Description
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash is a classic, comforting dish featuring tender chicken simmered in a rich, paprika-infused sauce served over traditional soft dumplings. This home-style recipe uses simple ingredients like Vidalia onion, sweet paprika, and sour cream to create a hearty and flavorful meal reminiscent of traditional Hungarian cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Paprikash
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 Vidalia onion, chopped
- 1 whole chicken, cut up with skin intact
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 3 chicken bouillon cubes (or more to taste)
- 1/2 pint water (to add later to broth)
- 1 pint sour cream (to add later to broth)
- 4 tablespoons flour (or more for thickening, to add later)
- 3 teaspoons Lawry’s seasoning salt (optional)
For the Dumplings
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups water
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped Vidalia onion and cook until translucent but not browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the sweet paprika until well combined to release its flavor.
- Brown the chicken: Add the chicken pieces skin-side down to the pot in batches if necessary. Brown the chicken slightly with the onion and paprika mixture, adding a bit more oil if needed. This step enhances flavor by rendering some fat and creating a base for the sauce.
- Add liquid and season: Pour water into the pot to almost cover the chicken. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add chicken bouillon cubes and Lawry’s seasoning salt if using. Cover the pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for about 25 minutes if using a regular pot, or 15-20 minutes if using a pressure cooker, until chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Mix the sour cream sauce: While the chicken simmers, combine sour cream, additional water, and flour in a mixing bowl. Whip with a hand or stand mixer until smooth and lump-free. Set aside.
- Incorporate the sour cream sauce: When the chicken is done, transfer the pieces to a colander to cool slightly. Gradually stir the sour cream mixture into the hot broth a little at a time, continuously stirring to prevent curdling and to thicken the sauce evenly.
- Optional chicken preparation: You may choose to de-bone and skin the chicken pieces for easier eating, returning the meat to the sauce, or serve the chicken pieces whole on the side as traditionally done.
- Prepare dumplings: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine eggs, water, flour, and salt to form a slightly soupy dough. Using a spoon dipped into boiling water, scrape the dough into the boiling water one spoonful at a time to prevent sticking. Cook the dumplings for about 7 minutes or until they float to the surface. Drain and rinse briefly with warm water.
- Serve: Plate a generous helping of dumplings and ladle the thickened paprikash sauce over them. Add the chicken pieces on the side or mix the de-boned meat into the sauce as preferred.
- Enjoy: Relish a comforting, deeply flavorful dish that evokes nostalgic childhood memories and warms the soul.
Notes
- Use chicken pieces with skin intact for richer flavor and better texture.
- Lawry’s seasoning salt is optional but adds a secret depth to the dish.
- You can adjust flour quantity in the sauce mixture to make it thicker or thinner as desired.
- The dumplings recipe yields a very large batch; consider halving if cooking for fewer people.
- When adding sour cream to hot broth, add slowly while stirring to prevent curdling.
- This dish can be made in a pressure cooker to shorten cooking time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Hungarian
Keywords: Hungarian Chicken Paprikash, Chicken Paprikash, Hungarian recipes, Paprika chicken, Chicken dumplings
