Chicken paprikash is a Hungarian dish of chicken gently simmered with onions, paprika, and a creamy sauce, commonly served over noodles or dumplings. This lighter-style version uses skinless chicken thighs and a measured amount of sour cream and yogurt, while keeping the paprika-forward flavor and tender, saucy finish.
Ingredients
- 2¼ lb (1.02 kg) bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, about 4–6 pieces
- 1 tsp (5 ml) fine salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil or neutral cooking oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped, about 2 cups (300 g)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, about 6 g
- 2 tbsp (14 g) sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 medium ripe tomato, chopped, about 1 cup (150 g)
- 1½ cups (355 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- ⅓ cup (80 g) reduced-fat sour cream
- ⅓ cup (80 g) plain 2% Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water, for loosening the dairy mixture if needed
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season all over with the salt and pepper. Chop the onion, garlic, and tomato, and measure the paprika, flour, and broth before you start cooking; the paprika goes into the pan quickly, so having everything ready helps prevent it from scorching.
- Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in batches if necessary, and brown for about 4 minutes per side. The chicken does not need to cook through at this stage. Transfer it to a plate. If the pot has a thick layer of browned bits, leave them in place; if there is excess rendered fat, spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon.
- Add the onion to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Remove the pot from the heat briefly, then stir in the paprika and flour until the onion is evenly coated. Taking the pot off the burner before adding paprika helps keep the spice from burning and turning bitter.
- Return the pot to medium-low heat. Stir in the chopped tomato and broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the bay leaf and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Return the chicken and any juices on the plate to the pot, arranging the pieces so they are partly submerged. Cover and simmer gently for 32 minutes, turning the thighs once halfway through. Keep the sauce at a quiet simmer rather than a vigorous boil; rapid boiling can make the chicken less tender and the sauce more likely to catch on the bottom.
- Check the thickest part of a thigh with an instant-read food thermometer, without touching the bone. USDA FSIS guidance sets 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for poultry. If a piece has not reached that temperature after 32 minutes, continue simmering and check again after a few minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate, remove and discard the bay leaf, and lower the heat.
- In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and Greek yogurt. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the hot sauce, one spoonful at a time, to warm the dairy gradually. Take the pot off the heat and stir the mixture into the sauce until smooth. Return the chicken to the pot and turn the pieces gently to coat. If the sauce seems too thick, add the cold water a teaspoon at a time; taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve hot with parsley.
Tips
- Use sweet paprika as the base. Hungarian sweet paprika gives the familiar rounded, gently peppery flavor. Smoked paprika is not a direct replacement: it adds a noticeable smoky note. If it is all you have, replace no more than 1 teaspoon of the sweet paprika with smoked paprika, rather than swapping the full amount.
- Keep the dairy off direct heat. Sour cream and yogurt can separate if boiled, especially lower-fat versions. Tempering them with warm sauce and stirring them in after removing the pot from the burner helps maintain a smooth finish. Once added, warm the dish gently if needed, but do not let it bubble.
- Brown in batches and mind the paprika. Crowding the pot makes the chicken steam instead of brown. A little color builds flavor, but the paprika should only cook briefly with the onion; scorched paprika can taste acrid. Moving the pot off the burner for that moment is a useful safeguard.
- Choose chicken pieces of similar size. Thighs vary in thickness, so use the thermometer rather than relying only on the clock. Bone-in pieces bring flavor to the sauce, but boneless thighs cook faster and need an earlier temperature check.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the chicken and plenty of paprika sauce over cooked egg noodles, spaetzle, or Hungarian-style dumplings if available. Buttered noodles are a familiar pairing because they catch the sauce; boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, or steamed rice also work well. For a meal with a fresh contrast, add a simple cucumber salad dressed with vinegar, dill, and a little salt, or serve steamed green beans or cabbage alongside.
For four servings, plan on about 8 oz (225 g) dried egg noodles, cooked separately according to their package directions, or roughly 1 lb (450 g) cooked potatoes. These accompaniments are not included in the ingredient quantities above. Spoon the sauce over the starch just before serving, and scatter the parsley over the chicken rather than stirring it into the pot, so its color and fresh flavor remain distinct.
Variations
Use boneless thighs. Replace the bone-in pieces with 1¾–2 lb (800–900 g) boneless, skinless thighs. Brown them as directed, then begin checking for 165°F (74°C) after about 20 minutes of gentle simmering. The exact time depends on thickness. Boneless meat is convenient, though the sauce may have a slightly less deep chicken flavor.
Make it without wheat flour. Use 1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch instead of flour, but do not add it with the paprika. Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cold water, stir it into the simmering sauce after the chicken is cooked, and cook briefly until thickened. Then take the pot off the heat and add the tempered dairy. Check that the broth and any noodles are also suitable for your needs.
Add mushrooms or peppers. Cook 8 oz (225 g) sliced cremini mushrooms with the onion, allowing their released liquid to cook off before adding garlic. Alternatively, add 1 sliced red bell pepper with the onion for sweetness and color. Either addition changes the balance of the sauce a little, so taste for salt at the end.
Adjust the heat. For a mild sauce, keep the recipe as written. For gentle warmth, add ⅛ teaspoon (about 0.3 g) cayenne with the paprika, or serve hot pepper flakes at the table. Traditional family versions vary in their paprika blend, richness, and side dishes, so adjust the seasoning to suit the ingredients you have without expecting every version to taste identical.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate the chicken and sauce within 2 hours of cooking, storing them in a covered, shallow container. They keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. If possible, store noodles or other accompaniments separately so they do not absorb all the sauce. The dairy sauce can thicken as it chills; that is normal and does not mean it has spoiled.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled chicken and sauce in a tightly sealed freezer-safe container for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Dairy-based sauces can change texture after freezing, so stir gently as the dish warms; if the sauce looks slightly grainy, avoid vigorous boiling and whisk in a small splash of broth.
Reheat only the portion you plan to serve, either in a covered saucepan over low heat or in a microwave-safe dish, stirring partway through. Add a tablespoon or two of broth or water if the sauce is very thick. Heat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking the center with a food thermometer, and do not repeatedly cool and reheat the full batch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make chicken paprikash ahead?
Yes. Cook the chicken and sauce, cool them promptly, and refrigerate within 2 hours. Reheat gently before serving and confirm the leftovers reach 165°F (74°C). For the smoothest sauce, you can also cook the chicken and tomato-broth base ahead, refrigerate it, and stir in the tempered sour cream and yogurt after reheating and taking the pot off the heat.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, but breast meat is leaner and can dry out if simmered for as long as bone-in thighs. Use pieces of similar thickness and start checking their temperature earlier, around 15–20 minutes into the simmer. Remove each piece as soon as its thickest section reaches 165°F (74°C), then finish the sauce and return the chicken briefly to coat.
What if I only have regular paprika?
Use it if it is labeled sweet or mild paprika; the dish will still work, although the aroma and flavor may be less distinctive than with sweet Hungarian paprika. Avoid using only hot paprika unless you want a much spicier sauce. If you have a blend, check whether it includes salt or heat and adjust the seasoning cautiously.
Why did my sauce split?
The dairy may have been added while the sauce was boiling, or the pot may have been returned to high heat afterward. Take the pot off the burner before adding the tempered sour cream and yogurt, then warm it gently without boiling. If the sauce has only just begun to separate, whisking in a spoonful of warm broth can sometimes bring it closer together, though it may not become completely smooth again.
Can I make this without sour cream?
For this version, replace the sour cream with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt, bringing the total yogurt to ⅔ cup (160 g). The result will taste tangier and may be a little less rounded, so temper it carefully and do not boil the finished sauce. Choose plain, unsweetened yogurt rather than flavored yogurt.
Is chicken paprikash always served with noodles?
No. Egg noodles are common, but dumplings, potatoes, and rice are all practical choices. Side dishes differ across households and regional versions. Choose something that can hold the sauce, and serve a crisp salad or simply cooked vegetable alongside to balance the rich, paprika-seasoned gravy.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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