Czech Chicken Paprikash
Tender chicken in a velvety sour cream-paprika sauce — Czechia's lighter cousin of the Hungarian classic, served with bread dumplings.
About This Recipe
Czech chicken paprikash differs subtly from the Hungarian original: less smoky, more sour cream, served with bread dumplings instead of pasta. Cooked in a single pot, chicken pieces are simmered with onion, paprika and stock, then enriched at the end with sour cream and a touch of flour. It is the dish of weeknight family dinners across Bohemia.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 1 kgchicken thighs and drumsticks(bone-in)
- 2 largeonions(finely chopped)
- 60 gbutter
- 30 mlvegetable oil
- 3 tbspHungarian sweet paprika
- 1 tspsmoked paprika
- 1/2 tsphot paprika(or chilli flakes)
- 2bay leaves
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- 1red bell pepper(diced)
- 300 mlchicken stock
- 200 mlsour cream
- 30 gplain flour
- 1 tspsalt
- 1/2 tspblack pepper
- Bread dumplings or buttered noodles, to serve
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Brown chicken
Heat butter and oil in a heavy casserole. Salt chicken and brown skin-side down 6 min until golden. Flip 4 min. Remove.
- 2
Cook onions
Add onions to the pot. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 15 min stirring often until deeply caramelised.
- 3
Add paprika
Off heat — add all paprikas, tomato paste, bay leaves. Stir well. Paprika scorches if added on direct high heat.
- 4
Build sauce
Return to medium heat. Add bell pepper. Pour in stock, scraping bottom. Return chicken.
- 5
Simmer
Cover and simmer 30 min. Chicken should be cooked through and tender.
- 6
Make slurry
Whisk flour into sour cream until smooth. Spoon a few tablespoons of hot sauce into the cream slowly to temper, then stir back into pot.
- 7
Finish
Simmer 5 min on low (don't boil — sour cream may split). Adjust salt.
- 8
Serve
Serve over bread dumplings or noodles. Top with chopped parsley.
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Pro Tips
- →
Always add paprika OFF the heat — it scorches into bitterness on direct flame.
- →
The onions must be deeply caramelised — that's the foundation of every paprika dish.
Variations
- •
Pork paprikash (vepřový paprikáš) — substitute pork shoulder, increase cook time to 75 min
- •
Add 200g mushrooms in step 4
- •
Vegetarian: replace chicken with 800g large potato chunks + 200g mushrooms
Storage
Refrigerate 4 days. Reheat gently — sour cream sauces split if boiled hard.
History & Origin
Paprikash entered Bohemian kitchens via the Habsburg Empire's Hungarian regions in the 19th century. The Czech version evolved with more sour cream and the substitution of bread dumplings for the Hungarian galuska (egg pasta). It became standard family dinner fare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cream alternative?
Crème fraîche or full-fat Greek yoghurt work. Light sour cream will split.
Why temper the cream?
Mixing hot sauce into cold cream gradually prevents the proteins from seizing into curds.
Can I make this with chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, but add it later — breast cooks in about 12–15 minutes, so stir it in after the sauce is built rather than simmering it the full 30 minutes or it will dry out.
How do I reheat leftovers without splitting the sauce?
Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often, and never let it boil. A splash of stock or milk helps loosen the sauce as it warms.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · 4 servings total
Time Summary
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