Chicken Paprikash
Csirkepaprikás — chicken paprikash — is the emblem of Hungarian cuisine: chicken pieces braised slowly in a sauce of onion and sweet Hungarian paprika, finished with thick sour cream for a silky texture. Paprika reached Hungary via the Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth century and became the country's defining ingredient. The quality of the paprika matters enormously — the smoked or sweet variety from Kalocsa sets the character of the whole dish. It is traditionally served with nokedli (small egg dumplings) or homemade noodles. Using full-fat, undiluted sour cream is what separates the original from imitations. Slow braising and the absorption of chicken juices into the sauce are essential.
Rich in protein
Filling and nutritious
Can be frozen
Great for meal prep
Traditional recipe
Authentic taste
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1.5 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks (about 8 pieces)
- 2 large onions (about 400 g), finely diced
- 3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (Édesnemes, preferably from Kalocsa or Szeged), plus 0.5 tsp hot Hungarian paprika (optional)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 medium tomato (about 100 g), peeled and finely diced (or 2 tbsp tomato paste)
- 60 g lard (or 4 tbsp neutral oil)
- 500 ml hot unsalted chicken stock or water
- 200 g full-fat sour cream (at least 20% fat — do NOT use light sour cream, it will split)
- 1 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1.5 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional, traditional in some regions)
- Fresh dill or parsley, chopped, to garnish
How to make it
- 1Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with 1 tsp of the salt and the black pepper; rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- 2Melt the lard in a heavy 28 cm Dutch oven or wide deep pan over medium-high heat; working in two batches, sear the chicken skin-side down for 4–5 minutes, then 3 minutes on the other side, until the skin is deep golden — do not crowd the pan; lift onto a plate.
- 3Reduce the heat to medium and pour off all but about 3 tbsp of the rendered fat; add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until soft, glossy, and fully golden — this slow sweat is the foundation of paprikash flavour.
- 4Add the garlic, red bell pepper, and caraway seeds (if using) and cook for another 2–3 minutes, until the pepper is just softened.
- 5Take the pan off the heat completely; stir in the sweet paprika (and hot paprika if using) — paprika scorches and turns bitter on direct heat, so the pan must be off when it goes in; stir for 30 seconds until the onions are stained a deep brick red and the spice smells warm and sweet.
- 6Return the pan to medium heat; add the diced tomato (or tomato paste) and stir for 1 minute; pour in the hot stock and the remaining 0.5 tsp salt, then nestle the chicken back into the sauce, skin-side up; bring to a gentle simmer.
- 7Cover and braise on the lowest heat for 35–45 minutes, until the chicken pulls easily from the bone and the internal temperature reads 75°C; lift the chicken onto a warm plate and tent with foil while you finish the sauce.
- 8Whisk the flour into the sour cream until smooth, then whisk in a ladle of the hot pan sauce to temper; off the heat, pour the tempered cream back into the pan and stir until silky; return the chicken to the sauce just to warm through, taste and adjust salt, then serve over nokedli, fresh pasta, or buttered noodles with chopped dill on top.
Nutritional info
per serving (~400 ml)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
