Description
Chicken Paprikash is a classic Hungarian dish featuring tender chicken thighs and drumsticks simmered in a rich, creamy sauce flavored with sweet Hungarian paprika, onions, and garlic. This comforting one-pot meal is perfect for a hearty dinner and is garnished with fresh parsley for a burst of color and flavor.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks (bone-in skin-on)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 2 large onions (thinly sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (room temperature)
Garnish
- Parsley (chopped, for serving)
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season all over with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper to enhance the flavor.
- Brown the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the onions: Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onions to the same pot and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often until they are very soft and lightly golden, which builds the base flavor of the dish. Do not rush this step.
- Add garlic and paprika: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sweet Hungarian paprika and smoked paprika off the heat to prevent burning and bitterness.
- Prepare the sauce base: Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of flour and stir to coat the onions evenly. Return the pot to medium heat, then stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and 2 cups of chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Simmer the chicken: Return the browned chicken along with any juices back to the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Finish the sauce: Remove the chicken briefly. Whisk ½ cup of sour cream into the sauce until smooth. Return the chicken to the pot and gently warm everything through for 5 minutes without boiling to keep the sauce creamy.
- Serve: Garnish the chicken paprikash with chopped parsley and serve hot, perfect over dumplings, noodles, or rice.
Notes
- Use high-quality sweet Hungarian paprika for authentic flavor—it makes a big difference in this dish.
- Always stir paprika in off the heat to prevent it from burning and becoming bitter.
- Cook onions slowly until very soft to bring out their natural sweetness and develop a rich sauce.
- When adding sour cream, keep the sauce warm and avoid boiling to maintain a smooth texture.
- Leftovers reheat well over low heat; add a splash of broth if the sauce thickens too much.
- To freeze, prepare the recipe up to the point before adding sour cream. Freeze the sauce and chicken separately; add fresh sour cream when reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
