Best Chicken Paprikash

Introduction

Best Chicken Paprikash is a silky, smoky Hungarian stew, perfect for chilly evenings, family gatherings, or comfort-food cravings. This classic recipe, featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a vibrant paprika-cream sauce with caramelized onions, delivers restaurant-quality results with a rich, velvety texture and deep, earthy warmth. Presented in a wide shallow bowl over buttered egg noodles, optionally garnished with fresh parsley and a dollop of sour cream, this Best Chicken Paprikash recipe offers a charming, appetizing aesthetic that elevates any gathering. This recipe offers a simple one-pot stovetop method using pantry staples, adaptable to dietary preferences, and ideal for home cooks seeking a go-to stew that brings soul-soothing, crowd-pleasing charm to any occasion.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• 45 minutes total: One pot, deep flavor—no babysitting.
• Paprika is king: Hungarian sweet + smoked = authentic depth.
• Make-ahead MVP: Tastes better the next day; reheats like a dream.
• Freezer-friendly: Up to 3 months of cozy comfort.
• Noodle or dumpling: Serve over spaetzle, rice, or crusty bread.

Ingredients

Chicken & Base

• 2 lbs (900 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or boneless)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional depth)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 medium tomato, diced (or 1 tbsp tomato paste)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken broth

Creamy Finish

• ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

For Serving

• 12 oz (340 g) egg noodles or spaetzle
• Extra sour cream
• Fresh parsley

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large Dutch oven or heavy pot
• Wooden spoon
• Whisk
• Tongs
• Small bowl (for sour cream slurry)

Step-by-step process

1. Prep chicken and aromatics: Pat chicken dry with paper towels—crisp skin starts here. Season generously with salt and pepper. Dice onion finely for even caramelization; mince garlic and bell pepper.
2. Brown chicken: Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken skin-side down; sear 5–6 minutes until deep golden. Flip and cook 3 minutes. Remove to plate—juices stay in pot.
3. Sauté base: Lower the heat to medium. Add onion; cook 5–7 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden. Add garlic and bell pepper; cook 2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Bloom paprika: Remove pot from heat for 30 seconds (prevents bitterness). Stir in sweet paprika, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper—coat everything in red gold. Return to heat.
5. Build stew: Add tomato (or paste) and chicken broth. Nestle the chicken back in, skin-side up. Bring to a gentle simmer; cover and cook 25–30 minutes until chicken is 175°F internal (fall-off-bone tender).
6. Make creamy slurry: In a small bowl, whisk sour cream with flour and ¼ cup hot broth from the pot—prevents curdling.
7. Finish sauce: Remove chicken to a clean plate. Stir slurry into pot; simmer 2–3 minutes until thickened and glossy. Return chicken; coat in sauce. Taste—adjust salt or paprika.
8. Serve hot: Cook noodles per package; toss with butter. Ladle paprikash over noodles. Dollop with extra sour cream and sprinkle parsley.

Mistakes to avoid

• Scorching paprika: Off-heat bloom—bitter, burnt taste ruins it.
• Cold sour cream: Curdles instantly—temper with hot broth.
• Skinless thighs: Less flavor—keep skin for richness.
• Rushing onions: Golden = sweet base; don’t skip.
• High simmer: Tough chicken—gentle bubble only.

Variations of the Best Chicken Paprikash

• Dumpling Upgrade: Drop spaetzle or biscuit dough last 15 minutes.
• Lighter Glow: Greek yogurt + extra broth; skip flour.
• Spicy Kick: ½ tsp hot paprika or cayenne with sweet.
• Veggie Boost: Add mushrooms or carrots with onions.
• Crockpot: LOW 6 hours; slurry + sour cream last 30 minutes.

Tips for better storage

• Refrigerator: Cool completely; airtight up to 4 days. Store sauce and chicken separately from noodles.
• Freezer: Omit sour cream; freeze stew up to 3 months. Add fresh cream when reheating.
• Reheating: Stovetop low with ¼ cup broth; whisk smooth.
• Meal prep: Portion overcooked noodles in 16-oz containers.
• Revive richness: Fresh sour cream swirl post-reheat.

Frequently Asked Questions

• No Hungarian paprika? Sweet + ¼ tsp smoked; avoid generic “paprika.”
• Boneless chicken? Reduce the simmer to 15–20 minutes.
• Make it thicker? Extra 1 tbsp flour in the slurry, or mash a few onions.
• Gluten-free? GF flour slurry + GF noodles.
• Double batch? Use an 8-quart pot; same cook time.

Conclusion

Best Chicken Paprikash is Hungary in a bowl—each silky spoonful a warm embrace of smoky paprika, tender chicken, and creamy comfort that tastes like grandma’s kitchen. One pot turns pantry staples into a stew that deepens with every reheat, whether soothing a cold or wowing a crowd. Keep Hungarian paprika and sour cream stocked, and Eastern European elegance is 45 minutes away. Whether you’re craving nostalgia, feeding a table of six, or proving comfort food can be simple and stunning, this paprikash delivers soul and satisfaction in perfect harmony. One bite, endless warmth, and the quiet joy of a classic done right.

Best Chicken Paprikash

Bone-in chicken simmered in vibrant paprika-onion sauce, finished with sour cream. One-pot Hungarian comfort over noodles.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs 900 g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 3 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 medium tomato diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 cups 480 ml chicken broth
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Creamy Finish:
• ½ cup 120 g sour cream, room temp
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

Instructions

 

• Pat chicken dry, season with salt/pepper. Sear skin-side down in butter 5–6 min until golden; flip 3 min. Remove.
• Sauté onion 5–7 min until soft. Add garlic + bell pepper 2 min.
• Off heat, stir in paprikas + salt/pepper to bloom.
• Add tomato + broth; nestle chicken back, skin up. Simmer covered 25–30 min until 175 °F.
• Whisk sour cream + flour + ¼ cup hot broth (temper).
• Remove chicken; stir in slurry. Simmer 2–3 min to thicken.
• Return chicken, coat in sauce. Taste and adjust.
• Serve over buttered noodles with sour cream dollop + parsley.

Notes

• Off-heat paprika bloom = no bitterness; critical step.
• Temper sour cream with hot broth to prevent curdling.
• Bone-in thighs = richer flavor; boneless works (15–20 min).
• Freeze stew (no cream) up to 3 months; add fresh sour cream on reheat.
• Reheat low with a splash of broth; avoid boiling cream.
• GF: Use GF flour + noodles; same method.