Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
Rich and creamy Hungarian Chicken Paprikash (Paprikas) is a family tradition that brightens the dinner table.
Why We Love Chicken Paprikash
Lt. Dan’s great-grandmother, Grandma Rosie, passed away in 2009 at the ripe old age of 96. I remember sitting in her living room eating the pirouette cookies she always served us, and sipping tall glasses of Sprite.
She would tell us of her ballroom dancing days, and her career as the executive secretary at Studebaker. We watched Notre Dame football games together, and she’d keep stats in a little notebook. I miss her.
Hungarian Paprikash Runs in the Family
Nowadays, the rest of the family keeps her stories alive. Several years ago Lt. Dan’s grandparents came to visit us. Mo and Papa were a lively pair with wonderful memories of family and travel. For years, Mo was my surrogate grandmother, as my last living grandma passed away when I was sixteen. It was wonderful to marry into a family with a certain fire (and the genes) required for longevity!
Time spent with Mo and Papa was filled with colorful tales… Laced with laughter and head-shaking. After 59 years of marriage, they seemed to truly hold many of life’s secrets. We were always thrilled to shower in their overflowing wisdom.
Their strong Hungarian heritage provided cultural traditions and meals that I was previously unfamiliar with. One particular dish seemed to be the family favorite, Hungarian Chicken Paprikash.
What is Paprikash?
This old-school Hungarian recipe consists of melt-in-your-mouth chicken and rice smothered in a rich, creamy paprika sauce.
Traditionally it was made with rabbit meat, when families actually caught their dinner instead of picking it up at the market. Mo described Hungarian cooking as “working man’s food.” Simple, inexpensive, utilitarian meals meant to fill empty bellies. Hungarian dishes are not glamorous. Yet I always find them comforting and flavor-packed!
The secret is in the sauce! The sour cream and paprika sauce is so rich and silky, it makes this humble chicken rice dish seem luxurious.
Mo passed away this year. This is my last photo of her cooking.
Mo taught me to make Hungarian Paprikash on that visit. It’s always fun writing a recipe from a grandma-inspired dish, because grandmas cook by feel.
“Add enough flour until it looks right.”
“Stir it until it’s done.”
I had to remake this one on my own a few times, to properly record the measurements and cooking time.
Paprikas Recipe Tweaks
I’ve made two small adjustments to Mo’s original recipe to suit my family.
First, Mo cooked as if she was feeding the whole neighborhood. (She probably did!) So I’ve scaled the recipe back to feed 4 people. Second, Mo used Hungarian sweet paprika, but we like all things spicy around here, so I added hot smoked paprika.
Mo agreed, the hot paprika really wasn’t overpowering, mixed in with the sour cream. Just a little extra kick! However, feel free to use your favorite paprika variety.
One more thing, Mo uses boneless skinless chicken breasts and drumsticks or chicken thighs in her Hungarian Chicken Paprikash recipe. The breasts end up so tender, you can cut them with your fork, while the bones and skin from the drumsticks create depth of flavor.
When I make Hungarian Paprikash, I always remember Grandma Rosie and Mo, and the marvelous meals and memories we shared. This is a dish we enjoy throughout the fall and around the holidays.
It brings a smile to my face to know my kids will carry on the tradition of Chicken Paprikash made with love!
Hungarian Chicken FAQ
Both of these dishes are true Hungarian comfort food. However, Hungarian Goulash is a rustic stew made with beef (or wild game) and vegetables. Paprikas is a poultry and rice recipe smothered in a creamy paprika sauce.
This classic chicken and rice dish is bold and silky with sour cream and paprika sauce. The sauce is tangy, rich, and perfectly kissed with smoky spice.
Regular paprika is grown in (and potentially blended from) various locations around the world, including Hungary, Spain, California, and Central or South America. Paprika is the national spice of Hungary. Because of this, it is heavily regulated and prepared in 8 specific variations. The most common forms of Hungarian Paprika are bright red in color, with a delicate sweet flavor. True Hungarian paprika tends to have a more robust flavor than regular paprika.
When making a recipe with paprika, you can substitute any variety you like. If you are not a fan of hot paprika or smoked paprika, select a sweet paprika option.
Sure you can! You can use a whole fryer pack of bone-in chicken pieces. Or go with all boneless chicken pieces.
If you are not a fan of rice, trying serving the paprikash chicken with dumplings or egg noodles.
Store the leftover chicken paprikash recipe in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator of up to 5 days.
Technically, you can freeze paprikash for up to 3 months. However, the rice and cream sauce don’t always thaw and separate well. For the best flavor and texture experience, do not freeze.
More Hungarian Recipes You Will Love
- Hungarian Goulash Recipe
- Hungarian Mushroom Soup
- Hungarian Haluski Cabbage and Noodles
- Quick Kifli Cookies
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken, a combination of boneless breasts and bone-in drumsticks/thighs
- 2 large chopped onions, divided
- 4 tablespoons oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon Hungarian Hot Smoked Paprika
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups long-grain rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of oil, the chicken pieces, 1 chopped onion, paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Brown the chicken on all sides, stirring the onions as you turn it, approximately 10 minutes.
- Then add enough water to the pot to almost cover the chicken. Cover the pot, turn the heat down, and allow the chicken to slowly simmer for about 45 minutes. The chicken should be falling off the bone.
- Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon oil to a medium-sized pot over high heat. Add the second chopped onion to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add 2 cups of rice, and stir into the onions. Allow the rice to sauté another 1-2 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and stir. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cover. Allow the rice to cook according to package directions, usually 20 minutes. Once it has absorbed all the stock, stir in the parsley. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside.
- Once the chicken is tender, remove it from the Dutch oven and cover it with foil to keep it warm. Dump the sour cream into a medium-sized glass bowl. Whisk ¼ cup of flour into the sour cream until well combined.
- You should have approximately 3 cups of juices left in the Dutch oven—if it looks like much more than that, dump some out until it measures 3 cups. Now take 1 ½ cups of the reserved pan juices and slowly whisk it into the sour cream mixture. This ensures that the sour cream will not curdle when you heat it, so your sauce will be smooth.
- Now pour the sour cream mixture back into the pot and whisk well. Keep the sauce over medium heat until it bubbles and thickens to a gravy consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the chicken back to the pot to coat. Serve the chicken and extra paprikas sauce over the rice.
I have made a similar recipe, but use thickened cream instead of sour cream, I make soft noodles instead of rice, family favorite.