chicken paprikash

so, tonight for dinner I made one of mike's favorite dishes from his childhood, chicken paprikash.  the recipe may not have been very authentic, but it was lighter and in my opinion, very good!

1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4 cup lard (or vegetable oil)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbs. sweet paprika
1 3-lb. chicken, cut into four pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sour cream, plus more to serve with

1. put the bouillon cube in 1/2 cup water and begin to dissolve.
2. heat the lard in a deep skillet or sauté pan large enough to hold the chicken pieces snugly. add the onion; cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 6 to 8 min. it should be well colored but not burned. reduce the heat slightly, add the paprika, and stir for a few minutes to develop the flavor.
3. season the chicken pieces well with salt and pepper and add them to the pan, skin side down. brown them well over medium high, about 7 min. on each side. add the bouillon cube and water to the pan and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer about 15 min. add the green pepper and tomato. replace the lid and simmer until the chicken is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 min. longer, turning the pieces once during cooking.
4. transfer the chicken pieces to a dish and keep them warm while you finish the sauce. using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth. bring the sauce to a boil and boil for a few minutes to concentrate the flavors even more. stir the flour into the sour cream with a fork or whisk and then whisk this into the sauce. simmer for about 4 min. to cook away any floury taste and to bring the flavors together; taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. return the chicken pieces to the pan to reheat and coat them with the sauce.
5. serve over spaetzle and with additional sour cream, if desired.