The rich flavors of thisChicken Paprikashrecipe are a perfect balance of taste and texture, giving you a one pot meal that’s comforting and memorable.
If you need a gourmet dish that is very simple to make, you need this easy chicken paprikash recipe.
You do need sweet Hungarian Paprika to make an authentic chicken paprikash recipe, but I promise it is worth it. This is a delicious recipe that everyone loves to eat.
And even if you make your own version of chicken paprika without true Hungarian paprika, you will still have a great dinner.
But it is worth hunting down true Hungarian paprika at your local grocery store to make real Hungarian cuisine.
What is Chicken Paprikash?
Chicken Paprika is a Hungarian chicken dish that takes tender chicken chunks and smothers them in a creamy paprika-infused sauce.
The mix of flavors creates a delicious experience that’s both hearty and soul-satisfying.
What ingredients are in chicken paprikash?
- Butter:Adds richness and a subtle buttery flavor
- Olive Oil:gives a smooth base for cooking the chicken and vegetables
- Chicken:The main protein source, giving a hearty and satisfying element to the dish.
- Onion:adds sweetness and texture, bringing the flavor foundation of the recipe.
- Garlic:adds a robust and savory flavor that mixes perfectly with the other spices
- Bell Peppers:Adds vibrant colors and a sweet taste, complementing the other ingredients.
- Tomato:Brings a slightly acidic element that enhances the overall freshness of the dish.
- Chicken Broth:the liquid base, giving the dish a savory flavor while keeping the ingredients moist.
- Hungarian Paprika: The star spice to this traditional Hungarian dish, giving a sweet, distinct flavor that characterizes this dish.
- Sour Cream:Adds creaminess to the sauce that balances the spices.
- Salt and Pepper:bring out the natural flavors of the other ingredients.
- Onion Powder:Intensifies the onion flavor, which adds to the depth of flavor.
- Cayenne Pepper:adds a subtle kick of heat without overpowering the chicken poperkosh.
- Extra Wide Egg Noodles:the perfect canvas for the chicken and sauce, soaking up all the delicious flavors.
Pro Tips:For the best results, invest in good Hungarian paprika for an authentic taste. Old spices do lose flavor, and you do not want to use smoked or regular paprika as they have very different flavors from Hungarian sweet paprika.
How to Make Chicken Paprikash:
- Searcut of chicken with salt, pepper, and onion powder in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat until golden brown, thenset aside.
- Cookonions and garlic with a wooden spoon until translucent, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Deglazethe pot with chicken stock, then add peppers, tomato, paprika, and cayenne and cook over medium heat.
- Returnchicken to the pot,cover, andsimmerover low heat.
- Removechicken and veggies andaddflour-thickened sour cream mixture to the sauce.
- Addchicken and veggies back to the pot, andsimmeragain.
- Serveover noodles.
Pro Tips:It is important to temper the sour cream by adding it slowly to the broth without the chicken or veggies so it doesn’t separate and give you a chunky or gritty sauce.
What to Serve with Chicken Paprikash:
I always serve my creamy chicken paprikash over noodles to soak up the creamy sauce. If looking for a side dish to serve with this dish, how about one of these tasty salads:
- Blueberry Salad
- Farro Salad
- Power Greens Salad
- Kale Salad with Apples
- Southwest Sweet Potato Salad
- Simple Strawberry Salad
- Red Quinoa Salad
- Spinach Pomegranate Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Microgreen Salad
- Beet Arugula Goat Cheese Salad
- Baby Kale Caesar Salad
- Kale and Quinoa Salad
If you’re looking for a bread to serve with this pasta dish, I would recommend these tasty sides:
How to Store Chicken Paprikash:
Store leftover chicken paprikash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. That will give you the best flavors and textures when you want to eat it again.
Can You Freeze Chicken Paprikash?
Yes you can freeze chicken paprikash! If you are planning to make this in advance to serve later, for best results pause after you simmer the first time.
Then separate the chicken and veggies in one container, the sauce in the other, and the sour cream mixture in a third (or not at all).
When you are ready to make it, pull the sauce and chicken out of the freezer the night before, then jump right into the recipe by adding the thickened sour cream.
However, I have frozen the entire finished dish. Just reheat it on the stovetop slowly, adding broth if needed for best results.
Can You Make Chicken Paprikash Ahead of Time?
Yes you can make chicken paprikash ahead of time! Just don’t mix the chicken sauce with noodles ahead of time.
Heat chicken paprakash and noodles separately, and then assemble just before serving for a stress-free dining experience.
Is Chicken Paprikash Healthy?
Yes, chicken paprikas is healthy! Balanced with protein and veggies, it can be part of a healthy diet.
Choose lean chicken, whole-grain noodles, and substitute greek yogurt for sour cream for an extra healthy chicken paprikash with added nutritional value.
Is Chicken Paprikash Hungarian?
Yes, Chicken Paprikash is a classic Hungarian dish. It is celebrated for its comforting flavors and cultural significance.
Is Chicken Paprikash Spicy?
Chicken paprikash is not spicy. Don’t be scared of the dash of cayenne in this recipe! It adds a subtle kick, but overall, it’s not spicy.
It is also easy to adjust the level of spice to your preference in your paprikash chicken. You can even leave the cayenne out and serve it on the table for people to customize their individual servings.
This chicken paprikash recipe is the ultimate comfort food. It is a great recipe to introduce your family to Hungarian food, and it tastes amazing. With a short cooking time, it is the perfect recipe for your weeknight dinner.
Chicken Paprikash
Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Creamy and delicious, this Hungarian Chicken Paprikash recipe is an easy comfort food dish with a minimum of prep time, perfect for a weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 1/2 lbs chicken, cut into bite size chunks
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 bell peppers (mix of green, red, and yellow), julienned
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp Hungarian paprika
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- onion powder to taste
- dash of cayenne pepper
- 6 oz extra wide egg noodles (about 1/2 of a bag)
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil, then add chicken to pot. Season with salt, pepper, and onion powder.
- Brown chicken. Remove chicken from dutch oven.
- Add the other tablespoon of olive oil to the dutch oven and add onions. Cook over medium low until they are translucent. Add garlic. Stir and scrape the sides to get the brown bits from the bottom and sides of the pot.
- De-glaze pot with chicken broth; then add pepper strips, tomato, paprika, cayenne and a little more salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Add chicken back to pot, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- After simmering, remove chicken and vegetables from pot.
- Add tablespoon of flour to sour cream.
- Temper the sour cream mixture by slowly adding the hot liquid from the pot, little by little, whisking while doing so, to avoid having the cream separate. Once the sour cream is mixed with the liquid, you can add it back into the pot.
- Add chicken and vegetables back to pot as well, and cook for about 10 more minutes to combine the sauce with the vegetables.
- While chicken and sauce is finishing, cook egg noodles to serve with the chicken.
- Spoon chicken and sauce over the top of the egg noodles.
Notes
If you want to mix it up a bit, you might consider trying this recipe with smoked paprika for a different twist. Smoked paprika is Spanish however; and the flavors are definitely different. Hungarian paprika is sweeter. Normally I wouldn't substitute one for the other, but in this case, my family liked both versions.
Note: I did set aside a few of the julienned pieces to saute to top our individual dishes but that was only to give the pictures a bit of contrast, and I wouldn't do that for a normal weeknight dinner.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 2024Total Fat: 79gSaturated Fat: 35gCholesterol: 359mgSodium: 1860mgCarbohydrates: 303gSugar: 175gProtein: 35g
Originally Posted: April 15, 2016
Photos & Text Updated: February 12, 2024
