Soft butter beans and chicken thigh pieces simmer together in a smoked-paprika tomato sauce. A little sour cream stirred in off the heat rounds out the flavor without a heavy cream sauce.
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced
- 2 × 400 g cans butter beans, drained
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 150 ml chicken stock
- 80 g sour cream
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Method
- Pat chicken pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. Drain and rinse the butter beans. Heat oil in a wide deep skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brown chicken for 5–6 minutes, turning. Transfer to a plate; it will finish cooking in the sauce. Lower the heat to medium.
- Add onion and red pepper to the same pan. Cook 6–7 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add garlic and paprika and stir for 30 seconds without letting the paprika burn.
- Add chopped tomatoes and stock, scraping the base. Return chicken and any juices. Cover and simmer gently 10–12 minutes until the chicken reaches 74°C in the center.
- Fold in butter beans and simmer uncovered 4–5 minutes until hot and the sauce lightly coats everything. If thick, add a splash of water.
- Take off the heat. Stir a spoonful of sauce into the sour cream, then gently stir it back into the skillet. Serve in four shallow bowls. Do not boil after adding sour cream.
- Refrigerate leftovers within two hours for up to three days. Reheat gently, stirring, until the chicken reaches 74°C throughout; avoid a fierce boil.
Toast paprika briefly
Thirty seconds in the warm pan releases its aroma. Add tomatoes before the spice darkens or burns.
Keep beans intact
They are already cooked, so fold them in near the end and stir gently.
Temper the sour cream
Mix a spoonful of warm sauce into it first and take the pan off the heat to reduce splitting.
FAQs
- How many servings does this make?
-
Makes 4 servings using the pan or equipment listed.
- What should I check before serving?
-
Take off the heat. Stir a spoonful of sauce into the sour cream, then gently stir it back into the skillet. Serve in four shallow bowls. Do not boil after adding sour cream.
- How should I store leftovers?
-
Refrigerate leftovers within two hours for up to three days. Reheat gently, stirring, until the chicken reaches 74°C throughout; avoid a fierce boil.
