🇭🇺 Chicken Paprikash — Paprikás Csirke

A classic Hungarian comfort food made with tender chicken simmered in a rich paprika and onion sauce, finished with sour cream. Traditionally served with nokedli (Hungarian dumplings).

Ingredients — 4 servings

• 1 kg chicken thighs or drumsticks
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or lard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 250 ml chicken stock or water
• 200 g sour cream
• 1 tbsp flour
• Salt and black pepper
• ½ tsp caraway seeds, optional
• Fresh parsley, optional

👩‍🍳 Method

1. Brown the chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil or lard in a large pot and brown the chicken on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. Cook the onions: Add the onions to the pot and cook over medium-low heat for 7–10 minutes, until soft and golden.
3. Add the paprika: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the Hungarian paprika and garlic. This prevents the paprika from burning and becoming bitter.
4. Build the sauce: Add the tomato, bell pepper, and caraway seeds. Return the chicken to the pot and pour in the stock.
5. Simmer: Cover and simmer gently for 35–45 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
6. Make it creamy: Mix the sour cream with the flour and a few spoonfuls of the hot cooking liquid. Stir until smooth, then add it to the pot.
7. Cook gently for another 5 minutes. Avoid vigorous boiling after adding the sour cream.
8. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

🍽️ Serve with

The traditional pairing is nokedli, Hungarian egg dumplings. Egg noodles, rice, or boiled potatoes also work well.

🌶️ Authentic tip: Use plenty of good-quality Hungarian sweet paprika and don’t fry it directly over high heat—the paprika should flavor the sauce without becoming bitter.