At least I managed to capture this shot of what’s left of the evening’s meal!

 When I walked into Chilcott’s Butchery this morning I didn’t have the foggiest idea of what to cook for dinner. When my children asked me at 7 o’clock this morning about the evening meal – bear in mind we had not even started to make breakfast at that point – I mumbled something about it being delicious. Any time prior to breakfast is too, too early to contemplate a meal more than 10 hours away! I ended up buying a selection of juicy meat and poultry and figured something would spring to mind. 


The result was Chicken Paprikas, or Paprika Chicken, a one pot wonder dish popular in the Balkan region of Europe (formally known as Yugoslavia). This is a rustic, wholesome and fantastically flavoursome dish that appeals to people of all ages. My eldest son Jovan insists this is his favourite dish and happily piles up his plate with a second serving every time I make it.  Best of all, it can be prepared a day ahead and warmed up on as soon as you walk in the door after a long day at work.  

This dish always brings back fond memories for me as it was the very first meal that I prepared at the age of eight with assistance from my maternal grandmother, Baba Joka. Actually the reason I always include celery, is due to Baba insisting that it is the key to a full flavoured Chicken Paprikas. My grandfather Djeda Milan disagreed and whenever he made this dish, he never added celery. I remember the two of them having animated discussions about celery if this dish was on the day’s menu. I also recall their version of this dish being so much richer than mine with a real intensity of savoury flavour. It was only as an adult that I discovered the reason for this. My grandfather insisted on using lard in the sautéing of  the vegetables and searing of the chicken. As  much as I enjoy duck fat roasted potatoes in moderation, I feel my heart is better off with using olive oil on a regular basis instead.  

There are several recipes that my Baba Joka passed onto me and I look forward to featuring them on this food blog in the hope that others will enjoy preparing and eating them as much as I do. I was so fortunate to grow up with such wonderful grandparents who have had a long lasting influence on my life. 

Chicken Paprikas (Paprika Chicken) to generously serve 8 people

It is best to cook this dish in a large, heavy cast iron pot such as a Le Creuset to retain the moisture.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 brown onions
4 cloves garlic
4 medium carrots
4 sticks celery (plus the soft pale green celery heart leaves if you have them)
2 bay leaves – fresh if available otherwise dried
2 kg chicken – This evening I used chicken tenderloins diced into large 4 cm pieces. However I prefer to use either chicken thighs on the bone with skin, or chicken breast on the bone with the skin and wing attached. Cooking chicken on the bone always imparts extra flavour throughout the entire dish.

2 tablespoons plain flour
2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian ground paprika
sea salt and ground pepper to taste – about 2 teaspoons of salt
chicken stock or water – 500 mls if cooking on the stove top with more added during simmering if required, or 1 litre if slow cooking in the oven.

Finely dice the garlic and onion and sauté in olive oil over medium heat.

Chop the remaining vegetables in medium sized chunks and add to the pot with the bay leaves.

While the vegetables are sautéing, dust the chicken pieces in the plain four and paprika in a large bowl.

Remove the vegetables from the pot and place to the side. Add another splash of olive oil and then brown the chicken pieces in 3 or 4 batches, taking care not to crowd the pot or to let the pieces burn (paprika develops a nasty bitter taste if it burns). Repeat this process until all the chicken has been browned off. The flour and paprika that remain in the “dusting bowl”, should also be added at this point as it will thicken the sauce. 

Add all the chicken and the vegetables to the pot, along with either the chicken stock or water and season to taste.

Clamp the lid onto the pot and bring to the boil. Give the contents a vigorous stir, then reduce the heat to LOW and simmer for one hour. Stir the Chicken Paprikas periodically to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. You can add a little boiling water if this happens. You can also cook this dish in a preheated oven at 150 degrees fan forced for 90 minutes. I used this latter option because it meant I could have dinner cooking safely while I went off to the hardware store to pick up a few bits and pieces for the backyard.

When ready, ladle the Chicken Paprikas over buttered steamed rice or mashed potatoes or BOTH! My grandfather did this for my brothers and I when we children as a super charged carbohydrate hit! A side serving of lightly blanched green beans or broccoli finishes this dish off perfectly.