Traditional Hungarian chicken paprikash recipe

It is one of the most popular Hungarian dishes, as it has everything that characterizes Hungarian cuisine: paprika, pepper, onion, garlic, garlic, green pepper, tomato, sour cream and meat. There’s even a Hungarian play called Chicken Paprikash! It is a relatively new dish in European terms, as it has been around for less than 200 years.

Chicken paprikash is a delicious and very simple dish to prepare. However, to get the most flavor, you need to use good quality Hungarian paprika, such as Kalocsa or Szeged sweet Hungarian paprika.

How to make the best chicken paprikash?

The sauce shouldn’t be too much and too thin. This can happen if you’ve added too much water and too little onion. Do not add all the stock at once, but add it in small portions.
Make sure that the paprika does not burn in the hot oil, or the dish will taste bitter. When adding paprika, always remove the pot from the heat as it can be burnt very quickly.
Don’t forget to use sour cream. Traditionally, the sour cream version is called chicken paprikash and the plain version is called chicken stew.
Each Hungarian household has its own way of making chicken paprikash. The sour cream makes the flavors even creamier and richer, so it’s our favorite version. You can’t go wrong with this recipe, just give it a try!

Hungarian chicken paprikash recipe

Each Hungarian household has its own way of making chicken paprikash. The sour cream makes the flavors even creamier and richer, so it's our favorite version. You can't go wrong with this recipe, just give it a try!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Course Main Course

Cuisine Hungarian

Servings 4 people

Calories 779 kcal

Ingredients

2 tbsp duck fat (or 3 tbsp cooking oil)
3 lb of chicken legs
2 red onions large size
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 tomato medium size
1 bell pepper red or yellow
6 cups of chicken stock or water
3 tsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp flour or starch
salt and pepper

Instructions

Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper, then brown lightly on both sides in a large pot.
Remove the chicken legs from the pot and set aside.
Add the finely chopped onion and thinly sliced garlic to the pot and sauté until translucent.
Add the peeled and finely chopped tomatoes and peppers.
Cook the whole mixture until it turns a nice golden brown color, then add 2 cups of the stock.
After about 15-20 minutes of simmering, your onion-pepper-tomato base will be homogeneous and creamy, which is what you need for the perfect sauce!
Add the sweet paprika, stir and then add the pre-cooked chicken.
Add another cup of stock and cook until lightly browned.
Add 3 cups of stock, cover the pot and cook the chicken until tender.
Mix the sour cream and flour in a small bowl using a whisk.
Temper the sour cream mixture with some of the pan juices.
Add the mixture to the pot and make sure the sauce is completely mixed with the sour cream.
add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook over a low heat until juices are thickened.
Portion into bowls and serve with Hungarian dumplings (nokedli), another type of noodle, or rice. In addition, Hungarians traditionally serve it with cucumber salad or pickles.