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A blue earthenware dish with chicken paprikash--chicken thighs in a creamy paprika sauce, on a marble counter
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5 / 8 votes

Chicken Paprikash

Chicken paprikash is such an Old World staple and beloved American favorite from the 1960's that I just had to bring it back. Chicken thighs are seared and then cooked in a tomato-onion sauce. Just before serving, sour cream is stirred in.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Hungarian
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Calories: 883

Ingredients

For the chicken paprikash

  • 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 medium (14 oz) yellow onions, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
  • 3/4 pound tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped, or 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 to 1 cup water
  • 3/4 cup sour cream

To serve

  • 3/4 pound egg noodles, cooked and buttered (for an authentic touch use nokedli, which are Hungarian dumplings quite a lot like spatzle)
  • Chopped parsley, optional
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and generously season it on all sides with salt and pepper.
  • In an ovenproof skillet large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until deeply golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. (Don’t skimp on this step.) Flip and sear until the chicken is golden brown but not cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
  • Pour off all but 1 tablespoon or so of the fat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onions. Cook, stirring often to scrape up any stuck-on bits from the pan, until the onions are softened and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  • Reduce the heat to low, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet, and sprinkle in the paprika. Cook, stirring constantly for 30 to 45 seconds but no longer or the paprika could turn bitter.
  • Add the tomatoes and the 1/2 cup (120 ml) water to the skillet and stir to combine. If a thinner sauce is desired, stir in some or all of the remaining water. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Nestle the chicken in the sauce, skin-side up, so the skin doesn’t get soggy. Slide the skillet into the oven and braise until the chicken is cooked through and wiggles easily from the bone, 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Transfer the chicken to a plate. Stir the sour cream into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Pour the sauce over the cooked noodles and top with the chicken and parsley, if using.

Notes

A More Classic-Ish Stovetop Variation

If you’d prefer to make this dish entirely on the stovetop, or if your oven is otherwise occupied, you can follow the recipe directions using a Dutch oven and cook it a gentle simmer over low heat. No need to remove the chicken from the pot when adding the sour cream–just stir it right in. The resulting paprikash will be every bit as delicious as the original, however, you won’t benefit from non-flabby skin on your chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 883kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 329mg | Sodium: 279mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g