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Creamy Hungarian Paprika Chicken

This Chicken Paprikash is rich, tangy, and deeply comforting—the authentic Hungarian classic that's easier to make at home than you'd think! A few key techniques keep the chicken fall-off-the-bone tender and the paprika sauce silky instead of grainy, while real Hungarian ingredients and my expert tips make this creamy, deeply spiced chicken dinner downright irresistible.
Course Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine Hungarian
Prep Time 16 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6 servings
Author [email protected]

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 1½ teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, diced
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup sweet (Hungarian) paprika (NOT basic, hot, or smoked)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp EACH dried thyme, caraway seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 bay leaves

Add Later

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For Serving

  • Nokedli, csipetke, or egg noodles
  • Sour cream
  • Fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

  • Prep: Remove the sour cream from the fridge to come to room temperature.
  • Sear chicken: Pat the chicken dry, then season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches as needed, sear the chicken over medium-high heat until golden and crisp, then transfer to a plate.
  • Sauté onions: Add a drizzle of olive oil if needed, then add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 8 minutes.
  • Sauté tomatoes: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomatoes, garlic, all the spices (including the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt), and sauté for 2 minutes.
  • Simmer: Stir in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Return the chicken to the pot. Cover and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to just above low for a gentle simmer. Simmer for 30–40 minutes, until the chicken reaches 170–175°F in the thickest part of the meat, avoiding the bone. Remove the chicken to a plate.
  • Thicken: Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold chicken broth in a cup/bowl until the cornstarch dissolves completely. Slowly whisk it into the pot over low heat. Bring to a simmer for 5–10 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the sour cream, then return the chicken to the pot.
  • Serve over nokedli (or American egg noodles), garnished with a dollop of sour cream and parsley, if desired.

Notes

Tips and Tricks

  • Sweet paprika: the star of the dish and non-negotiable—hot, smoked, or basic paprika will not work and can ruin the dish. Look for (Hungarian) sweet paprika. You may find it at your grocery store, but Amazon is likely the best option. 
  • Check doneness with a thermometer, not time alone. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks benefit from cooking a little longer than the safe 165°F. At 170–175°F, the connective tissue has had more time to break down, so the meat becomes noticeably more tender and pulls away from the bone more easily.
  • You don't have to eat the skin. All that simmering softens the crisp skin you built while searing—its job was to render fat and flavor into the pot, so feel free to peel it off before serving if you'd rather skip the soft texture.