Chicken Paprikash

About This Recipe

Csirkepaprikás is one of Hungary's most beloved home-cooked dishes and a showcase for the country's most celebrated spice. Chicken pieces are gently braised in a rich base of onions, sweet paprika and tomatoes until fall-off-the-bone tender, then the sauce is finished with a generous swirl of sour cream that transforms it into a luxuriously silky, coral-coloured gravy. The classic accompaniment is nokedli — tiny Hungarian egg noodles scraped directly into boiling water — which soak up the paprikash sauce perfectly. This is Hungarian grandmother food at its finest: uncomplicated, deeply satisfying and made with love.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.2 kgbone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 2 largeonions(finely diced)
• 3 tablespoonssweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 teaspoonhot smoked paprika
• 2 mediumtomatoes(diced)
• 1green pepper(diced)
• 200 mlchicken stock
• 250 mlsour cream(full-fat)
• 1 tablespoonplain flour
• 2 tablespoonslard or vegetable oil
• salt and pepperto taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the chicken

   Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Heat the lard in a wide, deep pan over medium-high heat and brown the chicken well on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Fry the onions

   In the same pan, fry the diced onions over medium heat until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, add both paprikas and stir immediately to prevent burning. Return to low heat for 30 seconds.

3. 3

   Build the sauce

   Add the diced tomatoes and green pepper to the pan, stir together and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and return the browned chicken to the pan, skin-side up. The liquid should come halfway up the chicken.

4. 4

   Braise

   Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and very tender and beginning to fall from the bone.

5. 5

   Finish with sour cream

   Remove the chicken to a plate. Whisk the flour into the sour cream until smooth, then stir this mixture into the hot sauce. Return the pan to low heat and stir gently for 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens to a silky, coating consistency. Do not boil after adding the sour cream or it may split.

   Tempering the sour cream with a ladle of hot sauce before adding it to the pan helps prevent curdling.

6. 6

   Return chicken and serve

   Return the chicken to the sauce, coat well and heat through for 2 minutes. Serve over nokedli (Hungarian egg noodles) or wide egg pasta, with a final dusting of sweet paprika.

Variations

• •

  Veal paprikash (borjúpaprikás) is equally traditional and considered even more elegant.

• •

  Add a handful of sliced mushrooms with the tomatoes for extra depth.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat; do not boil or the sauce may break.

Frequently Asked Questions