Ah, the classic Hungarian Chicken Paprikash (Csirkepaprikás)! 🍗🇭🇺 This is one of Hungary’s most famous comfort foods—tender chicken in a rich, creamy paprika sauce, traditionally served with nokedli (small Hungarian dumplings) or rice.
Here’s a reliable, authentic recipe:
🍗 Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
🧾 Ingredients (4 servings)
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg / 3 lb), cut into pieces or 4–6 chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp lard, butter, or oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2–3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1–2 tsp hot paprika (optional, for spice)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced (optional)
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped or 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 250 ml (1 cup) chicken broth or water
- 100–150 ml (½–⅔ cup) sour cream (tejföl)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
👩🍳 Instructions
- Sauté Onions
- Heat lard or butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Cook onions until soft and golden.
- Add Paprika
- Remove pot from heat briefly, stir in sweet paprika (and hot paprika if using).
- Stir quickly to avoid burning.
- Brown Chicken
- Add chicken pieces and coat with the onion-paprika mixture.
- Cook a few minutes on each side until lightly browned.
- Add Garlic & Veggies
- Stir in garlic, bell pepper, and tomatoes (or tomato paste).
- Simmer
- Pour in chicken broth to partially cover the chicken.
- Cover and simmer 30–40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Finish with Sour Cream
- Remove a few tablespoons of hot liquid from the pot and mix into sour cream (to prevent curdling).
- Stir the sour cream mixture back into the pot, off the heat.
- Serve
- Garnish with fresh parsley.
- Traditionally served with nokedli, rice, or boiled potatoes.
⭐ Tips for Perfect Paprikash
- Do not overheat paprika; it burns easily and becomes bitter.
- Using dark meat (thighs or drumsticks) gives the richest flavor.
- The sauce should be slightly thickened but saucy, not dry.
- Let it rest 10 minutes before serving—the flavors deepen beautifully.
If you want, I can also give a step-by-step “nokedli + paprikash plate” guide, so you can make it exactly like a traditional Hungarian family dinner, complete with the dumplings.
Do you want me to do that?
