SOLVING YOUR MID WEEK DINNER DILEMMAS
Hey there, food lovers!
This week, we’re diving into a delicious twist on a Hungarian classic. We’re taking the soul-warming essence of a traditional paprika-rich dish and turning it into a ragù with ground chicken. The magic of this recipe lies in the bold paprika flavor, complemented by savory aromatics and a creamy swirl of sour cream for that extra touch of indulgence.
A couple of shopping tips to make your cooking experience even better: If you can find dark meat ground chicken, scoop it up! It’s got more fat than white meat, which adds a fantastic richness to our ragù. And when you’re in the spice aisle, go for Hungarian paprika, it’s bright red and packs a punch of flavour. If you can’t find it, sweet paprika will do in a pinch, but avoid smoked or Spanish paprika as it changes the flavour and colour of the dish.
Happy cooking!
Paprika-Packed Chicken Ragù
- Serves
- 4
- Cooking Time
- 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 60 g unsalted butter, divided
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 450 g ground chicken
- 60 ml Hungarian sweet paprika
- 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
- 60 ml sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, divided
- 1 can (410 g) crushed tomatoes
- 450 g pappardelle or other long, flat pasta
- 60 ml sour cream
- Finely chopped parsley (for garnish)
Method
- Melt 30 g butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 chopped onion and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft. Stir in 4 chopped garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add chicken, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 tsp kosher salt and cook, breaking up the meat, until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in 30 ml sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, scraping up any bits stuck to the pot. Add 1 can (410 g) crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 240 ml water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 12–14 minutes until thickened. Stir in the remaining 30 ml vinegar.
- Cook 450 g pappardelle or other long pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, saving 120 ml of the pasta water.
- Add the pasta and 30 g butter to the ragù. Increase heat to medium and cook, tossing and adding the reserved pasta water until the sauce coats the pasta, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in 60 ml sour cream. Season with more salt if needed.
- Serve the pasta in bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.