If you're into creamy, juicy, tender chicken packed with ultimate flavor and served over a bed of egg noodles, then you are going to fall hard for this Instant Pot Chicken Paprika recipe.
It takes less than 30 minutes to make, which means it’s totally doable for an easy, comforting weeknight meal—even when it’s already dark at 4:30 pm and motivation is… questionable.
I mean guys, what’s better than curling up in front of the fireplace with a big ol’ bowl of comfort food? Honestly, this is the ONE thing I like about winter.
Creamy bowls of steaming delicious goodness—like this German goulash recipe or even this paprika schnitzel recipe. It’s SO good. Like lick-the-bowl good. That kind of good.
And the best part? The Instant Pot does almost all the work for you.
If you're into ultimate comfort, you'll probably also love these Instant Pot recipes:
- Instant Pot Coq Au Vin;
- Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff;
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup;
- Instant Pot Lemon Chicken;
- Instant Pot French Onion Soup;
- Instant Pot Braised Oxtails.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
This Instant Pot Chicken Paprika is cozy, rich, and deeply flavorful—and here’s why it works so well:
- Using fresh paprika adds the most incredible depth of flavor to the chicken
- Sour cream stirred in at the end gives the sauce a creamy, tangy finish
- Browning the chicken first builds deep flavor and helps keep the meat tender and juicy
- A touch of fish sauce enhances everything and makes the flavors pop (don’t worry—you won’t taste fish!)
Every ingredient has a job here, and together they create magic.
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What Is My Take on Instant Pot Chicken Paprika?
Traditional chicken paprika (or paprikash) is usually simmered low and slow on the stovetop. While that’s delicious, I wanted a version that fits real life—busy schedules, hungry people, and minimal dishes.
This Instant Pot version keeps all the soul of the classic dish but speeds things up without sacrificing flavor. You still get rich paprika flavor, ultra-tender chicken thighs, and that dreamy creamy sauce… just faster and easier.
This is comfort food that works with you, not against you.
Make It a Meal
This dish is absolutely perfect served over:
- Egg noodles (classic and highly recommended)
- Perfect Instant Pot Basmati Rice
- Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
- Even crusty Garlic Bread for soaking up every last drop of sauce
Easy Side Dishes
Round out your meal with something simple:
- A crisp green salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette Dressing
- air fryer pierogies
- Cheesy Roasted Broccoli
- Thai cucumber salad
The Ingredients
The most important ingredient in this recipe is the paprika. It is VERY IMPORTANT to use fresh paprika for the best flavor.
Don't use the 2 year old bottle you have in your pantry - go out and invest in some fresh paprika. It makes a huge difference.
What is Paprika?
Paprika is made from dried peppers and ranges from sweet to savory and mild to spicy. There are many different kinds of paprika. This recipe call for Hungarian paprika, which has an amazing deep flavor, and a little spice. (paid link)
Read this post on the Different Types of Paprika from Bon Appetit for more information.
This easy chicken paprika recipe also calls for fish sauce, which may seem a bit strange for a Hungarian dish, but I promise it adds a delightful umami flavor to the dish. It does not make it taste fishy at all. Just delicious. (paid link)
Is Chicken Paprika Spicy?
This Paprika Chicken recipe can be spicy is you use a hot paprika. Hungarian paprika can be hot or sweet. If you don't enjoy spicy food, I recommend going with the sweet paprika. Either one however, will taste amazing in this recipe.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat in a skillet and season the chicken generously with salt (2 teaspoons salt) and pepper (½ teaspoon pepper).
Brown the chicken for 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. You can do this in the Instant Pot as well for a full one pot meal, but I find the results are much better in a cast iron skillet.
Step 2: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the Instant Pot on the normal sauté setting. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft, about 2-3 minutes.
**I use the 6 quart 9-in-1 Instant Pot.
Step 3: Add the flour and paprika and stir to coat the onions. Continue stirring to keep the paprika from burning and sticking to the pan. Cook for 1 minute.
Step 5: Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, fish sauce, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a simmer.
Step 6: Add the chicken back to the pot and pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then use the manual release for any remaining pressure.
Step 7: Stir in the sour cream and the lemon juice and season with additional salt to taste if necessary.
Serve over egg noodles or rice. You can also serve it with bread such as naan, pita or toasted French bread.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh paprika. Hungarian paprika is highly recommended for the deepest flavor. Sweet Hungarian paprika keeps the dish mild and rich. Regular paprika works in a pinch, but fresh is best.
- Use chicken stock, not broth. Stock has a richer mouthfeel and better flavor. Learn how to make Chicken Bone Broth for even better results.
- Add sour cream only at the end. Heating it too much can cause curdling. Stir it in after cooking for a smooth, creamy sauce.
- I use a 6-quart 9-in-1 Instant Pot for this recipe. Instructions remain the same for larger sizes.
Storing Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
Freezing Instructions
If making this dish ahead of time, follow all instructions but leave out the lemon juice and sour cream. Freeze the chicken and sauce in an airtight container.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator
- Reheat on the stovetop, adding additional stock if the sauce is too thick
- Stir in the lemon juice and sour cream once heated
To freeze leftovers, store in an airtight container for up to one month. Thaw overnight and reheat until warmed through.
Note: Sour cream may curdle slightly after freezing, resulting in a less smooth texture—but the flavor will still be delicious.
More Recipes Using Paprika
Chicken is such a versatile meat - browse all the Chicken Recipes for some new ideas on how to cook it!
Did you make this Paprika Chicken recipe? Rate the recipe and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out!
Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Paprika Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs (bone in with skin - about 4 thighs)
- 3 tablespoons butter (or other animal fat)
- 2 teaspoons salt (to season chicken thighs before browning)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (to season chicken thighs before browning)
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1-15 ounce can diced tomatoes drained
- 1 cup chicken stock (or chicken bone broth), unsalted
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat in a skillet and season the chicken generously with salt (2 teaspoons salt) and pepper (½ teaspoon pepper).
- Brown the chicken for 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the Instant Pot on the normal sauté setting. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the flour and paprika and stir to coat the onions. Continue stirring to keep the paprika from burning and sticking to the pan. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, fish sauce, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- Add the chicken back to the pot and pressure cook on high for 12 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then use the manual release for any remaining pressure.
- Stir in the sour cream and the lemon juice and season with additional salt to taste if necessary. Serve over egg noodles or rice.
Expert Tips:
- It is very important to use fresh paprika in this recipe. I also highly recommend Hungarian paprika for the best deep flavor. Look for sweet Hungarian paprika if you prefer a less spicy dish. Regular paprika can be substituted in a pinch. While not quite as flavorful, the dish still comes out amazing.
- I highly recommend using chicken stock, not chicken broth. Chicken stock adds a richness to the dish. Also, note the recipe calls for unsalted. If you buy a stock that has sodium, make sure to taste before adding additional salt.Â
- Do not add the sour cream until the end. Simmering the sour cream may cause the sauce to curdle and get lumpy. Stir it in at the very end after the heat is off for a perfectly creamy texture.
- I use the 6 quart 9-in-1 Instant Pot for this recipe. The instructions should be the same using the larger size.
Kim says
My Dad is Hungarian so I make this a lot. I don't use flour or fish sauce. I add a chopped red pepper. If you want to add flour or corn starch after you can but I am used to a thinner sauce.
Danielle says
Thanks for your comment!
Bosco Ho says
My Instant Pot gave me a burned bottom warning after about 5 minutes of cooking on high pressure.
I looked through the instructions and photos and found that my onions were pulverized as compared to chunks in the photo. Other than that, I don't know what else could have gone wrong.
The timings may be somewhat different from the recipe.
Danielle says
Hmmm i wonder why you got the burn notice, I've never had that happen with this recipe. Was the chicken cooked correctly? Was it just the onions and the burn notice?
Bosco Ho says
After I sent in my comment, I read through all the ore IOUs comments. Based on their suggestions and your responses, I will try adding the flour after the pressure cooking.
We enjoyed eating the dish following your recipe.
Danielle says
Glad to hear it!
Papu says
kept to the recipe, but I added a few chopped roasted red peppers, 2 tablespoons Hungarian Paprika, and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika. end result is yes comfort food, like a big hug in a bowl. for a change had it over creamy polenta... I know bizarre. but was perfect.
Danielle says
Love the idea of adding red peppers, I'll definitely try that next time. Glad you enjoyed it!
Colin says
This dish is a homerun! I used trimmed boneless chicken thighs and subbed Boursin cheese for the sour cream, and it was fantastic. This is better than the famous butter chicken but without the overpowering curry(still wonderful). I'm glad you insisted on fresh paprika and fish sauce($10 for both), which I was really skeptical about when I added that stink with the stock, but I knew what you were going for. I do a lot of cajun cooking and add browning sauce and worcestershire as my secret ingedients to saucy dishes, and next time I'll add a little cayenne, maybe 4 or 5 dashes. The lemon juice at the end is the perfect acid to balance everything and I can't wait to make this for larger groups of family and friends. It's also super cheap, just the cost of chicken and a can of tomatoes. One thing that I would recommend is to use the lowest saute setting at the roux stage. Because it sticks so quickly to the bottom use a spatula or something wih more surface area than a spoon.
Danielle says
I'm so happy to hear you liked it! Great tip in using the low saute setting - the Instant Pot does get hot and food can stick.
Karen says
Hi,
I loved the flavors in this recipe, but unfortunately got the burn message. I have made quite a few other instant pot recipes that have you put thickener such as flour or cornstarch after the the pressure cooking period is finished. I think adding the flour with the paprika made the sauce to thick, hence the burn error. Next time I will either add in some cornstarch with chicken broth at the end or mix some flour into the sour cream and put the pot in sauté mode until the sauce is thickened. Great flavors though and the fish sauce really did give it that extra kick. Thank you for the recipe
Danielle says
Hmmm...Sorry that happened! I haven't gotten the burn error on this particular recipe, but I do get it for other recipes quite often! Thanks for the great tips about adding cornstarch at the end - I'm sure that will help. Glad you liked the flavors!!
Nancy says
I’d like to try this tonight with drumsticks. Any problem with that ? Should I adjust the timing ? Thanks
Danielle says
Drumsticks will work great! Same cook time should work perfect.
Steve McWilliams says
The dish was way too salty and practically inedible, the recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of paprika. It should be teaspoons. I’ve made dozens of Instant Pot recipes and this is the first dud. Back to the drawing board.
Danielle says
Hi Steve - I am very sorry this didn't work out for you. I'm going to test it out again and see if there is some way to improve. Thanks for letting me know!
Mazz says
Steve, not sure what kind of Paprika you're using, but it's not supposed to be salty. Secondly, traditional paprikash almost always calls for at least 3 tablespoons of Paprika. Maybe Hungarian food isn't for you!
Heidy McCallum says
This chicken was outstanding! So tender and juicy and the flavor was perfect. This is a recipe I will be hanging on to and sharing with my friends. Yum'd and pinned so I won't misplace it.
Danielle says
Thanks!
Kevin says
Best Paprikas I ever ate. I did add a lil more sour cream and left out the fish sauce. Excellent recipe!
Danielle says
I'm so glad you liked it!
Lois Taylor says
First time using my Instant pot so had one problem with sticking (the 'burn' notice came up- not a good start!) Other than that was very tasty. I'm sold!
Danielle says
Oh no! I do occasionally have trouble with sticking in the Instant Pot. Sometimes I like to brown my meat in a separate pan, then add it to the IP. It's a lot less convenient though.
Page says
The chicken was fine sauce was awesome! I used sauté function on instant pot for the chicken but think it would have been better seared in a pan like recipe says I also didn’t use enough salt
My chicken was boneless skinless thighs and I would rethink that and at least have chicken with skin next time
I would make again for sure the sauce was awesome I mixed the flour and paprika together before putting in the pot
I did add chicken right after paprika and flour had been stirred with onions and garlic to get the chicken with the paprika I stirred it around to coat the chicken before adding other stuff
At the end I added sour cream since I didn’t have heavy whipping cream
Yum! My only disappointment was the chicken I used.
Very good recipe
Danielle says
Thanks Page! I'm glad you liked the sauce. I do find the bone-in skin on thighs to be the best. And browning them before putting them in the Instant Pot definitely yields the best results. I hope you try it again!
Angie Johnson says
Great recipe! It is now a family favorite.
Danielle says
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Laurie says
How large of a can of tomatoes? 28oz?
Danielle says
15 oz. Sorry, I've updated the recipe .
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
Oh my goodness that sauce! It is so smooth and rich! I also love the flavor of paprika, and this chicken looks out of this world yummy!
Danielle says
Thanks Ashley!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
The color and the flavor of the fresh paprika sounds so good! I am going to substitute the chicken with something vegetarian and going to try this recipe. Love the instant pot version. I am going to look for the Hungarian paprika specifically and try it out!
Danielle says
It would totally work as a vegetarian dish. I'd love to hear how it turns out!