Chicken paprikash is a saucy blend of chicken, onions, sour cream and lots of paprika. In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” we blend techniques from restaurant chefs and home cooks who taught us their recipes during our visit to Budapest, Hungary.
In addition to a generous amount of onion, sautéed until sweet and softened to create a flavorful base, there are a couple other keys to achieving fullness and complexity in the iconic dish. Paprika, both sweet and hot, is a defining ingredient. The spice adds a touch of heat, a rusty hue and helps thicken the stew.
Multiple forms of peppers are essential for depth and range of flavor. Jarred roasted red peppers, blended to a smooth puree, bring a silky sweetness; fresh banana pepper, finely chopped, adds tangy, fruity notes.
The paprika should be bright red, not dull brown, and full of fragrance. Seek out fresh, quality paprika, and in particular look for brands produced in Hungary.
Don’t stir the sour cream into the chicken mixture while still on the heat. Remove the pot from the burner, push the chicken to the sides and whisk the sour cream and the remaining pepper puree into the braising liquid in the center. This gently warms the sour cream so it won’t separate.
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
Start to finish: 1 hour 40 minutes (25 minutes active)
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
½ cup drained jarred roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
4 teaspoons hot paprika, divided
1 teaspoon white sugar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 ripe medium tomato, cored and chopped
2 banana peppers or wax peppers, 1 stemmed, seeded and finely chopped, 1 stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced, reserved separately
¼ cup sweet paprika
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
¾ cup sour cream
Directions:
In a blender, combine the roasted peppers, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of the hot paprika, the sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Puree, scraping the jar as needed, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking. Stir in the onion, tomato and finely chopped banana pepper. Cover, reduce to medium and cook, stirring often, until the tomato has broken down and the onion is softened and light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the sweet paprika, remaining 3 teaspoons hot paprika, broth and half of the pepper puree. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Add the chicken and stir until well coated. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then cover, reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until a skewer inserted into the chicken meets no resistance, about 40 minutes.
Off heat, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Push the chicken to the side; add the remaining pepper puree and the sour cream to the liquid. Whisk to incorporate, then stir to combine the sauce and chicken. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve garnished with the sliced banana pepper.