This classic traditional Chicken Paprikas’ dish with dumplings is one the all-time signature dishes known within the Hungarian cuisine. The chicken is tender and so flavourful with the homemade dumplings absorbing this luxurious rich and delicious creamy sauce. It is one of the best Hungarian dishes known by many.
Chicken paprikas’ is the ultimate classic Hungarian dish known throughout the world. Growing up, I had the privilege of cooking side by side with my Mom. She learned a lot from her Mom-Grandma who both were exceptional cooks and bakers. This dish was often made for special occasions for our family. The sweet Hungarian paprika is the only paprika to use in this recipe to enjoy the true authentic flavours.
Homemade Hungarian Nokedli or dumplings and would often serve with this chicken paprikash. Most often Cucumber salad, homemade dill pickles were part of the meal. Try one of these Hungary’s famous wines – Irsai Oliver is light and refreshing or the Cserszegi Fuszeres for more of a full-bodied wine. Enjoy! Elevz!
When travelling through Budapest many years ago, this dish is one of the most popular traditional Hungarian meals you would find throughout Budapest. I have to say we ordered this dish often and they were very similar in flavour and presentation. It has been my experience, the best places to find the true authentic meals are these tiny, hidden, family owned restaurants. You will find yourself sitting in their kitchen enjoying a home cooked meal with the true cultural flavours and always made with love.
COOKING TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
- I recommend using the sweet Hungarian paprika for this dish or any Hungarian dish that calls for paprika. Hungary is world-wide known for it’s rich red paprika, and the smoky pungent spice is one of distinction and flavour. It is one that cannot be compared.
- Deciding on the chicken pieces to use for this dish does vary. Growing up on a farm we had access to chicken and Mom would cut up a whole chicken or use a variety of chicken pieces with bone-in and skin-on. I have cooked this dish too many times to count and I made it Mom’s way or boneless and skinless chicken thighs and breasts. Traditionally the Hungarians would cut a whole chicken and use those pieces. Many believed with the bone-in and skin-on added lots of flavour and I can’t disagree with that! Which ever pieces you decide the flavours will be there and you will thoroughly enjoy it!
- The trick to this dish is when you are browning the meat. If you are using boneless and skinless chicken pieces, I would suggest to slowly add a few drops of water to avoid the meat sticking to the pan. Once the meat is browned on both sides, then add the broth or water.
- I recommend adding a Roma tomato, as this variety has a sweet flavour and less water content to create a rich thick sauce that you want to add to this dish. You can substitute it for a vine tomato, and cut the tomato in quarters.
- Sour cream is very traditional and used often in Hungarian dishes, however, you can substitute this for Greek yogurt, keeping in mind the slight difference in flavour and yogurt is made from fermented milk and sour cream is made from fermented cream.
HOMEMADE DUMPLINGS - NOKEDLI
Hungarian’s refer to Nokedli as dumplings, a small version of the German take on spaetzle. This small dumpling has been traditional in our family when we made Chicken Paprikas’. If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, you could always use a plate and teaspoon. When I was very young, we would make the dough by adding a cup of the dough to a plate, and using a teaspoon we would add small dollops to the boiling water. Surprisingly, it actually worked very well. A hint, you have to work quite quickly, as you don’t want the dumplings sitting in the boiling water for too long. Dumpling recipe can be found: Dumplings (Nokedli) or pasta or rice can be substituted for dumplings.
INGREDIENTS
- Unsalted butter: or vegetable oil or bacon fat (lard was use initially as the fat to use, however, now we have many options and my preference is butter or oil
- Onion
- Hungarian sweet paprika
- Pepper
- Chicken pieces: thighs, legs, breasts, with skin-on and bone in or skinless and boneless and my choice is to use antibiotic/hormone free or organic chicken
- Chicken broth or water
- Roma tomato
- Hot Hungarian pepper-optional
- Salt
- Sour cream: I like to use organic if possible
- Flour/arrowroot or corn starch
- Parsley: garnish
HOW TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS DISH
Begin by adding onions to a warm skillet with butter or oil. Sauté the onions for about 4-5 minutes and once tender and transparent, stir in the paprika and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces to the skillet with skin side down.
Browning meat: when adding the chicken pieces, avoid moving them for about 3-4 minutes on each side until it has browned. If you are using boneless and skinless chicken pieces, add a small amount of water to avoid the chicken pieces from sticking to the pan, about 1/4 cup. Once the chicken pieces are browned, then add the remaining water, tomato, hot pepper if using, and salt. Place the lid on the skillet/pot and reduce heat to simmer so it’s a slow boil for 40 minutes until the chicken is tender.
Making the creamy thick sauce: add the sour cream and flour/starch into a bowl, then add some of the sauce from the skillet into the bowl, and mix well using a wire whisk until you get a smooth consistency.
Once the sour cream, flour/starch and liquid from the pot is thoroughly combined, then turn the temperature up so the chicken is boiling and slowly add the sour cream mixture. Move the chicken to the sides of the skillet and mix well with the wire whisk. Once it thickens remove the skillet from the heat.
When cooking the chicken in it’s sauce for about 45 minutes, and it all depends on the size of your chicken pieces. Smaller pieces will take 30-40 minutes, and larger or several pieces will need 40-50 minutes. The results should be this creamy, rich and vibrant colour that is so flavourful that you will be asking for more and licking your dish.
The traditional way to enjoy this dish is with homemade Dumplings or Nokedli and if you have never had it, I highly recommend you give it try with using a spaetzle maker, which saves you a lot of time. You will never go back to pasta as the nokedli absorbs the sauce and it tastes heavenly! We all know, when time is limited, pasta is always an excellent substitution.
This authentic Hungarian dish is one that your would you will want to keep for those special occasions. This delicious dish is rich in a smoky paprika flavour with a creamy sauce and when sour cream is added it balances the flavours. It’s perfect for a dinner party if you happen to make the dumplings, you would definitely impress your guests. If you don’t have the time to make dumplings, any gluten or gluten-free pasta, egg noodles or rice would work well. I hope you give this recipe a try, it is one of the easiest recipes and the outcome is outstanding!
Did you make this recipe? I would love to here your comments…….
DUMPLING (NOKEDLI) RECIPE Homemade Dumplings (Nokedli)
Recommend using a spaetzle maker to make these dumplings. Dumplings can be added to any of the paprika dishes I have on my blog or the famous Hungarian Goulash. It freezes really well too!
Store this dish in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days in a container with a lid. Freeze up to 2 months in a freezer safe container.
Authentic Hungarian Chicken Paprikas’ – Csirkepaprikas’
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, oil or bacon fat
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1½ tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 6 (2 lbs) chicken thighs, legs, or chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
- 2 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 whole Roma tomato, quartered
- 1 inch slice hot Hungarian pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup organic sour cream
- 2 tbsp flour/arrowroot starch/corn starch
- chopped parsley, garnish
- serve with homemade dumplings or pasta
Instructions
- Using a large skillet, or cast iron pot, over medium heat, add butter or oil and once heated, add chopped onions and sauté for about 4-5 minutes, until they are transparent. Stir in sweet paprika and black pepper and mix in with the onions.
- Add chicken pieces to the skillet, skin side down and cook for 3-4 minutes, once browned, flip pieces and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Juices from the chicken will start forming.
- Once chicken is browned, add chicken broth, tomato and hot pepper (if using). The liquid should almost cover the chicken pieces. Season with salt and partially place the lid on the skillet/pot and reduce heat to simmer so it's a slow boil for 40 minutes, remove lid and cook for another 15 minutes. Chicken should be cooked and tender.
- To a make the creamy thick sauce, add the sour cream and flour/starch into a medium bowl, then add some of the sauce from the skillet into the bowl, and mix well using a wire whisk until you get a smooth consistency. Turn up the temperature to a medium boil and slowly add the sour cream mixture and move the chicken to the sides of the skillet and mix well with the wire whisk. Once it thickens, should take about 3-5 minutes, remove the skillet from the heat.
- Serve with homemade dumplings or pasta. ENJOY!
- If you like spicy food, you could substitute the hot pepper for a half of a teaspoon of the hot paprika in addition to the sweet paprika. Either way, you will go back for seconds!
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Looks delicious, can’t wait to try it.
Thank you Joanna. Once you taste this dish, you’ll definitely want to be including it in your personal recipe collection.
Thankyou for this recipe. Chicken paprika’s is the Best. 😋. Soooo Delicious and Yummy.😋 A dish to make often.😍
Hi Marilyn,
Oh you are so welcome….I agree, it is the BEST!
Thank you so much for you rating and comment
Rose