Description
Authentic Chicken Paprikash is a traditional Hungarian comfort dish featuring tender, bone-in chicken pieces simmered in a rich, creamy paprika-infused sauce. This hearty recipe combines sweet onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes with Hungarian sweet paprika, finished with a luscious sour cream sauce, perfect served over egg noodles for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2.5 pounds whole chicken, cut into pieces (bone-in, skin on – 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 wings)
- 1 ½ tsp table salt (to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper (to taste)
- 3 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika (or substitute 1 tbsp with hot or smoked paprika)
Vegetables
- 2 cups sweet onion, small dice
- 1 cup red bell pepper, small dice (or green pepper)
- 1 cup Roma tomatoes, chopped (or regular tomato)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Liquids and Thickening
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sour cream (full fat, at room temperature)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Garnish
- 1 tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Brown the Chicken: Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes per side until golden. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Sauté Onions: Add diced onions to the pan and cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until they are golden brown and softened.
- Add Garlic, Peppers, and Tomatoes: Stir in minced garlic, diced bell peppers, and chopped tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes to meld flavors.
- Add Paprika and Seasonings: Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Hungarian sweet paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix well without burning the paprika to avoid bitterness.
- Simmer Chicken: Return the browned chicken pieces to the pan. Pour in chicken broth until most of the chicken is covered. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45-60 minutes until chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Remove Chicken and Reduce Sauce: Take the chicken out and keep warm tented with foil. Increase heat to medium and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally to deglaze the pan and thicken the sauce.
- Prepare Sour Cream Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and heavy cream. Whisk in the flour until smooth to prevent lumps.
- Thicken the Sauce: Gradually whisk the sour cream mixture into the simmering sauce, stirring constantly. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Re-season and Reheat Chicken: Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the sauce, increase heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Serve: Serve the chicken and sauce over egg noodles and garnish with finely chopped Italian parsley for a classic finish.
Notes
- This Chicken Paprikash recipe offers a comforting Hungarian-style dish that is both flavorful and creamy.
- The paprika is critical; avoid burning it as it turns bitter quickly.
- Using bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces adds extra flavor and richness to the sauce.
- Serving over egg noodles is traditional and perfect to soak up the creamy sauce.
- For a spicier twist, substitute a portion of sweet paprika with hot paprika.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 396 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 959 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 108 mg
