Chicken Paprika

Chicken Paprika

Chicken Paprika I made on a
camping trip a few years ago.

Do you like beer? I'm a big fan of ice cold beer, especially with all the hot, steamy weather we've had recently in the Chicago area. I'm buying ice for the cooler more than normal, just to keep the beer frosty cold.

Just thinking about my fondness for beer in hot, humid weather reminds me of an outing I had a year ago. I went with some friends to try out a new brew pub that opened in the area. I had never been there before and was interested in trying their beer. It turned out to be a strange experience.

The first clue was that it was hard to find. We had the address, but couldn’t find it. There was just warehouses up and down the road. Eventually, we pulled into the parking lot where the address should be, and then, on a whim, drove behind the building that was there. In back there was another warehouse, and low and behold, some cars were parked there. Sure enough, we saw the building number had the correct address, and there was a sign on the building that said: Open.

When we went in the entrance, a door next to a big garage door, we were greeted with another surprise. There was a bar inside, but the building was not air conditioned. It was in the 90º’s outside and it was even warmer inside. In the background, there were huge fermentation tanks. In the foreground, there was a little bar, with two bartenders and about a dozen customers.

As hot as it was, we decided to try the beer. We ordered and I went to give the bartender a twenty, and she said “Oh no. We only accept credit cards. No cash.” Hmm. That was odd. Not only did they not accept cash, they also don’t accept tips.

Well, the beer was good. I had an American style IPA. Shortly after I received my beer, they announced ‘last call.’ Hmm. That’s odd. It was a Saturday evening, ten minutes to seven. Sure enough, they closed at 7:00. Well, we scratched our heads, and exited into the cooler 90º weather outside. We went on to look for another bar, which is another story for another day.

As long as I’m talking about beer, here is a recipe that goes real good with beer. Make sure the beer is cold. I also recommend turning the air conditioning on. It makes for a more pleasant experience.

4 slices bacon

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into strips

3 large onions

3 tbs. hungarian paprika

1 bell pepper, cut into strips

1 tbs. flour

1 tomato, diced

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup sour cream

2 green onions, sliced thin

3/4 lb. egg noodles, cooked and drained.

Preparation

In a large braising pan, cook the bacon until it is crisp. Drain it on a paper towel. Keep a spatula handy, to slap anyone who tries to eat the bacon. Brown the chicken in the bacon fat and remove it to a bowl. Add the onions, stir up anything that has stuck to the pan and cook the onions until they start to turn golden. Stir often. This will take about ten minutes.

Add the bell pepper and stir in the paprika. Cook for another three minutes and then sprinkle in the flour. Stir and cook for another minute. Add the diced tomato and the chicken stock. Now add the chicken, chop up the bacon and add that too. Simmer for about ten minutes. Add more stock if needed, or cook longer to thicken it as needed.

Stir in the sour cream and the green onions. Simmer one minute and remove from heat.

Serving

To serve this, place a big pile of the egg noodles on the plate, smother them in the chicken paprika. I would also serve sauerkraut, fresh baked bread, a crisp salad, and a cold Czech beer. 

For dessert, I'd serve another cold beer. It just seems like the right thing to do.