant pot is amazing, isn’t it! :)
Tracy says
Ok, it’s official. I NEED a instant pot!! This looks soooo comforting and delicious!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Yes, you do! :) :) Thank you!
Julie (Nagy) Moody says
Well it does look good, but however as I’m a Full blooded Hungarian we do not use chicken stock but chopped up,tomatoes and green peppers. Heavy cream and sour cream is not added to the dish, sour cream is used as a garnish afterwards. Normally you chop up 2-3 onions sauté it, add garlic, then chicken thighs, I prefer the bone in ones as it makes a better sauce. Add Hungarian paprika, different taste then sweet paprika, salt and pepper. Chop up 4-5 large tomatoes and sauté it for a while and add chopped green peppers. Add water to cover all, manual for 8 minutes. NPR for 10 minutes, then open and add cornstarch or flour to thicken. The onions, bones and tomatoes make the sauce. Pour over noodles and garnish with sour cream. This is how I was taught by my grandmother and mother and all of us were born in Hungary.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Julie! I am happy to hear you like this even though is different from the original Hungarian recipe. I would love to use Hungarian paprika and when I go to Hungary I always buy some. However, this paprika is not available in other countries so I can’t use it as I don’t have it on hand.:) I also don’t state that this is traditional Hungarian paprikash. I appreciate you found time to write how you were taught to make it.
Julie (Nagy) Moody says
Not sure what State you r in but Publix carries Hungarian Paprika both sweet and hot. It is sold in a red can and it is from Szeged. You can buy it off Amazon as well. The cans are around $4.99 each. The taste will be totally different.
Katwyn says
I buy locally and use Szeged, too. I use the tomatoes and red or green bell peppers, also, but a large instant pot requires at least 1.5 cups of liquid, so the chicken broth in this recipe makes sense in that respect. I’ve garnished with sour cream, but I’m eager to try the cream in this recipe, because anything with cream in it appeals to me, and I think I’d love that as a variation on the traditional. I’m not Hungarian, though, so I’m open to a delicious riff on the original.
Deb says
They original recipe was “okay”. I added the vegetables as you suggested to the leftovers, and added some additional Hungarian paprika, hot variety, as I had already used Hungarian Sweet Paprika (both are readily available in the states btw, at literally any grocery store). The results were much improved, thank you, so I jotted down the ingredients for future reference.
R says
Why don’t you just write up your recipe and place it on another site instead of complaining about someone else’s recipe?
KrissyLynn says
We are also Hungarian and would never put peppers in our Csirke Paprikas. We always added the sour cream to the dish prior to serving as well.
We would also NEVER serve with pasta of any kind, it has to be nokedli. If there was no time to make nokedli than at least tarhonya.
I’d say this is an excellent example of American Csirke Paprikas. It’s very close to what we grew up with :) Thank you.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks for your comment, KrissyLynn. My grandmother would make little dumplings, like spaetzle (perhaps these would be similar to your nokedli) to go with it and it tastes so good, but I rarely make those with this dish as pasta are more convenient :). Happy cooking!
Christine says
Not sure why but the sauce turned out way lighter than in the picture and did not thicken. I followed the recipe exactly so not sure where I went wrong!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Christine, this can only be down to the corn starch. As with many products, each corn starch can be of a different quality. I suggest adding more next time you make it. Also if not sure how much more to add, then do it in 2 stages. Add half of the cornstarch, mix and cook for about 2 minutes. If you feel like the consistency is not to your liking, add the rest and again cook for a minute or two. Hope this helps.
Katwyn says
Liquids need to be brought to boiling temps when adding a cornstarch or flour slurry, then reduced and simmered for a couple of minutes, to thicken. It won’t thicken properly if it doesn’t reach boiling temp.
Sandra Peissner says
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. Was a big hit in my house last night! I used chicken breasts because it’s what I had on hand. So Good!! Served over cauliflower rice!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
I am so happy to hear that, Sandra! Thank you for your feedback!
Gwen says
I just found your site and, boy, am I glad I did! Made this for my friend’s Eastern Bloc Party potluck (get it?!) tonight. Soooo easy! I used boneless, skinless thighs (2lbs). The only thing I changed was to add 1 more TBS of sour cream (which, by the way, you don’t specifically mention in the written directions…but I watched the extremely helpful video and it showed when to add it). Adding the lemon juice was key! Don’t skip this! I like things verrrrry mild, but some of you may want to spice it up a bit w/ more black pepper. Anyway, my roommate and I give it two thumbs up (haven’t taken it to the party yet) and she said “Let’s definitely make this again!” Thank you!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Gwen. I am so happy to hear that you and your roommate loved this dish! :) And you are absolutely right about the lemon juice – it completes the dish and gives it the amazing flavor! I have already fixed the mistake in the recipe card – thanks for pointing that out and thanks so much for the feedback!
Ritika says
Hello, could you tell me if you cooked the chicken at high or low pressure for 5mins? Thanks!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Ritika. The chicken is cooked at high pressure.
Julie Cicero says
Hello, I just made this recipe, well, partially. Chicken is cooked and waiting for husband to come home before I add the cream and sour cream. One tweak is that I floured the chicken, seasoning the flour with salt and pepper, and paprika and smoked paprika, hoping it wouldn’t need the corn starch. Sauce tastes great. If i need cornstarch, it will only be a small bit. Thanks for the inspiration!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Julie! Thank you for finding time to comment :) You don’t need to add cornstarch at all if you are OK with the sauce thickness or if you don’t feel like using it. Some people don’t mind it thin. Your version sounds delicious and I hope you enjoyed it! :)
Rick Cooper says
Just made this and OMG it is flat out the best dish I’ve every made in my instant pot, and I use it a good 3 to 4 nights a week!!!! I’m addicted!! This recipe should win Nobel prizes! If we only gave this dish to North Korea all our problems would simply be forgotten as that delicious, creamy, decadent sauce washes down their throat. . . Well done girl!! Well done indeed!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
:) You are welcome, Rick! Thanks for the comment.
Tiffany says
This recipe is one of my absolute favorites! It’s a huge hit with my family. I serve it over rice since I’m gf, and it never disappoints! I’ve taken to adding a package of sliced baby portabella mushrooms to make it a complete meal. It’s one of the most delicious and comforting things you’ll make in your IP! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
I am so happy to hear this, Tiffany! Mushrooms are a great addition! My mom used to make this with wild mushrooms when they were in season. Thanks for finding time to comment and rate this recipe.
Keith says
Can you use potato starch instead of cornstarch? I’ve heard it works better if you plan to save cream based dishes in the refrigerator.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
I am afraid I won’t be able to help you here as I have never tried it myself. If you do, please let me know!
Sasha Jamison says
Ok so I never knew that chicken paprikash was so yummy. It’s made with sour cream of all things! This is the easiest comfort food that my kids will actually eat.
Anne Mac says
This is my favorite instapot recipe of all time- I make it at least 2x month! My dads parents are from Hungary and my grandma made this all the time for us! It passed the test with my dad and he loves it as does my husband, 17 year old, 10 year old and picky 7 year old. Great job!! Thank you!!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Your comment made my day, Anne! :) I am so happy that you love this recipe and make it often. Thanks so much for finding time to write the feedback.
Maria Fernanda Costa Pappas says
Fantastic, easy, full of flavor…
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you for your comment and rating Maria :) I hope you find some other recipes here that you like.
Erin Glover says
I’m still getting to know my instant pot and have had quite a few failures. Part of it is cooking at such a high elevation. Denver is 5,280. But this chicken paprikash came out perfectly. I served it over mini-penne. My 15-year-old son loved it and he’s picky. My hubby loved it. I recommend using the best quality paprika you can find. I used smoked dulce (sweet) paprika from Spain. This one is going in the rotation.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Erin, thanks so much for finding time to leave the feedback! I hope you find here more instant pot recipes that you and your family will enjoy!
R says
This was excellent. I removed the chicken pieces prior to adding the sour cream, heavy cream and corn starch, used an emersion blender to ensure smooth sauce then added chicken back with cauliflower florets. Delicious sauce!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Glad to hear you enjoyed this dish! Thanks for the feedback :)
Cyndy says
This was my 1st meal I made with my new Intant Pot. Everyone loved it even though I had to omit the sourcream and used coffee 1/2&1/2 cream. Would have liked the sauce a bit thicker though. (Sour cream would’ve helped but can’t use it) I’ll make it again for sure. Thank you, Julia!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome, Cyndy!
Angelika says
This was the 5th recipe I have made from this blog, every single one was excellent! I don’t often find food bloggers that fit my exact cooking style (easy, affordable, no weird ingredients and finger lickin gooood family food!).
Got a big new fan here I am going to keep trying your recipes, they seem extremely reliable!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Angelika! Thanks so much for your feedback. It always makes my day when I see readers coming back trying more recipes and more importantly enjoying them! Thanks again for finding time to comment.
Mark McKay says
Sooooo My grandmother is Slovak. I used your recipe (sort of) and mixed it with what she does.
Basically a can of evaporated milk in place of the cream and a lot more paprika.
Turned out great with the halusky I made :) thanks!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for finding time to comment, Mark! I will try using evaporated milk next time I make it, it sounds like a great substitution. My mom often makes this with halusky, me not so much but they are the best, aren’t they? :)
Marcie says
I made this tonight, and I was feeling like it needed some veggies, so I shredded up some frozen zucchini I had from the garden and threw it in there (don’t hate me… It was imperceptible) and we had it with bowtie pasta. My family loved it. I also used smoked Spanish paprika because that is what I had.
Since we ate all the chicken tonight and still had leftover sauce, my family requested that I make it again tomorrow. Haha.
Thanks for the recipe!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome, Marcie! Glad to hear it was a hit in your family. :) You can just re-heat the sauce with some rotisserie chicken as well.