Chicken Paprikash (Paprikás Csirke) may be the second most popular Hungarian dish after gulyás. Both dishes rely on paprika for flavor and color. Yet paprikash, with paprika right in the name, takes it over the top. To create this version I sleuthed out the common elements in many authentic Hungarian recipes. The recipe uses bone-in chicken pieces and makes a flavorful sauce that is perfect over noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.
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A note on paprika
The paprika common in U.S. grocery stores is quite bland. In most recipes we use it for color more than flavor. You may find “Hungarian-style” paprika for sale however I suspect that is a marketing tool rather than an indication of the flavor or quality of the product. Imported Hungarian paprika on the other hand will impart a lot of flavor, the nature of which depends on the variety. Most Hungarian paprikash recipes call for a variety known as édesnemes, sweet, peppery and not smoked. It is often labeled as “Sweet Hungarian Paprika.” That’s the variety I used in this recipe. Feel free to experiment with other varieties, like hot or smoked. If you can’t find Hungarian paprika, you could use Spanish paprika in this recipe.
Getting started
Cut up a whole chicken or use 3-4 pounds of chicken pieces. Season the pieces with salt and pepper and brown on all sides in some melted lard. Meanwhile peel and dice two onions; clean and chop a bell or Hungarian pepper, if using. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan when browned. Sautee the onion in the lard until they are glossy but not browned. Add crushed garlic and diced pepper; season with 2 tablespoons of paprika and sautée for a minute on lower heat. Be careful not to burn the paprika.
Some paprikash recipes call for tomatoes and others do not. Technically speaking the only necessary ingredients are chicken, onions and paprika (and maybe sour cream). The other ingredients are flavor enhancers. I think tomatoes complement a stewed dish very well so we’re using them.
Add 3-4 chopped roma tomatoes or a 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes (if using tomatoes). Stir in one cup of water and combine well with the sautéed vegetables. Bring this mixture to a simmer over med-high burner then turn down the heat. Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables.
Here’s where it gets really colorful. Sprinkle one of the remaining 2 tablespoons paprika over all the chicken. Save the other tablespoon of paprika for the other side of the chicken pieces after you turn them. Keep the flame low to simmer the chicken, covered, for 30 minutes. Check periodically and add water if needed.
In the meantime
While your chicken stews, prepare the ingredients for the sauce and starch side, if serving one. A perfect pairing are Hungarian noodles (nokedli), which we haven’t made yet on this blog. A good alternative is German spaetzle, which you can purchase at grocery stores (Aldi markets often carry it). The store-bought noodles might be too long to substitute for Hungarian nokedli. Before you cook the spaetzle or other egg noodles, chop them up a little. This will make them closer to the desired shape. Boil water and cook noodles according to package directions (or your recipe).
To thicken the sauce, stir the flour into the sour cream and heavy cream in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Set this aside until the chicken is finished. After the first 20 minutes of simmering, turn over the pieces of chicken in the pot, sprinkle them with the remaining tablespoon of paprika and continue simmering another 10 minutes or until tender.
Finishing touches
When the chicken is cooked to your liking, remove it to a serving dish while you thicken the sauce.
Stir a few spoons of the paprikash sauce into the bowl of cream. This will temper it and prevent it from curdling if you were to add the cold cream directly to the pot of hot sauce. Add the tempered cream to the pot and stir well to combine. You will notice the sauce turns from bright red to orange.
Temper the sour cream mixture with some hot paprikash sauce
Ladle the creamy paprikash sauce over the chicken in the serving dish. Portion cooked noodles, rice or potatoes in serving dishes, top with chicken and sauce. Serve with a dollop of sour cream if desired.
Chicken Paprikás
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds bone-in chicken
- 4 Tbsp lard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 onions, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced optional
- 1 green or red bell or Hungarian pepper, chopped optional
- 4 Tbsp Hungarian paprika, divided sweet édes nemes
- 4 roma tomatoes, diced optional
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sour cream best with full fat sour cream
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 pound spaetzle or Hungarian nokedli
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into pieces and pat dry. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Melt lard in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Brown chicken on all sides. Remove to another dish.
- Sautee onions until glossy but not brown; add the garlic, bell pepper and 2 tablespoons of the paprika. Turn down the heat so the paprika doesn't burn and cook another minute more.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and water; mix. Bring the vegetables to a simmer.
- Turn the heat down to low and place the chicken pieces in the pot. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the remaining paprika on the chicken; save the final tablespoon for the other side of the chicken pieces.
- Cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes. Add more water if necessary, checking periodically.
- In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, heavy cream and flour; stir until smooth.
- Meanwhile, cook spaetzle or noodles. Drain when done.
- Flip the chicken pieces over in the pot. Season with remaining tablespoon of paprika. Cover and contine to simmer another 10 minutes or until tender.
- Remove the chicken pieces to a serving dish or platter.
- Ladle a few spoonsful of sauce into the bowl of sour cream; stir to temper it. Adding cold cream to a hot, acidic sauce will cause it to curdle.
- Stir the tempered cream mixture into the sauce until blended. Cook for a few minutes uncovered, simmering but not boiling. The sauce will thicken somewhat.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces. Serve chicken and sauce over or beside cooked noodles. Garnish with extra sour cream and paprika.