Creamy Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

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Tender bone-in chicken thighs simmered in a velvety sauce of sweet Hungarian paprika, caramelized onions, and tangy sour cream. Served over buttered egg noodles or nokedli for a comforting, classic Hungarian dinner the whole family will love.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 640 kcalCalories
• 32 gFat
• 11 gSaturated Fat
• 46 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 5 gSugar
• 44 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 610 mgPotassium
• 115 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 320 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2.5 lbs)
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp lard or unsalted butter

For the Paprikash Sauce

• 2 large yellow onions, finely diced
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced (optional)
• 3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 0.5 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

For Serving

• 12 oz wide egg noodles
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 0.5 tsp salt for pasta water

Directions

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season generously on both sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.
2. Heat the lard or butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for 5-6 minutes until the skin is deep golden and crisp. Flip and brown the other side for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pan with the rendered chicken fat, add the diced onions and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown. Add the bell pepper if using and cook 2 more minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sweet Hungarian paprika and minced garlic to prevent scorching. Return to low heat and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Nestle the chicken thighs back in along with any accumulated juices. Cover, reduce to low, and simmer gently for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender (internal temp 175°F).
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles until al dente according to package directions. Drain and toss with the butter.
7. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream with the flour until smooth. Temper by stirring in a few spoonfuls of the hot sauce, then pour the mixture back into the pan.
8. Gently stir the sauce (taking care not to break apart the chicken) and simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes until thickened and creamy. Do not let it boil or the sour cream may curdle.
9. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
10. Serve the chicken and creamy paprika sauce over a generous bed of buttered egg noodles or homemade nokedli.

Cook’s Notes

• Always use genuine Hungarian sweet paprika for authentic flavor; Spanish smoked or hot paprika will dramatically change the taste profile.
• Never let the sauce boil after adding the sour cream; keep it at a gentle simmer to prevent curdling.
• Take the pan off the heat when adding paprika to the hot fat to prevent it from turning bitter or scorching.
• Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs yield the richest, most flavorful sauce; boneless breasts tend to dry out during the long simmer.
• For authentic nokedli, drop a soft egg-dough batter into simmering salted water using a small colander or spaetzle maker.

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