This Chicken Paprikash recipe, also known as Hungarian Paprikás Csirke, is a rich and comforting chicken dinner made with tender bone-in chicken, sweet Hungarian paprika, onions, garlic, and a creamy sour cream sauce. It is simple, cozy, and full of deep paprika flavor.
Authentic Hungarian Chicken Paprikash is best served over nokedli, spaetzle, egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes so every spoonful of the creamy paprika sauce is soaked up. The secret is using good-quality Hungarian sweet paprika and adding the sour cream gently at the end so the sauce stays smooth and velvety.
This chicken paprikash recipe is perfect when you want an authentic Hungarian comfort food dinner with simple ingredients and a creamy paprika sauce.
Chicken Paprikash Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Heat lard or oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then brown it on all sides. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- Add the sliced onions to the same pot. Cook until soft, golden, and fragrant.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Lower the heat, then stir in the Hungarian sweet paprika and optional hot paprika. Stir quickly so the paprika blooms in the fat, but do not let it burn.
- Pour in the chicken stock and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the chicken to the pot, bring everything to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Remove the pot from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream with a few spoonfuls of the hot cooking liquid. Stir this mixture back into the sauce gently to prevent curdling.
- Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Serve warm over nokedli, spaetzle, egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Nutrition
Notes
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Let us know how it was!Why You’ll Love This Chicken Paprikash
- Authentic Hungarian comfort food with simple ingredients
- Creamy paprika sauce made with sour cream
- Uses bone-in chicken for deeper flavor
- Perfect with noodles, spaetzle, nokedli, rice, or mashed potatoes
- Cozy dinner ready in about 1 hour
What Is Chicken Paprikash?
Chicken Paprikash is a traditional Hungarian chicken stew made with paprika, onions, chicken, broth, and sour cream. In Hungarian, it is called Paprikás Csirke, which means paprika chicken.
The dish gets its signature red color and warm flavor from Hungarian paprika. The sauce is creamy, slightly tangy from sour cream, and deeply savory from the chicken and onions.
This classic chicken paprikash recipe is loved because it turns a few simple ingredients into a warm, flavorful meal with a rich paprika sauce.
Ingredients
Here is everything you need to make this chicken paprikash recipe at home.
For the Chicken Paprikash
- 6 bone-in chicken pieces, such as thighs and drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons lard, vegetable oil, or olive oil
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika, optional
- 1 cup chicken stock or water
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional Add-Ins
- Diced tomato
- Jarred roasted red peppers
- Sliced banana pepper
- A small splash of heavy cream for a richer sauce
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Best Paprika for Chicken Paprikash
For the best flavor, use Hungarian sweet paprika. This gives Chicken Paprikash its classic color, aroma, and slightly sweet pepper flavor.
You can add a little hot paprika if you want more depth, but avoid using too much smoked paprika if you want the dish to taste more traditional. Smoked paprika can change the flavor and make the sauce taste more Spanish-style than Hungarian.
For a more authentic chicken paprikash recipe, Hungarian sweet paprika is the most important ingredient.
How to Make Chicken Paprikash
1. Brown the Chicken
Heat lard or oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then brown it on all sides. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
2. Cook the Onions
Add the sliced onions to the same pot. Cook until soft, golden, and fragrant. This step builds the sweet, savory base of the sauce.
3. Add Garlic and Paprika
Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Lower the heat, then stir in the Hungarian sweet paprika and optional hot paprika. Stir quickly so the paprika blooms in the fat, but do not let it burn.
The most important part of this chicken paprikash recipe is blooming the paprika gently in the fat without burning it.
4. Add Stock and Simmer
Pour in the chicken stock and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the chicken to the pot, bring everything to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
5. Add the Sour Cream
Remove the pot from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream with a few spoonfuls of the hot cooking liquid. Stir this mixture back into the sauce gently. This helps prevent curdling and keeps the paprika sauce smooth and creamy.
6. Serve
Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Serve warm over nokedli, spaetzle, egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes.
What to Serve With Chicken Paprikash
The best side for authentic Hungarian Chicken Paprikash is nokedli, which are small Hungarian dumplings similar to spaetzle. If you do not have nokedli, serve it with:
- Egg noodles
- Spaetzle
- Rice
- Mashed potatoes
- Buttered noodles
- Crusty bread
These sides help soak up the creamy paprika sauce. This chicken paprikash recipe is especially delicious with egg noodles or nokedli because they hold the sauce well.
Chicken Paprikash Recipe Tips
For the best chicken paprikash recipe, use bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks, high-quality Hungarian sweet paprika, and full-fat sour cream. Add the paprika over lower heat so it blooms in the fat without burning, then simmer the chicken slowly until tender.
Tips for the Best Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
Use bone-in chicken pieces for the richest flavor. Thighs and drumsticks work especially well because they stay juicy during simmering.
Do not burn the paprika. Paprika can turn bitter if cooked over high heat for too long, so add it over lower heat and stir quickly.
Temper the sour cream before adding it to the pot. Mixing sour cream with hot liquid first helps keep the sauce creamy instead of grainy.
Use real Hungarian paprika if possible. The paprika is the main flavor of the dish, so quality makes a big difference.
Can I Use Boneless Chicken?
Yes, you can use boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast, but bone-in chicken gives the sauce more flavor. If using boneless chicken, reduce the cooking time because it cooks faster.
Boneless thighs are better than chicken breast because they stay more tender and juicy.
Can I Make Chicken Paprikash Ahead?
Yes. Chicken Paprikash tastes even better the next day because the paprika sauce has more time to develop flavor. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently over low heat. Avoid boiling the sauce after the sour cream has been added.
How to Store Leftovers
Let the Chicken Paprikash cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For best results, reheat slowly on the stovetop. Add a splash of chicken stock or water if the sauce becomes too thick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chicken Paprikash the same as Paprikás Csirke?
Yes. Chicken Paprikash is the English name for Paprikás Csirke, the traditional Hungarian paprika chicken dish.
What does Chicken Paprikash taste like?
Chicken Paprikash tastes creamy, savory, slightly sweet, and full of warm paprika flavor. The sour cream adds a tangy finish that balances the richness of the sauce.
What kind of paprika should I use?
Use Hungarian sweet paprika for the most authentic flavor. You can add a small amount of hot Hungarian paprika if you want mild heat.
Can I make Chicken Paprikash without sour cream?
Sour cream is traditional and gives the sauce its creamy tang. If needed, you can use Greek yogurt or heavy cream, but the flavor will be slightly different.
What is the best chicken for Chicken Paprikash?
Bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks are best because they stay tender and add more flavor to the sauce.
Is Chicken Paprikash spicy?
Traditional Chicken Paprikash is usually mild. It gets flavor from sweet paprika, not strong heat. Add hot paprika if you want it spicier.
Conclusion
This Chicken Paprikash Recipe is a classic Hungarian comfort food made with tender chicken and a creamy paprika sauce. With sweet Hungarian paprika, onions, garlic, sour cream, and bone-in chicken, this authentic Paprikás Csirke is rich, cozy, and perfect for serving over noodles, nokedli, spaetzle, rice, or mashed potatoes.
This chicken paprikash recipe is a great way to enjoy traditional Hungarian flavor with tender chicken, rich paprika, and a smooth sour cream sauce.
You can also take a look at our other creamy chicken recipes if you are interested.