Description
Classic Hungarian Chicken Paprikash is a comforting one-pot dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a creamy, paprika-spiced sauce made with sweet Hungarian paprika, onions, garlic, and sour cream. This traditional recipe is perfect for a hearty dinner and is served hot garnished with fresh parsley.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks (bone-in skin-on)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 2 large onions (thinly sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (room temperature)
Garnish
- Parsley (chopped, for serving)
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season all over with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper to enhance flavor.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove to a plate.
- Cook the Onions: Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onions to the same pot and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and lightly golden, which develops natural sweetness for the sauce.
- Add Garlic and Paprika: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the pot from the heat and immediately stir in sweet Hungarian paprika and smoked paprika to prevent burning and bitterness.
- Make the Sauce Base: Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of flour and stir well to coat the onions. Return pot to medium heat, then stir in tomato paste and chicken broth while scraping up any browned bits for richness.
- Simmer the Chicken: Return the browned chicken along with any juices to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Finish with Sour Cream: Remove the chicken briefly. Whisk in sour cream into the sauce until smooth, then return the chicken to the pot and gently warm everything together for 5 minutes without boiling to keep the sauce creamy.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped parsley on top and serve hot for a delicious meal.
Notes
- Use high-quality sweet Hungarian paprika for authentic flavor; lower-quality paprika can diminish the dish’s character.
- Always add paprika off the heat to prevent it from burning and turning bitter.
- Cook onions slowly until very soft to develop natural sweetness and body in the sauce.
- Keep heat low when adding sour cream and avoid boiling to maintain a smooth sauce texture.
- Leftovers reheat well on low heat with occasional stirring; add a splash of broth if sauce thickens.
- If freezing, do not add sour cream beforehand; add fresh sour cream when reheating to preserve texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
