Hearty Hungarian Csirkepaprikás with Sour Cream

Traditional Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

A rich and flavorful Hungarian classic, featuring tender chicken simmered in a creamy paprika sauce, served with a dollop of sour cream.

1 h 30 min
4
Intermediate

Ingredients

For the Chicken Paprikash

2 lbs chicken thighs and drumsticks

skin-on and bone-in

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions

finely chopped

3 cloves garlic

minced

3 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup diced tomatoes

canned or fresh

Salt and pepper

to taste

For the Sauce

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

For Plating

Fresh parsley

chopped, for garnish

1 teaspoon lemon zest

optional

For the Accompaniments

Cooked egg noodles or dumplings

Crusty bread

Preparation

Marinating the Chicken

Season Chicken

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

Rest

Let the chicken rest for about 20 minutes to absorb the seasoning.

Dry

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.

Preparing the Sauce

Mix Sour Cream and Flour

In a bowl, mix the sour cream with the flour until smooth.

Add Smoked Paprika

Stir the smoked paprika into the sour cream mixture.

Avoid curdling the sauce by ensuring the sour cream mixture is at room temperature before adding it to the hot dish. For a thicker sauce, reduce the chicken broth by simmering longer before adding the sour cream blend.

Cooking Process

Sautéing the Onions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté onions until translucent.

Heat: Medium. Duration: Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Browning the Chicken

Add chicken pieces to the pot, browning them on all sides for about 8 minutes.

Heat: Medium-high. Timing: 8 minutes.

Simmering the Sauce

Stir in garlic and sweet paprika, then add chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Simmer on low heat with the lid on for 45 minutes.

Heat: Low. Duration: 45 minutes.

Plating & Serving

Hearty Hungarian Csirkepaprikás with Sour Cream

FaUtensils

Presentation

Serve the Chicken Paprikash over a bed of egg noodles or dumplings, topped with a generous spoonful of creamy sauce and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

FaLeaf

Garnish

Add fresh parsley and lemon zest on top for brightness.

Sauce Pairings

Creamy Paprika Sauce

Sour cream and flour sauce — creamy with a touch of smoked paprika

Crusty Bread

Perfect for soaking up the sauce

Garnishes & Accompaniments

Fresh parsleyLemon zest

Perfect Sides

Egg noodles

Traditional Hungarian dumplings