Description
Chicken Paprikash is a classic Hungarian dish featuring tender chicken thighs and drumsticks simmered in a rich, paprika-spiced sauce with caramelized onions and a creamy sour cream finish. This comforting recipe combines sweet Hungarian and smoked paprika with a flavorful tomato broth for a hearty main course perfect for dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks (bone-in skin-on)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce and Cooking
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large onions (thinly sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
- ½ cup sour cream (room temperature)
- parsley (chopped, for serving)
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper to season all sides.
- Brown the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place chicken skin-side down and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté the onions: Reduce heat to medium, add the sliced onions to the pot, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes stirring often until they become very soft and lightly golden to develop natural sweetness.
- Add garlic and paprika: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove pot from heat and immediately stir in 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika to avoid burning and bitterness.
- Make the sauce base: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the onions and stir to coat. Return pot to medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and 2 cups chicken broth while scraping up any browned bits from the pot bottom.
- Simmer chicken: Return the browned chicken along with any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes until chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Finish with sour cream: Remove chicken briefly. Whisk ½ cup sour cream into the sauce until smooth, then return the chicken to the pot and warm gently for 5 minutes without boiling.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped parsley on top and serve the Chicken Paprikash hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Use good quality sweet Hungarian paprika, as it is key to authentic flavor.
- Always add paprika off the heat to prevent burning and bitterness.
- Cook onions slowly until very soft for natural sweetness and sauce body.
- Keep the heat low when incorporating sour cream to avoid curdling; do not boil afterward.
- Reheat leftovers gently over low heat and add broth if the sauce thickens too much.
- For freezing, omit sour cream; add fresh sour cream when reheating.
