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Broiled Paprika Chicken

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on November 3, 2011

Yield

Serves 4

Broiled Paprika Chicken

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened3 cloves garlic, minced1 tablespoon paprika Salt and pepper 4 split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)

Before You Begin

Broilers vary in heat output, so cooking times can vary dramatically. When you are broiling chicken, it is best to use an instant-read thermometer or cut into the thickest part of the breast to check for doneness.

Instructions

  1. Adjust one oven rack to lowest position (rack should be 13 inches away from broiler element) and second oven rack to highest position (about 5 inches away from broiler element) and heat broiler. Line bottom of broiler pan with foil and fit with slotted broiler-pan top.
  2. Mash butter, garlic, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in small bowl to form paste. Using fingers, carefully loosen skin from meat. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of butter mixture under skin of each breast, then work butter evenly under skin. Rub both sides of chicken breasts with remaining 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken skin side down on broiler-pan top.
  3. Broil on lower rack until just beginning to brown, 12 to 16 minutes. Turn chicken skin side up and continue to broil on lower rack until skin is slightly crisp and thickest part of meat registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 10 to 16 minutes. Move pan to upper rack and broil until skin is spotty brown and crisp, about 1 minute. Serve.
Broiled Paprika Chicken

Broiled Paprika Chicken

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
Salt and pepper
4 split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
Salt and pepper
4 split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
Salt and pepper
4 split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted a quicker version of this classic Hungarian dish, without sacrificing any flavor. Our Broiled Paprika Chicken recipe uses bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts. Smearing the paprika-butter spread beneath the chicken skin ensured the spread won’t slide off the meat. Coating the exposed surface of the breast with additional paprika, salt, and pepper gave the chicken a crisp, deeply flavored, brick red exterior. To ensure the crisp skin, we broiled the chicken breasts skin side down, then finished them skin side up.

Before You Begin

Broilers vary in heat output, so cooking times can vary dramatically. When you are broiling chicken, it is best to use an instant-read thermometer or cut into the thickest part of the breast to check for doneness.

Instructions

  1. Adjust one oven rack to lowest position (rack should be 13 inches away from broiler element) and second oven rack to highest position (about 5 inches away from broiler element) and heat broiler. Line bottom of broiler pan with foil and fit with slotted broiler-pan top.
  2. Mash butter, garlic, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in small bowl to form paste. Using fingers, carefully loosen skin from meat. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of butter mixture under skin of each breast, then work butter evenly under skin. Rub both sides of chicken breasts with remaining 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken skin side down on broiler-pan top.
  3. Broil on lower rack until just beginning to brown, 12 to 16 minutes. Turn chicken skin side up and continue to broil on lower rack until skin is slightly crisp and thickest part of meat registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 10 to 16 minutes. Move pan to upper rack and broil until skin is spotty brown and crisp, about 1 minute. Serve.

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