Ohhh yes 😌 Chicken Paprikash with Dumplings — pure Hungarian comfort food. Creamy, paprika-rich, and absolutely meant to be eaten with a spoon and a fork.
Here’s a traditional, home-style recipe with nokedli (dumplings).
🍗 Chicken Paprikash (Paprikás Csirke)
Ingredients (4 servings)
For the chicken
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1 whole chicken (about 3–3½ lb), cut into pieces
or 2½ lb bone-in thighs & drumsticks -
2 tbsp lard or oil
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2 large onions, finely chopped
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2 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika (very important!)
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1 tsp salt
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½ tsp black pepper
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1 green bell pepper, sliced (optional but classic)
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1 tomato, chopped (or ½ cup canned)
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1 cup chicken stock or water
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1 cup sour cream
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1 tbsp flour (optional, for thickening)
Instructions
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Onions: Heat fat in a heavy pot. Cook onions slowly until soft and lightly golden.
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Paprika moment: Remove pot from heat, stir in paprika quickly (don’t burn it!).
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Chicken: Add chicken pieces, salt, pepper, bell pepper, and tomato. Stir to coat.
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Simmer: Add stock, cover, and simmer gently 35–45 minutes, until chicken is tender.
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Finish: Mix sour cream with flour (if using), stir into the pot, and gently heat (don’t boil). Sauce should be silky, not thick like gravy.
🥣 Nokedli (Hungarian Dumplings)
Ingredients
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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2 large eggs
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¾–1 cup water
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1 tsp salt
Instructions
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Mix flour and salt, add eggs, then water gradually until you get a sticky, loose dough.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
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Drop dough into water using a spoon, knife, or spaetzle maker.
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Cook 2–3 minutes until dumplings float.
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Drain and toss lightly with butter.
🍽️ To Serve
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Spoon chicken and lots of sauce over dumplings
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Optional: cucumber salad or pickles on the side
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Even better next day (like all paprika dishes)
🇭🇺 Pro Hungarian Tips
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Use real Hungarian paprika — it’s the soul of the dish
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Never let paprika scorch = bitterness
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Sour cream goes in last, gently
If you want, I can:
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make it extra creamy without flour
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give a slow-cooker or Instant Pot version
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or show you a grandma-level authentic variation