Chicken Paprikash

This easy chicken paprikash recipe is a traditional Hungarian dish with chicken cooked in a sauce loaded with paprika and sour cream.

I’m a big fan of one pot skillet meals – from chicken saltimobocca to pork medallions with blue cheese sauce. For some reason they just scream comfort food to me. Plus it doesn’t hurt that you only have to clean up one dish.

But have you ever had chicken paprikash? If you haven’t, then you area really missing out. For those that haven’t even heard of it, it is the Hungarian National Dish. Well maybe not, but paprika is super popular in Hungary! Basically this dish is chicken loaded with paprika.

I easily remember the first time I ever had it. There was a small little restaurant in Longwood that my dad and mom both really enjoyed, called Chef Henry’s. It specialized in Eastern European which meant everything on the menu was foreign to me when I was a kid.

Oh and for some background, I was super picky as a kid. So my mom suggested the only thing that she thought I’d be willing to eat and enjoy – chicken paprikash. I will admit I was skeptical but after one bite all was forgiven.

Over the next couple of years, I actually requested that we go to Chef Henry’s just so I could get that orange colored chicken as I called it. Sadly Chef Henry’s eventually closed, and for a while it was just one of those dishes I had forgotten about. But a couple of years ago, I was looking for something different during a cold night and a chicken paprikash recipe popped in my head!

After doing a ton of research and trial and error on a few occasions, I found the recipe that reminds me of my childhood visits to Chef Henry’s. Now just a heads up, traditional Hungarian paprika chicken calls for Hungarian hot paprika which is much spicier than regular paprika, so if you can’t handle the heat go with your standard paprika. 

What Ingredients are in this Chicken Paprikash Recipe?

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts – you can also use skin-on and crisp the skin before adding the sauce.
• All-purpose flour – gives the chicken a crust and helps thicken the sauce.
• Paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper – the paprika is most important here in giving the dish the flavor you expect.
• Vegetable oil – can also use canola oil to cook the chicken.
• Sweet onion – adds flavor to the sauce.
• Chicken stock – you want low-sodium and can use chicken broth as well if needed.
• Sour cream – adds a richness and slight tang to the sauce.

How to Make Authentic Paprikash

1. Combine flour, 2 tbsp paprika, salt and pepper. Depending on your tolerance for spice, the type of paprika you use will make a big difference. Regular paprika has almost no heat level while Hungarian has a kick. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. (VERY IMPORTANT – save the leftover flour, do not throw out)
2. Heat oil in large Dutch or skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Add onion, cayenne pepper and 1 tbsp paprika and saute the onion until it’s tender, about 2 minutes.
4. Return chicken to the pot and add chicken stock. Bring to boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until chicken is done. 
5. Once chicken is done, make mixture to thicken sauce. With leftover flour, add 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup of liquid from skillet. Mix until smooth.
6. Add mixture to pot and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasional. Turn heat off and add remaining 1/2 sour cream, stirring constantly. The sauce should be a very pale orange color. Serve immediately.

What Type of Paprika Should I Use?

So if you go to the grocery store, you’ll see paprika, smoked paprika and Hungarian paprika. Those are in order of mildest to hottest. Lauren and I can’t take a ton of heat so we normally just do paprika or a combination of paprika and smoked paprika.

But if you like your dishes on the hot side, go with Hungarian paprika. It leads to what you would call an authentic paprikash.

What Do You Serve with Hungarian Paprika Chicken?

The perfect complement to this dish is German spaetzle or cheddar pierogies. You can also go with a starch like mashed potatoes.

What Cast Iron Skillet Do You Use?

For this as well as many other recipes such as balsamic peach chicken, I use a Lodge cast iron skillet. It’s surprisingly affordable and will last years if you take care of it.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Use chicken thighs as it contributes to the richness of the dish. You can use skin-on as well but I just like skinless for this recipe.
• You control the amount of heat depending on the type of paprika you use. I usually use a combination of regular paprika and smoked paprika but if you want it spicier, use Hungarian paprika.
• Add cold oil to a cold skillet and let heat up to proper temperature before adding the chicken. You’ll know it is ready when the oil starts to shimmer.
• You can replace the sour cream with yogurt or Greek yogurt.
• You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
• Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container or be frozen for 3 months.

Other Chicken Recipes

• Easy Chicken Piccata
• Breaded Chicken Parmesan
• Thai Satay Chicken
• Honey Lemon Chicken
• Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

If you’ve tried this Chicken Paprikash Recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I’m up to.