Tasty Tuesday-Chicken Paprikash alla Jonathan Harker

I had for dinner, or rather supper, a chicken done up some way with red pepper, which was very good but very thirsty. (Mem. I get recipe for Mina).

Jonathan Harker's Journal- Bram Stoker's Dracula

Every October I re-read Dracula, one of the most popular novels ever written and watch some of the plethora of film adaptions.  
 

Film fest buddy.

My favorite being the 1931 version with Bella Lugosi:

 This year for our Dracula film fest I decided to make a version of the Chicken dish Jonathan Harker is so impressed by that he plans to get the recipe for his fiance, (though considering what happens later it seems likely that he would have lost his taste for this particular dish.) 

Chicken Paprikash for a Journey to Dracula's Castle Recipe Source

Traditionally this would be served with dumplings or spaetzle but egg noodles make an easy and acceptable substitute.

The essential ingredient.

• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of chicken legs and thighs, preferably organic, bone in and skin on
• Kosher Salt
• 2-3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 pounds yellow onions, sliced in half moons
• Black pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian
• 1 heaping teaspoon (or to taste), hot paprika preferably Hungarian
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1lb egg noodles

1 Salt the chicken pieces well and let them sit at room temperature while you cut the onions. Slice the onion.

2 Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and melt the butter. When the butter is hot, pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and place them skin-side down in the pan. Let the chicken pieces cook 4-5 minutes on one side, until well browned, then turn them over and let them cook 2-3 minutes on the other side. (Take care when turning so as not to tear the skin if any is sticking to the pan.) Remove the chicken from the pan to a bowl, set aside.

3 Add the sliced onions to the sauté pan and cook them, stirring occasionally, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.  

4 Add the paprika and some black pepper to the onions and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth, again scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and then nestle the chicken pieces into the pan, on top of the onions. Cover and cook on a low simmer for 30-35  minute until cooked through and just starting to fall of the bone.

5 When the chicken is done to your taste, remove the chicken from the pan. Allow the pan to cool for a minute and then slowly stir in the sour cream and add salt to taste. If the sour cream cools the sauce too much, turn the heat back on just enough to warm it through. Add the chicken back to the pan and coat with the sauce.

It tastes much better then it looks.

 As Harker says this is a thirsty dish so you will want to have some wine, water, or of course: