Chicken paprikash is a Hungarian dish of chicken simmered in a paprika-rich onion sauce, often finished with sour cream and served over noodles or dumplings. This weeknight version uses rotisserie chicken, so the sauce can develop its flavor without a long braise; the tender chicken warms through at the end.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) wide egg noodles, or spaetzle, for serving
- 1 large yellow onion, about 1 cup chopped (250 g)
- 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral cooking oil
- 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp (14 g) sweet Hungarian paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 6 g)
- 1½ cups (355 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed (about 450 g)
- ½ cup (120 g) full-fat sour cream, plus more to serve if desired
- ¾ tsp (4.5 g) fine salt, or less if the chicken is salty
- ¼ tsp (0.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (about 8 g), optional
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and remove the skin and bones from the rotisserie chicken. Pull or cut the meat into bite-size pieces, keeping the breast and thigh meat in similar-sized pieces so it heats evenly. Measure the paprika and broth before you start cooking; paprika can scorch if it sits in a hot pan while you search for the next ingredient. Set the sour cream out briefly while you cook so it is not refrigerator-cold when you temper it.
- Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions, usually 7 to 9 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Drain well. They can cook while you make the sauce; if they finish first, toss them with a small knob of butter and cover the pot so they stay warm. If using spaetzle, follow its package directions instead.
- Soften the onion. While the noodles cook, heat the butter and oil in a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent but not deeply browned. Browning is not a disaster, but a gentle, pale onion keeps the sauce mellow and lets the paprika remain its main flavor.
- Build the paprika sauce. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for about 1 minute, until no dry flour remains. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the paprika and garlic for about 30 seconds, then gradually whisk in the broth. Removing the pan from the burner before adding paprika helps prevent the spice from burning, which can make it bitter. Return the pan to medium heat, add the salt and pepper, and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it looks smooth and lightly thickened.
- Warm the chicken through. Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer gently for about 6 minutes, stirring once or twice. Avoid a hard boil: the chicken is already cooked, and vigorous bubbling can make it stringy while reducing the sauce too much. Because this is reheated poultry, check a thick piece with a food thermometer; the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for reheated poultry is 165°F (74°C). If needed, continue heating gently until it reaches that temperature.
- Temper the sour cream and serve. Turn off the heat. Spoon about ½ cup of the hot sauce into a small bowl and whisk it gradually into the sour cream. Stir this mixture back into the skillet until the sauce is creamy, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Keep the finished sauce off the boil so the sour cream is less likely to separate. Serve promptly over the drained noodles, with parsley if using.
Tips
- Choose paprika for flavor, not just color. Sweet Hungarian paprika is the traditional style for this dish and gives the sauce a rounded, mild pepper flavor. It is sold in many supermarkets and international food shops. If it is unavailable, use fresh, good-quality sweet paprika; ordinary sweet paprika works, though the flavor may be less pronounced. Smoked paprika changes the character of the dish, so use only a small amount alongside sweet paprika if you want a smoky note. Do not substitute hot paprika measure for measure unless you want a distinctly spicy sauce.
- Check the rotisserie chicken before salting. Store-bought birds vary in seasoning, and broth adds salt too. Starting with ¾ teaspoon is reasonable with low-sodium broth, but use less if your chicken is salty. Taste after the sauce simmers and again after the chicken is added. If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with broth a tablespoon at a time rather than adding a large splash all at once.
- Keep the sauce smooth. Take the pan off the heat before stirring in paprika, and temper the sour cream with hot sauce before adding it to the skillet. Full-fat sour cream is generally more stable and gives a richer texture than low-fat sour cream. If the sauce looks slightly grainy, remove it from heat and whisk gently; do not try to fix it by boiling harder.
- Use the meat you have. A typical rotisserie chicken yields more meat than this recipe needs, and the exact amount varies by bird. Measure 3 cups (about 450 g) for a good sauce-to-chicken balance; save any extra for another meal. Dark meat stays especially juicy, while a mix of breast and thigh meat gives varied texture.
Serving Suggestions
Wide egg noodles are a familiar pairing because their folds catch the creamy paprika sauce. Spoon the chicken and sauce over the noodles rather than mixing everything together in the skillet; that makes it easier to keep the noodles from absorbing all the sauce if dinner is delayed. Spaetzle, small dumplings, or boiled potatoes are also good choices. Hungarian-style nokedli, a soft little dumpling, is a classic option when you have time to make it, but store-bought spaetzle keeps this shortcut meal practical.
For balance, add a simple green salad dressed with vinegar, or serve steamed green beans, peas, or sautéed cabbage alongside. A crisp, lightly acidic side cuts through the richness without competing with the paprika. Put extra sour cream and chopped parsley on the table so people can finish their own portions. If serving bread, choose a plain crusty loaf for catching sauce rather than a heavily seasoned bread that would distract from it.
Variations
Add gentle heat: Stir in a pinch of cayenne or a small amount of hot Hungarian paprika with the sweet paprika. Start conservatively, since the sauce is easier to make hotter than to mellow once the spice is in. For a milder family-style pot, keep the sauce as written and offer hot paprika at the table.
Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free noodles and replace the all-purpose flour with 2 teaspoons (about 6 g) cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cold water. Add the slurry to the simmering broth a little at a time and cook until thickened before adding chicken. Check that the broth and noodles are labeled gluten-free. The sauce will have a slightly glossier, less flour-rounded texture.
Add vegetables: Stir in 8 oz (225 g) sliced mushrooms after the onion has softened and cook until they release their liquid and begin to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Then continue with the flour and paprika. This adds a savory note and may make the sauce a little thinner at first, so simmer it until it reaches the desired consistency before adding the chicken.
Use another creamy finish: Crème fraîche can replace sour cream in the same quantity and is less prone to curdling, with a milder tang. If using plain Greek yogurt, choose full-fat and temper it carefully off the heat; it is more likely to split if boiled. These options are useful alternatives, but sour cream gives the sauce its characteristic tang.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate the chicken and sauce within 2 hours of cooking, ideally in a shallow airtight container so they cool promptly. Keep the noodles separately when possible; stored together, they absorb sauce and soften. The chicken paprikash keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. If you have already combined it with noodles, it is still safe within that window, though the texture will be softer.
Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a covered saucepan over low to medium-low heat, stirring gently and adding a spoonful or two of broth if the sauce has thickened. Heat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. Avoid boiling after reheating because the sour cream sauce can separate. A microwave also works: cover loosely, heat in short intervals, and stir between intervals so the center heats evenly; verify 165°F (74°C) before serving.
For longer storage, freeze the chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months for best quality. Sour cream sauces can become slightly grainy after thawing, so freeze the chicken in the paprika sauce before adding sour cream when you know you want to freeze a portion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat to 165°F (74°C), then temper in fresh sour cream off the heat. Do not leave the dish at room temperature for extended storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make chicken paprikash with cold leftover rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Shred the leftover chicken, add it to the simmered paprika sauce, and heat it gently until it reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest pieces. The recipe is designed for already-cooked chicken, so it needs only enough time to warm through safely without becoming tough. Remove skin and bones before measuring the meat.
Can I use chicken breast instead of a whole rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Use about 3 cups (450 g) cooked, shredded chicken breast, or a mixture of breast and thigh meat. If starting with raw chicken, cook it separately before making this recipe and verify that it reaches 165°F (74°C); this recipe’s timing assumes the chicken is already cooked. Adding raw chicken directly would change both the cooking time and the method.
Why did my sour cream sauce split?
Sour cream can separate when it is boiled, added very cold to hot liquid, or exposed to a sharp temperature change. Turn off the burner, temper the sour cream with a little hot sauce, and stir it in gradually. Full-fat sour cream is more forgiving. If the sauce separates despite those steps, gentle whisking off the heat may improve its appearance, though it may not become perfectly smooth again.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
You can make the paprika sauce through the simmering step up to a day ahead and refrigerate it promptly. Reheat the sauce gently, add the chicken, and warm it to 165°F (74°C); then temper in the sour cream just before serving. Keeping the noodles separate helps them retain their texture. If the refrigerated sauce is very thick, thin it with a little broth as it warms.
What can I use instead of egg noodles?
Spaetzle or nokedli are close companions, while boiled potatoes, rice, or another short pasta also work. Choose a plain side that can hold the sauce. If you use rice, cook it separately and follow its package directions; the recipe’s cook time and method cover the chicken paprikash and noodles, not a separate rice preparation.
Is chicken paprikash supposed to be spicy?
Usually, the sauce is savory and warmly flavored rather than hot when made with sweet paprika. Paprika varieties differ, so check the label and taste a small pinch if you are unsure. Add hot paprika or cayenne in small increments only if you want heat; smoked paprika adds smokiness rather than the same clean chile warmth.
Related
- Where to Buy Peking Duck Pancakes and Make Them at Home
- Where in China Are Hoisin Duck Pancakes From? Recipe
- Pork Schnitzel and Red Cabbage, Made for a Cozy Dinner
More recipes to cook
Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).