Chicken Paprikash
Chicken Paprikash is a classic comfort dish made with bone-in chicken simmered in a rich paprika sauce with onions, sour cream, and just enough depth to keep things interesting. This version stays true to the traditional flavors while keeping the process simple and practical for a home kitchen. Serve it with egg noodles, dumplings, or mashed potatoes to catch every bit of sauce.
Servings: 4
Calories: 536kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks bone-in skin-on
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large onions thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth low sodium or no sodium added
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- parsley chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and season all over with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Remove to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onions to the same pot and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and lightly golden. This step matters, don’t rush it.
- Stir in 3 cloves of garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of sweet paprika and ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika. This keeps the paprika from burning and turning bitter.
- Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of flour and stir to coat the onions. Return to medium heat, then stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and 2 cups of chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits.
- Return the chicken to the pot along with any juices. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Remove the chicken again briefly. Whisk ½ cup of sour cream into the sauce until smooth. Return the chicken to the pot and gently warm everything through for 5 minutes. Do not boil.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Use the right paprika. Use good quality sweet Hungarian paprika. This dish depends on it, so now is not the time for the dusty jar in the back of the cupboard.
- Take the pot off the heat for the paprika. Paprika burns easily and can turn bitter. Stir it in off the heat, then continue cooking.
- Go slow with the onions. Letting them cook until very soft gives the sauce its natural sweetness and body.
- Keep the heat low when adding sour cream. The sauce should be warm, not boiling, to keep it smooth.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully. Warm gently over low heat and stir often. Add a splash of broth if the sauce thickens too much.
- Freezer tip. If freezing, stop before adding the sour cream. Add it fresh when reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 133mg | Sodium: 773mg | Potassium: 721mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3168IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 3mg
