Chicken paprikash, or paprikás csirke, is a classic Hungarian comfort food, with tender chicken simmered in a rich, savory sauce made with plenty of paprika and finished with sour cream. This chicken paprikash recipe is adapted from America’s Test Kitchen, with a few changes of my own. Traditionally, the dish is made with bone-in chicken, but I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs—they cook quickly in the sauce and can be easily pulled into bite-size pieces, so there are no bones to navigate at the dinner table.
Spoon the chicken and its creamy paprika sauce over buttered egg noodles, with an extra dollop of sour cream on the side. And if you love the warm, earthy flavor of paprika, try my Hungarian goulash next—it puts the spice to equally good use in a hearty beef stew.
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Paprikash
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Used to sauté the vegetables and build the flavorful base of the sauce.
- Onion, red bell pepper, and garlic: Cook down until soft and savory, adding sweetness and depth to the sauce.
- Diced tomatoes and tomato paste: Diced tomatoes add body and acidity, while tomato paste gives the sauce a deeper, more concentrated tomato flavor.
- Chicken broth: Provides the liquid for simmering the chicken and forms the base of the sauce.
- Paprika: The signature flavor of chicken paprikash. For best results, look for sweet Hungarian paprika at well-stocked grocery stores, spice shops, or online. But don’t worry if you can only find regular paprika—I’ve made it that way plenty of times, and it’s still delicious. Avoid smoked paprika, which has a very different flavor.
- Cayenne pepper: Adds a subtle touch of heat without making the dish spicy.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Traditional chicken paprikash is typically made with bone-in chicken, but boneless thighs make this version easier to cook (and eat) while still staying juicy and tender as they simmer.
- Sour cream and flour: Sour cream gives the sauce its creamy, tangy finish, while flour helps thicken and stabilize it.
- Fresh parsley: An optional finishing touch that adds freshness and a pop of color.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How to Make Chicken Paprikash
Soften the vegetables: Cook the onion and bell pepper until they’re soft and starting to relax, then stir in the tomato paste and garlic. This builds the savory base of the sauce.
Cook down the tomatoes and build the sauce: Add the tomatoes and cook until the vegetables are very soft and most of the liquid has cooked away. This concentrates the flavor. Stir in the broth, paprika, and seasonings.
Simmer and shred the chicken: Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate, then use two forks to pull it into bite-size pieces.
Make the creamy sauce: Stir the sour cream and flour together until smooth—the flour prevents the sour cream from curdling when it is added to the sauce—then gradually whisk in some of the hot cooking liquid. Whisk the mixture back into the pot until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Finish the paprikash: Return the chicken and juices to the pot and gently simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly and everything is warmed through. Finish with parsley and serve with buttered egg noodles or spaetzle (Hungarian nokedli), with extra sour cream if desired. Mashed potatoes or crusty bread are also delicious options.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
More Comforting Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
Coq au Vin
Chicken Cacciatore
Moroccan Chicken Tagine
Marry Me Chicken
Chicken Paprikash
This chicken paprikash recipe is a cozy Hungarian classic, with tender chicken and a creamy, paprika-rich sauce.
Servings 4 to 6
Calories 413kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced thin
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
- ⅓ cup sour cream, plus extra for serving
- 3 tablespoons tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional for serving
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven (at least 5 qts/5L), heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are very soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken and arrange the thighs so they are submerged in the liquid. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes, flipping the thighs halfway through.
- Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate and, using two forks, pull each thigh into large bite-size pieces. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir the sour cream and flour together with a fork until smooth. Gradually whisk in about ½ cup of the pot’s hot cooking liquid to temper the sour cream. Slowly pour the mixture into the pot, whisking constantly until fully incorporated.
- Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot and stir gently to coat with the sauce. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened and the chicken is warmed through. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
- Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve with buttered egg noodles and extra sour cream on the side, if desired.
Notes
Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The chicken and sauce can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best texture, wait to add the sour cream mixture until just before serving. Reheat gently over medium heat, then finish with the sour cream mixture as directed. Once the sour cream has been added, leftovers can also be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
To freeze, do so before adding the sour cream, as the sauce may separate slightly once thawed. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as directed above.
Nutrition
Per serving (6 servings)Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 188mg | Sodium: 1007mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g
Nutritional Data Disclaimer
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you’re following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
The post Chicken Paprikash appeared first on Once Upon a Chef.
