Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (2024)

Published: by Chef Dennis Littley

5 from 37 votes

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A few years ago while traveling in Hungary I sampled an authentic Chicken Paprikash recipe at a little restaurant on a side street in Budapest and after testing I finally came up with a recipe that recreates that delicious chicken dish.

Chicken Paprikash is made with a whole cut up chicken that is simmered in a rich creamy sauce. This is comfort food Hungarian-style.

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (1)

Traditional Chicken Paprikash (paprikás csirke) gets its beautiful color and flavor from sweet Hungarian paprika, but the layers of flavors comes from the aromatics. Chopped onion, red pepper, and fresh garlic create a symphony of flavors in this traditional Hungarian dish.

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (2)

My easy chicken paprikash recipe is one of my favorite chicken recipes. The tender chicken simmered in the flavorful sauce is not to be missed! YOu can make this delicious dish using a whole cut up chicken or your favorite chicken parts.

Table of Contents:

Ingredients for Chicken Paprikash Recipe

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (3)

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (also known as paprika chicken). In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Made with Simple Ingredients

  • Whole chicken cut up into pieces
  • Onion
  • Red bell pepper
  • Fresh garlic cloves
  • Tomato
  • Sour cream
  • Heavy cream
  • Chicken broth
  • Hungarian sweet paprika
  • All purpose flour
  • Unsalted butter
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Table salt
  • Black pepper
  • Italian Parsley

Can I change up the ingredients in the Chicken Paprikash Recipe?

Typically a whole chicken is used to make this chicken paprikash, but you can use chicken breasts or thighs to make the recipe. I prefer bone-in chicken pieces because both the bone and skin add flavor. But you can use boneless chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs if you prefer.

The creamy rich sauce is made using sour cream and heavy cream, but you can use Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream and whole milk instead of the heavy cream. It won’t be quite as rich without the heavy cream but it will still be delicious.

Hungarian Parprika is typically the sweet variety unless otherwise stated. You will find hot paprika and also smoked paprika. If you would like to use either the smoked or hot, I would suggest only substituting half or one-third of the paprika with either of those varieties. Otherwise, their flavors may be overbearing and take away from the balance of the dish. Always buy good quality paprika make sure to check the dates on the container for freshness.

How to make Chicken Paprikash

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (4)
  • Add the butter and olive oil to a large skillet (or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat.
  • Brown the chicken in a single layer, skin side down for 3-4 minutes, then turn the chicken over and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside until needed.
  • Add the onions to the pan with the cooking oil and cook for 6-8 minutes over medium heat until golden brown.
  • Add the garlic, red peppers, and tomatoes to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the stove top, then add the paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  • Stir the seasonings to combine. Don’t let the paprika burn, it will get bitter.

Chef's Choice

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (5)

All-Clad 6 Quart Stainless Steel Sauté Pan with Lid

I love my All-Clad pans and I use this versatile pan for many of my stove top recipes.

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Chef's Choice

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (6)

HexClad 7 Quart Hybrid Non-Stick Pan

This multi use pan can be used for a multitude of recipes. It's oven safe and the depth of the pan makes a great pan for deep frying.

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This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (7)
  • Return the chicken to the pan and place it back on the stove top. Add the chicken stock (most of the chicken should be covered) and turn the heat up to medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the mixture on low heat for 45-60 minutes.
  • Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and transfer it to a plate. Tent with foil to keep warm.
  • Keep the sauce on the stove over simmering over medium heat to reduce and thicken the sauce. Stir the sauce to get all the tasty browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the cold sour cream and cold heavy cream to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Then add the flour to the sour cream mixture and whisk to combine.
  • Add the sour cream mixture to the sauce, constantly whisking to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the sauce back to a simmer and let it cook for 4 -5 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
  • Re-season the creamy paprika sauce with salt and pepper to taste, then return the chicken to the sauce, increasing the heat to medium, and let the chicken reheat for 5 minutes or until it’s at least 165 degrees F.
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (8)

Serve the chicken paprikash over egg noodles, garnish with chopped Italian parsley and enjoy! I know your whole family is going to love my this classic Hungarian chicken dish.

If you’re a fan of Hungarian cuisine, make sure to try my Hungarian Goulash, its another delicious Hungarian recipe!

Store any leftover Chicken Paprikash refrigerated in an airtight container. It also can be frozen in a well sealed container for up to 3 months. You may need to add a little bit of water to the dish when reheating, as the sauce will continue to thicken.

Recipe FAQ’s

What is chicken paprikash sauce made of?

Traditional chicken paprikash is made from simple ingredients, chicken, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, chicken stock, paprika, flour, sour cream, and cream. Some recipes use tomato paste for a deeper tomato flavor while other won’t include tomato products. The original recipe did not include tomatoes but over the years it’s been adapted many times and I like the flavor that fresh tomato adds to the sauce.

What does paprikash mean?

Paprikash refers to a stew like Hungarian dish resembling goulash (another Hungarian paprika-based stew) Some variations include veal or pork, but the original recipe is made with chicken.

What is the difference between Hungarian paprika and regular paprika?

Unless it says Hungarian paprika on the label, it’s more than likely Spanish paprika aka regular paprika.
Spanish paprika is typically a sweeter variety of paprika and is made from Spanish chiles.Hungarian paprika can be either hot or sweet and is made using ground Hungarian paprika chile peppers. Hungarian paprika is generally considered to be better quality and more desirable than Spanish paprika.

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Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (13)

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5 from 37 votes

Authentic Chicken Paprikash Recipe

My Chicken Paprikash is comfort food, Hungarian Style. You're family will love the tender chicken in the flavorful creamy rich paprika sauce.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Calories: 396kcal

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp extra vigin olive oil
  • 2.5 pounds whole chicken -cut into pieces (bone-in, skin on 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 wings)
  • 2 cups sweet onion small dice
  • 1 cup red bell pepper small dice – or green pepper
  • 1 cup Roma tomatoes chopped – or regular tomato
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 3 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika you can substitute 1 tablespoon of the sweet paprika with hot or smoked paprika
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 ½ teaspoon table salt to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup sour cream (full fat) at room temperature
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon Italian parsley finely chopped for garnish

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Add the butter and olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside until needed.

  • Add the onions to the pan with the cooking oil and cook for 6- 8 minutes over medium heat until golden brown.

  • Add the garlic, diced bell peppers, and tomatoes to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.

  • Remove the pan from the heat and add the paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir the seasonings in to combine.

    Don't let the paprika burn, it will get bitter.

  • Return the chicken to the pan and place it back on the stovetop.

  • Add the chicken broth (most of the chicken should be covered) and turn the heat up to medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the mixture for 45-60 minutes.

  • Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer it to a plate. Tent with foil to keep warm.

  • Keep the sauce on the stove over simmering over medium heat to reduce and thicken the sauce. Stir the sauce to get all the tasty browned bits off the bottom of the pan.

  • Add the sour cream and heavy cream to a small bowl and whisk to combine.

  • Add the flour to the sour cream mixture and whisk to combine.

  • Add the sour cream mixture to the pot, constantly whisking to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the sauce back to a simmer and let it cook for 4 -5 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

  • Re-season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the sauce, increasing the heat to medium, and let the chicken reheat for 5 minutes or until it's at least 165 degrees F.

  • Serve the chicken over egg noodles and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 959mg | Potassium: 491mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2625IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 2mg

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About Chef Dennis

Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home.For more details, check out his About page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Jack R.

    Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (15)
    Dear Chef Dennis: I’m using ‘Dear’ because your recipe has saved me more countless hours of searching for an authentic chicken paprikash recipe. I’ve searched, literally for years, until now. I first ate this chicken dish I never heard of in a little hole-in-the wall Hungarian restaurant in lower Manhattan some 25 years ago. I never forgot that exquisite taste and I wanted to find something similar. You, Chef Dennis, made my culinary taste buds come to life and brought back some warm memories. You nailed this recipe. If anyone is searching for that small, back alley, NYC Hungarian restaurant that served Chicken Paprikash, your search is over. Easy to make and stick to the recipe with no tweaking, trust me.

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis Littley

      Thank you for such a wonderful comment and rating Jack. It warms my heart to think that I’ve helped you remember that special time in your life at that restaurant in Manhattan. I hope you find more delicious recipes on my website to try and enjoy!

      Reply

  2. Dianne Spakowski

    Thanks for the recipe, in time I will make this. It sounds delicious.

    Reply

  3. David

    Good flavour, thank you. Please add the parsley to ingredients list (as I, for one, didn’t take time to read recipe through thoroughly prior to purchasing everything which is my fault but would protect idiots like me). Cooking down the sauce took longer and cooked the onions more than 4 minutes.

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis Littley

      Thanks for letting me know I hadn’t included it, I just added it.

      Reply

      • David

        Thank you. I should have added that we really enjoyed this. I might try it with green pepper next time to see what difference that makes (as I like them in Hungarian cuisine) but a really well explained and fantastic tasting dish.

    • Christina Kadlec

      Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (16)
      This is a great recipe! Both of my parents were from Hungary, and I was raised on hungarian cuisine, including Chicken paprikash. There are alot more ingredients in this than my mother and both grandmother’s used because for them it was a “quick meal”, but this version has even more flavor and is amazing! I made it with traditional hungarian dumplings and it was amazing!

      Reply

      • Chef Dennis Littley

        I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my paprikash recipe! I know its a bit more involved than the simpler version but its well worth it.

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is chicken paprikash sauce made of? ›

Paprikas csirke is made with pan seared bone-in chicken pieces tat are then braised in a simple sauce made with chicken stock, onions, garlic, tomato paste or tomatoes, and lots of good quality sweet Hungarian paprika. The one thing you mustn't skimp on is using good Hungarian paprika.

What does paprikash mean in Hungarian? ›

Paprikash, or paprikas in Hungarian, is a traditional paprika-based stew. The most famous preparation is chicken paprikash (paprikas csirke), although veal is sometimes used. Bone-in chicken pieces are browned in butter or lard, then braised until tender in a sauce of onions, garlic, water and paprika.

What wine goes with chicken paprikash? ›

Suggested pairing

We recommend serving a full-bodied Hungarian white, such as Disznókő Dry Furmint.

What is the history of paprikash in Hungary? ›

The origins of chicken paprikash predate the introduction of paprika and can be traced back to a simple one-pot chicken stew, a dish favored by the poor and thus often bolstered by large quantities of inexpensive onions. In time, paprika was added—and later a spare amount of tomato—creating a dish known as pörkölt.

What's the difference between paprika and Hungarian paprika? ›

Spanish paprika is typically of the sweet variety and is made from Spanish chiles. Hungarian paprika is often lauded as the most desirable and most flavorful iteration of the spice. It can be either hot or sweet and is made using ground Hungarian paprika chile peppers.

Why do Hungarians eat so much paprika? ›

“It's an essential ingredient in Hungarian cuisine and it gives many dishes their brilliant, orange-red colour and intense, peppery flavour and aroma. Paprika can be sweet, hot and even smoked – and it comes in different grades of coarseness and colour.”

What is the best Hungarian paprika? ›

The rose paprika of Hungary is generally considered the finest variety. It is made from choice dark red pods that have a sweet flavour and aroma. A sharper Hungarian variety, Koenigspaprika, or king's paprika, is made from the whole pepper.

Is hot Hungarian paprika the same as Hungarian paprika? ›

Hot paprika is, unsurprisingly, hot. Also known as Hungarian paprika, a little goes a long way so use it sparingly to spice up dishes. It has a peppery, spicy flavour that will bring a fiery kick to dishes. Irrespective of which type of paprika you use, here's a tip …

What's the difference between Hungarian and American paprika? ›

In Hungary there are many kinds of paprika, but in U.S. grocery stores you will likely just find one version that either comes from Hungary or from California. Paprika is the Hungarian word for pepper, and Hungarian-style paprika is not smoked, but rather fairly sweet.

What is best to drink with goulash? ›

Rioja pairs well with traditional goulash as it's fruity, earthy, and robust. The paprika in goulash gives it a spicy and savoury punch that needs to be stood up to, and Rioja does just that! Rioja Crianza is usually the best type of Rioja to go for with goulash.

What red wine goes best with Hungarian goulash? ›

A more easy to source alternative would be a good Rioja. This Spanish wine has a robustness and earthiness which goes brilliantly with the spicy, savoury hit of goulash, and brings out the best of the pepper and the paprika, while not overcrowding the palate.

What is the national spice of Hungary? ›

Paprika is considered as the national spice of Hungary, where it was introduced by the Turks in 1569. Hungarian paprika is available in eight different varieties ranging in color and pungency. In 1937, the Hungarian chemist Albert Szent-György won the Nobel Prize for research on the vitamin content of paprika.

What is the Hungarian paprika scandal? ›

Their beloved paprika has been banned from stores and markets after one-third of test samples were found poisoned with lead oxide. The drastic action was taken by health authorities last week after nearly 50 people were hospitalized with stomach aches, paralysis of limbs and other symptoms of lead poisoning.

What do Hungarians call paprika? ›

In Hungary this traditional food is called veresbors, while the pepper itself is called fűszerpaprika.

What does paprikash taste like? ›

The spice Paprikash, or paprika, has a mild, sweet, earthy, sometimes musty flavor. Note that there are different types of paprika – sweet (called for in this recipe), spicy and smoked.

Is Hungarian paprika sweet or spicy? ›

Paprika is the Hungarian word for pepper, and Hungarian-style paprika is not smoked, but rather fairly sweet. It was the Turks who introduced the chilies to Hungary, and it's a very popular spice in Hungarian cuisine, giving distinctive flavor to soups and stews such as chicken paprikash and beef goulash.

What are the ingredients in Hungarian paprika? ›

Hungarian Paprika is one of the most popular spices in the world, made from ground dried red peppers, known for its spicy heat as well as a fiery flavor and crimson color that makes any food that it is added to so much more appealing.

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