Paprika Chicken in a Lemony Sauce
with Pistachio Rice & Roasted Carrots
- Milk
- Tree Nuts
Lemon is our go-to ingredient for brightening up any meal, and this dish is positively bursting with citrusy goodness! Paprika-coated chicken is drizzled with a creamy, lemon-and-thyme-spiked pan sauce that’d taste good on pretty much anything. On the side, there’s tender roasted carrots and steamy rice with lemon zest and pistachios. When life gives you lemons, you know what to do.
12 ounce
Carrots
2 unit
Scallions
¼ ounce
Thyme
1 unit
Lemon
½ cup
Basmati Rice
10 ounce
Chicken Cutlets
1 teaspoon
Paprika
1 unit
Chicken Stock Concentrate
2 tablespoon
Sour Cream
()
½ ounce
Pistachios
()
2 teaspoon
Olive Oil
1 tablespoon
Butter
()
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. • Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Strip 1 tsp thyme leaves (2 tsp for 4 servings) from stems; finely chop leaves. Zest and quarter lemon.
• Toss carrots on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. • Roast on top rack until golden brown and tender, 20-25 minutes.
• While carrots roast, heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites; cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, 1 minute. • Stir in rice, ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
While rice cooks, pat chicken* dry with paper towels and season all over with paprika, salt, and pepper. • Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. TIP: If chicken begins to brown too quickly, lower the heat. • Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.
• Melt 1 TBSP butter in same pan over medium heat. Add chopped thyme; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. • Stir in stock concentrate and ¼ cup water (1/3 cup for 4 servings). Bring to a simmer, then immediately turn off heat. • Stir in sour cream and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with pepper.
• Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lemon zest and pistachios. (TIP: For extra richness, stir in 1 TBSP butter; 2 TBSP for 4 servings.) Season with salt and pepper. • Divide rice, carrots, and chicken between plates. Top chicken with sauce and sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.
- Flavor: Many loved the lemony sauce and pistachio rice, though some found the chicken bland or tough.
- Ease of prep: Several noted it took longer than expected, with some finding the rice tricky to cook perfectly.
- Suggestions: Consider pounding chicken for even cooking; reduce water for a thicker sauce; crush pistachios for better texture.
- Portions: Some felt chicken portions were small or uneven; a few wanted more carrots and less rice.
- Leftovers: Several mentioned it reheated well, making good leftovers for lunch the next day.
