Chicken paprikash, known in Hungarian as paprikás csirke, is a classic comfort food featuring tender chicken simmered in a rich, savory sauce built on plenty of paprika and finished with sour cream. This version is adapted from America’s Test Kitchen with a few personal changes.
While traditional recipes often call for bone-in chicken, this one uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They cook quickly in the sauce and can be easily pulled into bite-size pieces, so there are no bones to navigate at the dinner table. Serve the chicken and its creamy paprika sauce over buttered egg noodles, with an extra dollop of sour cream on the side.
Key Ingredients for Chicken Paprikash
Each component plays a role in building the dish’s signature flavor and texture:
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Used to sauté the vegetables and build the flavorful base of the sauce.
- Onion, red bell pepper, and garlic: Cooked down until soft and savory, adding sweetness and depth to the sauce.
- Diced tomatoes and tomato paste: Diced tomatoes add body and acidity, while tomato paste gives the sauce a deeper, more concentrated tomato flavor.
- Chicken broth: Provides the liquid for simmering the chicken and forms the base of the sauce.
- Paprika: The signature flavor of chicken paprikash. For best results, look for sweet Hungarian paprika at well-stocked grocery stores, spice shops, or online. Regular paprika works too, but avoid smoked paprika, which has a very different flavor.
- Cayenne pepper: Adds a subtle touch of heat without making the dish spicy.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Traditional chicken paprikash is typically made with bone-in chicken, but boneless thighs make this version easier to cook (and eat) while still staying juicy and tender as they simmer.
- Sour cream and flour: Sour cream gives the sauce its creamy, tangy finish, while flour helps thicken and stabilize it.
- Fresh parsley: An optional finishing touch that adds freshness and a pop of color.
How to Make Chicken Paprikash
The process is straightforward and builds layers of flavor step by step.
Soften the Vegetables
Cook the onion and bell pepper until they’re soft and starting to relax, then stir in the tomato paste and garlic. This builds the savory base of the sauce.
Cook Down the Tomatoes and Build the Sauce
Add the tomatoes and cook until the vegetables are very soft and most of the liquid has cooked away. This concentrates the flavor. Stir in the broth, paprika, and seasonings.
Simmer and Shred the Chicken
Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate, then use two forks to pull it into bite-size pieces.
Make the Creamy Sauce
Stir the sour cream and flour together until smooth—the flour prevents the sour cream from curdling when it is added to the sauce—then gradually whisk in some of the hot cooking liquid. Whisk the mixture back into the pot until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Finish the Paprikash
Return the chicken and juices to the pot and gently simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly and everything is warmed through. Finish with parsley and serve with buttered egg noodles or spaetzle (Hungarian nokedli), with extra sour cream if desired. Mashed potatoes or crusty bread are also delicious options.
Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions
The chicken and sauce can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best texture, wait to add the sour cream mixture until just before serving. Reheat gently over medium heat, then finish with the sour cream mixture as directed.
Once the sour cream has been added, leftovers can also be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. To freeze, do so before adding the sour cream, as the sauce may separate slightly once thawed. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as directed above.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (based on 6 servings): Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 188mg | Sodium: 1007mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g
Note: Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as product types or brands, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. For the most accurate information, calculate with your actual ingredients using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you’re following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
