Tender Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

If you ask me, there’s nothing quite as comforting as a big plate of chicken paprikash.

This classic Hungarian dish brings together tender chicken pieces in a rich, paprika-spiced sauce that’s finished with tangy sour cream. The sweet paprika gives it that signature reddish color and warm, slightly sweet flavor that makes this recipe so special.

It’s cooked low and slow with onions and chicken bouillon until everything gets nice and tender. Homemade dumplings served alongside soak up all that creamy sauce perfectly.

It’s a stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal that feels like a warm hug on a cool evening.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For chicken paprikash, you can use a whole chicken cut into pieces, or just buy pre-cut chicken parts to save yourself some time. Bone-in, skin-on pieces work best because they add more flavor to the sauce as everything simmers together. If you prefer white meat, go with thighs and drumsticks, or if you’re a breast meat person, those work great too. Just keep in mind that boneless, skinless chicken will cook faster and won’t give you quite as rich of a sauce, so bone-in is really the way to go for the most authentic taste.

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Options for Substitutions

This classic Hungarian dish has some room for swaps if you need them:

• Sweet paprika: Sweet paprika is really important for authentic paprikash – it gives the dish its signature flavor and color. Try not to substitute this one if you can help it. Regular paprika won’t give you the same taste, and hot paprika will make it too spicy.
• Vidalia onion: Any yellow or sweet onion works fine here. White onions are okay too, though they’ll be a bit sharper in flavor.
• Whole chicken: You can use chicken thighs or drumsticks instead of a whole chicken – they’ll give you that same rich flavor. Bone-in pieces work best, but boneless will do in a pinch (just reduce cooking time).
• Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream is best for this recipe, but you can use Greek yogurt mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice if needed. Just temper it with some hot cooking liquid before adding to prevent curdling.
• Vegetable oil: Butter, lard, or any neutral cooking oil like canola works just fine here.
• Chicken bouillon cubes: You can swap these with 3 cups of chicken stock and reduce the water accordingly, or use chicken bouillon powder (about 3 teaspoons).

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making chicken paprikash is adding the paprika while the pot is still on high heat, which causes it to burn and turn bitter – always remove the pot from the heat first, stir in the paprika, then return it to continue cooking.

Another common error is dumping the sour cream mixture directly into the hot broth without tempering it, which can cause the cream to curdle and separate, so whisk a few spoonfuls of the hot broth into your sour cream mixture first to bring it up to temperature gradually.

When making the dumplings, avoid adding too much flour or overmixing the dough, as this creates tough, chewy dumplings instead of light and tender ones – the batter should be thick but still slightly sticky.

Finally, don’t skip rinsing the cooked dumplings with cold water, as this stops them from sticking together and removes excess starch that can make your dish gummy.

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What to Serve With Chicken Paprikash?

Chicken paprikash is traditionally served over egg noodles or dumplings, which are perfect for soaking up all that rich, paprika-infused sauce. Based on the ingredients in this recipe, it looks like homemade dumplings are included, so you’re already set with the main accompaniment! A simple side of steamed green beans or roasted broccoli adds a nice fresh contrast to the creamy dish. I also like serving this with a cucumber salad dressed with vinegar and dill – the tangy, cool flavors balance out the richness of the sour cream sauce perfectly.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your chicken paprikash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get even better the next day as everything has time to meld together. I like to store the dumplings separately if possible, so they don’t get too soft from sitting in the sauce.

Freeze: This dish freezes really well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers. Just know that the sour cream sauce might separate a bit when frozen, but a good stir while reheating usually brings it back together nicely.

Reheat: Warm it up gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water or chicken broth if it seems too thick. You can also use the microwave on medium power, but stovetop gives you better control over the texture of that creamy sauce.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4200-4600
• Protein: 180-210 g
• Fat: 190-210 g
• Carbohydrates: 450-500 g

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large vidalia onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 whole chicken (cut into 8 serving pieces)
• 3 tbsp sweet paprika
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• 3 tsp seasoning salt
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 12 fl oz water

For the sauce:

• 18 fl oz sour cream
• 6 fl oz water
• 5 tbsp flour

For the dumplings:

• 4 eggs
• 3 cups water
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Start the Chicken Base

• 1 large vidalia onion
• 1 whole chicken

Dice the vidalia onion into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside.

Cut the whole chicken into 8 serving pieces (2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 wings), patting them dry with paper towels to help them brown better.

Have the paprika, bouillon cubes, seasoning salt, garlic, black pepper, and water measured and ready before you begin cooking.

Step 2: Build the Flavor Base with Onions and Paprika

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large vidalia onion
• 3 tbsp sweet paprika

Heat 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add the diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.

Remove the pot from heat and immediately stir in the 3 tablespoons of sweet paprika, mixing well to coat the onions.

This prevents the paprika from burning and allows it to bloom in the hot oil, which deepens its flavor—I always do this off-heat to ensure the paprika stays fragrant rather than turning bitter.

Step 3: Sear the Chicken and Build the Braising Liquid

• chicken pieces from Step 1
• paprika-onion base from Step 2
• 12 fl oz water
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• 3 tsp seasoning salt
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the chicken pieces to the paprika-onion mixture.

Brown the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, turning occasionally until the exterior is golden and lightly caramelized.

Pour in 12 fluid ounces of water to almost cover the chicken, then crumble in the 4 chicken bouillon cubes and add the 3 teaspoons of seasoning salt, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well to combine, then bring to a boil.

Step 4: Simmer the Chicken Until Tender

• simmering chicken and broth from Step 3

Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer gently for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

While the chicken simmers, you can begin preparing the dumpling dough (see Step 5).

After simmering, carefully remove the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate to cool slightly—this makes shredding easier and keeps the meat juicy.

Step 5: Prepare the Dumpling Dough

• 4 eggs
• 3 cups water
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt

While the chicken simmers, combine 4 eggs, 3 cups of water, 6 cups of all-purpose flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large mixing bowl.

Stir with a wooden spoon until a thick, sticky dough forms—it should be slightly looser than bread dough.

Set aside until you’re ready to cook the dumplings.

Step 6: Create the Creamy Paprikash Sauce

• 18 fl oz sour cream
• 6 fl oz water
• 5 tbsp flour
• broth from Step 4

In a medium bowl, whisk together 18 fluid ounces of sour cream, 6 fluid ounces of water, and 5 tablespoons of flour until completely smooth with no lumps.

Once the chicken is removed from the pot in Step 4, slowly pour the sour cream mixture into the simmering broth while stirring constantly to prevent curdling.

I like to temper the sour cream slightly by adding a ladle of hot broth to it first before stirring it into the pot—this prevents the sauce from breaking.

Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.

Step 7: Cook the Dumplings and Assemble the Dish

• 3 cups water
• dumpling dough from Step 5
• cooked chicken from Step 4
• paprikash sauce from Step 6

Bring 3 cups of water to a rolling boil in a second pot.

Using a spoon or small ice cream scoop, carefully drop small spoonfuls of the dumpling dough from Step 5 into the boiling water—work in batches to avoid overcrowding.

The dumplings will sink initially, then float to the surface after about 3 minutes; cook for an additional 4 minutes after they float, then drain and rinse under warm water.

Divide the cooked dumplings among serving bowls, top with the chicken pieces and generous portions of the creamy paprika sauce from Step 6, and serve immediately.

Tender Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

Delicious Tender Hungarian Chicken Paprikash recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 4400 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken::

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large vidalia onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 whole chicken (cut into 8 serving pieces)
• 3 tbsp sweet paprika
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• 3 tsp seasoning salt
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 12 fl oz water

For the sauce::

• 18 fl oz sour cream
• 6 fl oz water
• 5 tbsp flour

For the dumplings::

• 4 eggs
• 3 cups water
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

 

• Dice the vidalia onion into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside. Cut the whole chicken into 8 serving pieces (2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 wings), patting them dry with paper towels to help them brown better. Have the paprika, bouillon cubes, seasoning salt, garlic, black pepper, and water measured and ready before you begin cooking.
• Heat 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Remove the pot from heat and immediately stir in the 3 tablespoons of sweet paprika, mixing well to coat the onions. This prevents the paprika from burning and allows it to bloom in the hot oil, which deepens its flavor—I always do this off-heat to ensure the paprika stays fragrant rather than turning bitter.
• Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the chicken pieces to the paprika-onion mixture. Brown the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, turning occasionally until the exterior is golden and lightly caramelized. Pour in 12 fluid ounces of water to almost cover the chicken, then crumble in the 4 chicken bouillon cubes and add the 3 teaspoons of seasoning salt, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir well to combine, then bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer gently for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. While the chicken simmers, you can begin preparing the dumpling dough (see Step 5). After simmering, carefully remove the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate to cool slightly—this makes shredding easier and keeps the meat juicy.
• While the chicken simmers, combine 4 eggs, 3 cups of water, 6 cups of all-purpose flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until a thick, sticky dough forms—it should be slightly looser than bread dough. Set aside until you're ready to cook the dumplings.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 18 fluid ounces of sour cream, 6 fluid ounces of water, and 5 tablespoons of flour until completely smooth with no lumps. Once the chicken is removed from the pot in Step 4, slowly pour the sour cream mixture into the simmering broth while stirring constantly to prevent curdling. I like to temper the sour cream slightly by adding a ladle of hot broth to it first before stirring it into the pot—this prevents the sauce from breaking. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
• Bring 3 cups of water to a rolling boil in a second pot. Using a spoon or small ice cream scoop, carefully drop small spoonfuls of the dumpling dough from Step 5 into the boiling water—work in batches to avoid overcrowding. The dumplings will sink initially, then float to the surface after about 3 minutes; cook for an additional 4 minutes after they float, then drain and rinse under warm water. Divide the cooked dumplings among serving bowls, top with the chicken pieces and generous portions of the creamy paprika sauce from Step 6, and serve immediately.