Creamy Chicken Paprikash

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper. In a 10-inch skillet heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken, half at a time if needed, and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until browned, turning once. Remove from skillet. Drain off fat, reserving 2 Tbsp. drippings in skillet.

2. Add onion and garlic to reserved drippings. Cook over medium heat 4 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in paprika. Stir in tomatoes, broth, thyme, and crushed red pepper; return chicken. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is done (at least 175°F). Remove chicken from skillet.

3. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together sour cream and flour. Gradually stir about 1/2 cup of the hot tomato mixture into sour cream mixture; return to remaining hot mixture in skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

4. Serve chicken and sauce with Homemade Egg Noodles. If desired, top with additional fresh thyme.

Homemade Egg Noodles

1. In a large bowl stir together 1 3/4 cups of the flour and the salt. Using the back of a spoon, make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In a small bowl combine egg yolks, whole egg, the water, and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until mixture forms dough.

2. Sprinkle a clean kneading surface with the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Turn out dough onto the floured surface. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes total kneading time). Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into four equal portions.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough portion into a 12-inch square (about 1/16 inch thick). Lightly dust both sides of the dough square with additional flour. Let stand, uncovered, about 20 minutes. (Or using a pasta machine, pass each dough portion through machine according to manufacturer's directions until dough is 1/16 inch thick, dusting dough with flour as needed. Let stand, uncovered, for 20 minutes.) Loosely roll dough square into a spiral; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Unroll strips to separate; cut strips into 2- to 3-inch-long pieces. Cook noodle pieces in a large amount of boiling lightly salted water for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender; drain well. (Or place noodle pieces in a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before cooking.)

Spaetzle

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Stir in eggs and 3/4 cup of the milk. Continue adding milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until mixture reaches the consistency of thick pancake batter. (Mixture may be slightly lumpy and should fall off a spatula in thin ribbons.) Let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boiling. Set a colander with coarse holes over the pan of rapidly boiling water and pour batter into colander. Press through holes with a rubber spatula. Cook and stir 1 minute; drain. If desired, toss spaetzle with butter and/or pepper.

Hungarian Paprika

Hungarian paprika (ground sweet red pepper) is the key ingredient in goulash. Seek out a high-quality product that is labeled as Hungarian paprika, not ordinary spice-shelf paprika. If your supermarket doesn't have it, look in in specialty spice stores or online.

Food Processor Directions

Place steel blade in food processor. Add all of the flour, salt, and eggs to food processor. Cover and process until mixture forms fine crumbs, about the consistency of cornmeal. With the food processor running, slowly pour the water and oil through the feed tube. Continue processing just until the dough forms a ball. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Cover; let dough rest for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into four equal portions. Continue as directed in Step 3.

Drying Directions

To dry cut noodles, spread noodles on a wire rack or hang them from a pasta-drying rack or clothes hanger. Let pasta dry for up to 2 hours. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before cooking. Or dry the noodles for at least 1 hour; place them in a plastic freezer bag or freezer container. Seal and freeze for up to 8 months before cooking. Add 1 to 2 minutes to cooking time for dried or frozen noodles.

Prepare Homemade Egg Noodles as directed through Step 2. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in airtight freezer container; seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator; continue with Step 3.

Tip

You may use a steamer basket insert instead of the colander when pressing the batter through the holes. The basket should have holes that are 1/8 to 1/4 inch in diameter. If desired, used two wooden spoons to prop the basket over the pan of rapidly boiling water.

Tip

When the spaetzle is done, it will float to the top of the boiling water.