Creamy Turkey Paprika

This turkey paprika is creamy, full of flavor, and ready in no time. Tender turkey with sweet peppers - your new go-to weeknight dinner.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Hungarian

Diet Low Fat

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 403kcal

Author Adina

Equipment

Large saucepan or Dutch oven

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs turkey breast or thighs, Note 1
1 medium onion
2 red bell peppers or 2 large pointed peppers, Note 2
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons sweet paprika powder Note 3
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika powder Note 4
1 teaspoon thyme
¾ cup chicken stock
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
⅔ cup sour cream Note 5
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar or to taste
fine sea salt and ground black pepper

US - EU

Instructions

Cut the turkey into bite-sized cubes. Set them aside.
1 ½ lbs turkey
Chop the other ingredients: Finely chop the onion, and cut the peppers into small cubes. Set them aside. Mince the garlic, but keep it separated from the onions and the peppers.
1 medium onion + 2 red bell peppers + 2 garlic cloves
Sear the turkey: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan. Sear half of the turkey until golden on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per batch. The turkey doesn’t need to be cooked through - just nicely seared. Remove them from the pan.
Sauté vegetables: Heat the 2nd tablespoon of oil in the pan. Sauté the onions and the peppers for about 3 minutes until the onions are translucent.
Additions: Add the tomato paste, paprika, and thyme, and stir continuously for 1 minute. Add the seared turkey, stock, and a little bit of salt and pepper. Simmer the dish for about 10 minutes, covered but with the lid slightly ajar, until the turkey is cooked through.
1 tablespoon tomato paste + 2 tablespoons sweet paprika powder + 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika powder + 1 teaspoon thyme + turkey + ¾ cup chicken stock + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Thicken paprika sauce: Mix the cornstarch with 2–3 tablespoons of cold water to make a thick but pourable paste. Whisk the slurry into the paprika sauce and let it bubble briefly until the sauce visibly thickens.
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
Stir in the sour cream: Simmer for 2 minutes; don’t let it come to a boil. Adjust the taste with balsamic, salt, and pepper.
⅔ cup sour cream + 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar + fine sea salt and ground black pepper

Notes

Turkey: Both work great. The breast is leaner, while the thighs stay a bit juicier. You can use either, or a mix of both.
Peppers: If the pointed red peppers are small (which they usually are), use 3. You can also use a colorful mix, but if you include green bell pepper, use only half, as it can be a bit bitter.
Paprika: Use the best brand you can afford; it really makes a difference – cheap paprika only tastes of dust.
Heat: If you like, you can use hot smoked paprika, or add a bit of hot paprika or cayenne pepper. Always use them to taste.
Sour cream: You can replace it with cream cheese. If the sauce gets too thick, in this case, add a small splash of stock to loosen it. You can also use heavy cream instead of sour cream and adjust the acidity with a little extra balsamic, if necessary.

Nutrition