A quick and easy Hungarian chicken paprikash recipe using traditional Hungarian sweet paprika... Also known as Chicken Paprikas or Csirkepaprikás, this simple spicy & creamy chicken recipe served over broad egg noodles boasts big flavor!
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Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
Hungarian food is comfort food at its best... We're talking rich, flavorful, and satisfying, a stick-to-your-ribs kind of nourishment that is perfect for cold and rainy fall weather.
So it's only natural that I've been craving these familiar recipes from my childhood lately -- recipes like this Hungarian fried cabbage and noodles recipe and this cool and creamy Hungarian sour cream cucumber salad. And my very favorite, Hungarian Goulash...
I have to confess, I've been holding out on you with my family's goulash recipe -- mainly because my mom was adamantly against sharing it. But I recently caught her in a moment of weakness, and she finally gave me her blessing to post it, so look for that soon!
Today, though, I've got a different (but no less amazing) Hungarian recipe for you: chicken paprikash. We're talking tender pieces of chicken, covered in a thick, rich, and creamy sauce that is flavored with delicate Hungarian sweet paprika -- and lots of it!
I like to think of it as the Hungarian version of beef stroganoff... Only with chicken. And spicier.
Chicken Paprikash Recipe
Chicken paprikash is traditionally served over dumplings (aka spaetzle or spätzle, depending where you hail from) or broad egg noodles.
When I'm making this chicken paprikash recipe on a weeknight -- and this is totally a doable weeknight dinner -- I go for No Yolks noodles.
My mom was always a fan of these high quality noodles that consistently cook up smooth, firm and fluffy. As am I today! I adore their versatility -- they stay firm and delicious in everything from fried cabbage and noodles to chicken noodle soup.
No Yolks noodles are made from egg whites, so they contain no cholesterol and are low in fat and sodium. I use the No Yolks Broad noodles most often, but they also come in Extra Broad, Fine, Kluski, Dumplings, and Stir-Fry cuts -- they make a noodle for just about every recipe!
Quick & Easy Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Recipe
I'll spare you the step-by-step directions on how to make chicken paprikash for the recipe card below, but here's the main thing to know -- you must have good quality Hungarian sweet paprika to make this recipe.
Seriously, NO SUBSTITUTIONS! You can usually find it in the ethnic section of your grocery store, but if not, order some online.
Also, a truly authentic Hungarian chicken paprikash would be made with lard and bone-in chicken legs, thighs, breast, and back. These bone-in cuts take some time to cook through.
So to make this weeknight friendly, I use butter (REAL butter, don't even think about trying those faux spreads) and a combination of diced chicken breasts and chicken thighs. You still get ALL of the flavor with less mess and fuss!
Easy Chicken Paprikash
One bite and I think you'll fall in love with this easy chicken paprikash, too... I mean chicken, fluffy No Yolks noodles, plus a creamy, spicy sauce -- how can you go wrong? Try it ASAP and let me know what you think.
Easy Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
An easy Hungarian chicken paprikash recipe using traditional Hungarian sweet paprika… Also known as Chicken Paprikas or Csirkepaprikás, this simple spicy & creamy chicken recipe served over broad egg noodles boasts big flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 (12-oz.) pkg. No Yolks Broad noodles
- 1 medium onion
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2.5 pounds chicken breasts and thighs
- 3 tablespoons flour, divided
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Dice the onion, and cut the chicken breasts and thighs into bite-size chunks.
- In a large skillet, sauté the onion in the butter over medium heat until translucent. Meanwhile, toss the diced chicken pieces with about two tablespoons of flour. Add the coated chicken to the pan, and brown on all sides. Once the chicken is browned, add the sweet paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir well.
- Slowly add the chicken broth to the pan, and use a wooden spoon to scrape and deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes. While the chicken is simmering, prepare the No Yolks noodles according to the directions on the package.
- Remove the chicken to a plate. Whisk about one tablespoon of flour into the drippings left in the skillet to thicken. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Add the chicken back to the sauce and stir to coat.
- Season to taste with additional salt, and serve immediately over broad egg noodles.
Notes
Looking to add a little more heat to your chicken paprikash? Try adding some Hungarian hot paprika! I wouldn’t recommend substituting it for the sweet paprika 1:1, though — it can pack quite a punch. Start with adding a little and increase until you’re happy with the results.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 servingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 595Total Fat: 23.5gSaturated Fat: 13.3gCholesterol: 163.8mgSodium: 1019.9mgCarbohydrates: 49.2gFiber: 3.5gSugar: 7.3gProtein: 44.2g
Are you a pork lover? Then I think you'll also love these very similar Hungarian sour cream pork chops. Made on the stove top and ready to eat in just about 35 minutes, these tender and juicy pork chops smothered in a spicy & creamy paprika sour cream sauce are sure to be a new family fave!
If you like this chicken paprikash, you might also enjoy these other delicious Hungarian recipes:
- Hungarian Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream
- Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles
- Hungarian Tomato Salad Recipe
Did you make this recipe?
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C.L. Nmeth says
My mother made cucumber salad but without the sourcream. I make it a lot and really love it. Its cukes, garlic, finegar, water, and black pepper, garnished with , what else, paprika.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Sounds delish - I will have to try this version soon!
Dayna says
Thanks for the recipe! Made this tonight and it was a hit with family. I added two cloves garlic, cayenne pepper and about a cup of chopped carrots. My husband who is first generation Hungarian-American scarfed it down and said it was fantastic.
Tara Kuczykowski says
So glad you loved it! Love the adaptations - every family has a slightly different recipe.
Liz Streithorst says
Can I use Bulgarian yogurt instead of sour cream?
Tara Kuczykowski says
I've not tried it personally, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't! I often substitute yogurt for sour cream in recipes.
R Jones says
try adding some smoked paprika as well gives a delicious depth of flavor
Cheryl says
I made this and served over my homemade spaetzle and the only changes I made were to saute a tiny small diced red bell pepper with the onion and for the chicken broth I used Knorr tomato bouillon chicken flavor powder mixed with boiling water which really gave more depth of flavor, imoo. This recipe is as good as a famous restaurant known to MASH tv fans, if you’ve ever eaten there and I do love theirs.
Tara Kuczykowski says
I will have to look for that Knorr tomato with chicken bouillon. Thank you for sharing, and I'm so happy you loved it!
flora says
not sure why but the amazon link for the hungarian paprika redirects to … wart remover for some reason ?? you might want to change that
Tara Kuczykowski says
Oh, wow — that’s bizarre! Can you tell me which link you clicked on went to the wart remover? I just tested them all and didn’t have that happen, but maybe I missed one…
flora says
@Tara Kuczykowski, that's weird because i clicked on two different links and they both went there ? the one in the printable recipe links there for me, both on my phone and on laptop right now ! im not sure if this is a universal problem or just for me (anyway i'm about to test this recipe for lunch!:))
Nicholas says
I would suggest frying onions in a separate pan than the same one as browning chiken. They seem to get over cooked . Even stirring the onions to the top, I am left with a few burnt pieces in the final recipe
Bunnie says
This is not how you make Hungarian Chicken Paprikas! It is an American version I suppose. I am Hungarian and we don’t make it this way. You use a whole chicken or legs and thighs. You need the bones for flavor. So I would call this a version of the Hungarian dish. Not truly Paprikas! Every Hungarian family does it a little different but not like this. Glad some people liked it.
Russ says
@Bunnie,
Would love to have your recipe to try. I agree on the use of a whole chicken. That's the way my mother use to make it. I was trying to find her recipe in one of the old settlement cook books but it didn't look right. She made the best chicken fricassee too.
Dawn says
@Bunnie,
If you read the blog part, it explains that. This is adapted for a quicker weeknight meal. It explains that the traditional recipe uses lard and whole bone-in chicken. I’m trying this in a weeknight, but would love to also make the traditional way some weekend.
Bill says
@Bunnie, chill out Hungarian chicken paprikas Jesus…I’m Hungarian too but I’m not going all Karen on a recipe someone made that so many people liked.
Paul says
I'm also Hungarian and the trend I see in America is almost everything is boneless. I agree with Bunnie that the bone is what adds flavor. I'm sure this version is okay but it's not authentic and Bunnie was pointing that out. And I've had chicken paprikash in many Hungarian households. Never boneless.
Why do I get the feeling that you're one of those guys the pre-boils his Hungarian sausage and brats before cooking it on the grill.
Paul says
I agree. I'm also Hungarian. After you've cooked the onion (add some green pepper also) until translucent, you add the whole cut-up chicken, salt it (don't forget the liver) add lots of sweet authentic Hungarian paprika, take it off heat as you stir the paprika in, reduce heat, cover, and NO water. The chicken makes its own juice. Stir often and when the chicken starts pulling off the bone tender, tub of sour cream in a dish, slowly ladle some hot liquid from the chicken until the mixture is smooth. This is called tempering. Keeps the sour cream from curdling. Mix the tempered sour cream in with the chicken, done. Serve over nokedli with a side dish of cucumber salad.
Mary G says
I made this last night and it was delicious! I didn’t have boneless chicken in the house and cut my chicken into smaller pieces, a mistake! Despite the odd bones, we really enjoyed it. I did use 2.5 tablespoons of regular paprika and .5 tablespoon of hot paprika for a little kick. Yum! Thanks for sharing!
Tara Kuczykowski says
I prefer it a little on the spicy side too. So happy you loved it!
Katie says
Yolks are the most nutritious part of the egg and the fat/cholesterol thing when you are eating this is a moot point - let's be real - I would encourage people to use actual whole egg noodles. This was delicious!!
Stephanie says
This was delicious! I didn’t include the onion because of dietary restrictions and didn’t thicken it out of laziness, but it was still extremely delicious and flavorful!
I did mine in the instant pot and served it with homemade GF spaetzel. Thanks for sharing!!
Tara Kuczykowski says
So happy it turned out well for you!
Jan says
Can you use regular paprika?
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Jan! Regular paprika that's labeled as just "paprika" is sometimes actually Hungarian paprika. But it's also often a Spanish paprika, which has a very different flavor profile. Unfortunately, the ingredient lists typically do not specify the source. For best results and authentic flavor, I'd recommend picking up a sweet Hungarian paprika that is specifically labeled as such.
Will says
I had never heard of this until season 7 of Grace & Frankie. I looked it up and found your recipe first on the list. It was amazing! Thanks for sharing.
Danyalle says
@Will, me too!!! lol
Dory says
Did not care for this. the floured chicken reminded me of soggy breading. The flavor was very bland. I even ordered the recommended paprika.. Not a remake.
Psutton says
@Dory, must've done something wrong. The flour should've been incorporated into the sour cream , not floured on to the chicken.
Susi K says
@Psutton, no one in our extended families or friends here or in Hungary ever used flour at all. And just water to braise. (Next time I’ll try the broth) 2 big onions for that much chicken to make lots of sauce. Mix the paprika well into the onions and lay the meat on top to brown. Onions and skin caramelize that way for depth of flavour. Sour cream heated through it thickens all well.
Kassandra says
I’m so happy I came across this recipe! I’m first generation Hungarian-American and this was an easy to follow, fool proof recipe that took me back to my child!!
Koszonom szepen es jo etvagyat!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Aww, thank you, Kassandra! I'm so happy you found it and love it, too.
Sharon says
@Kassandra,
I am happy to read your post. I am Hungarian American by my grandparents. Lived spending time with them especially when grandmom cooked and baked. I hope this recipe turns out like my memory of it, or at least close.
Sharon
Cayla says
This will be my first time making paprikash, do any stores usually carry the correct paprika or is ordering off of Amazon a must?
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Cayla! The Pride Of Szeged authentic Hungarian paprika I linked to is definitely my favorite. But I've never found it carried in grocery stores around here. My mom has always used Bascom's, and many grocery stores carry it. You can see what it looks like here on the Kroger website.
Zsuzsa says
@Cayla, I order mine from Amazon. Not Szeged, Chili-trade. From Hungary. It's I. Osztalyu Fuzer Paprika Orlemeny. It comes in a white bag.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Zsuzsa -- I will have to try it! Is it this one? https://amzn.to/3NlR3O9
Kat says
I honestly make this once a month. Especially if my husband has a business trip, as I can eat it three nights in a row, as I will have leftovers. If he is home, there are no leftovers :(..,, I do sauté some red bell peppers before I sauté the onion and chicken and pull out of the pan before the onion step and add back in with the chicken. At the end. But I love red bell peppers and the idea of adding a veg to this. This dish is almost better the next day as the spices have a chance to develop; but since I eat on it for three days when hubby is out of town this is a benefit. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Tara Kuczykowski says
I'm so happy you love it this much, Kat! Red bell peppers are a great addition. I've stirred a handful of spinach into it also!
Sandy says
This was a really nice dish with nice, soft favors.
Tara Kuczykowski says
So glad you enjoyed it, Sandy!
Elle says
My first time making paprikash and WOW! I'll be adding it to my regular menu.
I made this with skin-on, bone-in thighs because they were already in my fridge and I was too lazy to cube them. I browned the thighs in my skillet and then removed them to a plate before adding the onions and butter, and it added amazing color and flavor... until the paprika turned everything red, anyway! However, I'm not a huge bone-in chicken person; next time, I will definitely be buying diced chicken for this dish, as recommended!
Tara Kuczykowski says
So happy to hear how much you loved it, Elle!!
Bonnie says
This recipe is spot on and the way I do it. I like the quick suggestion of cutting the meat but bone in chicken really does give a better flavor. I don’t see it being a big time saver cubing the chicken over just cooking the chicken pieces. I recommend this recipe without any changes as it is the real deal.
Krystal says
Can this be made in the a crockpot?
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Krystal -- for the best flavor you'd still want to start it in the skillet, but you could transfer it to the crockpot at the simmer point on low to finish it and keep it warm. Stir in the sour cream just before serving.
Caroline Csak says
Chicken paprikas (with the emphasis on the “pap” not the “ri”!) is a family favourite. I like to use paprika or gulyas cream in a tube - a good squirt of csemege (sweet) and a little one of csípós (hot). I also like to add mushrooms as mushrooms in paprikas sauce is sooo good. We also like to eat it with rice. And I’m going to try this with corn starch for a celiac friend.
Amanda says
I added some better then bouillon to really Amp up the chicken flavor. Good recipe
Tara Kuczykowski says
Excellent idea -- so glad you enjoyed it!!
Abbe says
Oh my gosh! I’ve been looking for a recipe that looked like my grandmas to make for my husband. Made this tonight for him and his family and it was a huge hit. I haven’t had this dish in about 13 years and the first bite took me right back to how my grandma used to make it. Will absolutely be making this again for many years to come. Thanks so much for this recipe.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Oh, I love getting comments like this so much... Thank you for coming back and letting me know it was a hit, Abbe!!
Evelyn Rado Foley says
This is an authentic recipe.
Tricia says
This is almost identical to how my family makes paprikash (my favorite meal!) We tweaked grandma's recipe over the years and added very small diced Celery in with the onion for a bit of a bite in the sauce. Makes for another good level of flavor. Also we serve with homemade spaetzle dumplings. I have used no yolks plenty of times for a quick fix! Thanks for keeping this recipe true to what paprikash should be!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Thanks for sharing, Tricia! I will have to try adding some celery next time I make it.
Sherri says
We made this tonight, just a half portion, and used leftover rotisserie chicken. It was great. My husband had asked for this and we randomly picked this recipe. Glad we did.
Tara Kuczykowski says
So happy you loved it, Sherri! Using rotisserie chicken is a good way to get it on the table even faster.
Sonia says
@Sherri,
What flavor rotisserie chicken did you use?
Tracey says
I don’t see anything in the recipe that mentions when to add the sour cream.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Tracy! It's in step 4 -- turn off the heat and stir it in. Then add the chicken back and stir it all together. Enjoy!
Shadeslove aka BR says
Same as my Grandmother's recipe, though it's missing fresh crushed garlic cloves. 2-4 medium to large.
She also would make hungarian fried bread dumplings or Nokedlis to go with it. Great recipe.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Just an observation, but it's interesting that so many of your family's recipes include garlic, whereas mine don't. I wonder if it's a regional thing? That said, I love to make dumplings with this when I have the extra time.
Kisch says
My grandparents are 100% Hungarian. This is how we make it except we make it with dumplings.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Yes, dumplings are SO good with it, too! Definitely worth trying if you have the extra time to make them.
Marianna says
I am from Hungary and the receipt is missing a couple of ingredients examples fresh garlic, some fresh tomato and green peppers. Also, Hungarian people don't cook with butter...they will use sunflower oil nowadays olive oil. Only use water and no chicken broth. If you want spicy tejfolos csirke then you will use some hot Hungarian pepper.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Thanks for sharing, Marianna!
Tammy says
My dad was from Hungary and taught my mom to cook this. I grew up on it, and it is one of my favorite meals. We put it over simple dumplings. My mom also put some green pepper, a little garlic and a little basil in it. Not sure whose idea those additions were, but they're good. Thanks for posting this! :-)
Tara Kuczykowski says
Thanks for the suggestions, Tammy!
Sonia says
How well does this reheat? In case I wanted to have leftovers?
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Sonia -- it does reheat well! I would refrigerate the noodles and chicken paprikash separately so that the noodles don't get mushy.
Danielle says
I'm Croatian, so I understand the love for paprika and goulash!! Its everything anyone would want! I live in Canada but got some leutschauer paprika pepper seeds from Hungary this year and grew some beautiful peppers. These ones are spicier however, so I'm going to dice some up into the base and use some that I've already dehydrated and ground for spice!yum!
Tara Kuczykowski says
This sounds wonderful, Danielle!! I love my dishes on the spicy side, too.
Deb says
It was tasty but lacked a little zip. How do I pep it up?
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Deb! Since Chicken Paprikash has a sour cream-based sauce, it's naturally milder. But if you want to give it a little more heat, pick up some Hungarian hot paprika. I wouldn't recommend substituting it for the sweet paprika 1:1, though -- it can pack quite a punch. Start with adding a little and increase until you're happy with the results.
Carmen says
This is a favored family recipe, except that we serve over mashed potatoes. Yum!
Tara Kuczykowski says
So happy to hear that, Carmen! I love the idea of serving it over mashed potatoes -- will have to try it.
Laura Reese says
What a great recipe!!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
We made this the other day and everyone loved it. Going to make it again for a family gathering this weekend!
Julia Frey says
Comfort food dinner in the best possible way. Absolutely loved it!
Sara Welch says
I know what I will be having for dinner tonight! A restaurant worthy recipe, indeed! Yum!
Sonia says
This looks and sounds super delicious and inviting!
Andrea says
I've never had anything like this before. It looks so creamy and delicious! I really like that you served it over egg noodles too.
Tonje says
This is SUCH a great dish and I love this recipe!
Kerry Ann says
Made this tonight cuz it just sounded good. It was delicious - made exactly as written...no changes and my hubby loved it. Can't wait for leftovers tomorrow.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Awesome -- so glad you love it, Kerry Ann!
Cheryl Nagy says
I think the missing taste is peppers. Green ones. I blend the onions and peppers, that way not visible. But the flavor is there.
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Hmm, I've not heard of using green peppers in Chicken Paprikash. Sounds yummy, though -- I'll have to try it!
Debra says
My husband’s great grandparents came over from Austria-Hungary so he grew up on Chicken Paprikash. This is the first time I ever made it and he loved this recipe. I bought the Hungarian Sweet Paprika.... didn’t realize how much of a difference there was to the “regular” sort. Very yummy dish...thanks for sharing!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
I'm SO happy to hear this, Debra! Thanks so much for coming back to share with me.
Hannah says
I made this recipe tonight and I loved it! I'm vegetarian and also trying to work on eating healthier so I made a few changes -- used fake "chicken," greek yogurt instead of sour cream, and whole wheat noodles. But even with the changes, it still turned out so good that I can only imagine how delicious the original is! I recently spent 18 months living in Vienna and traveling often to Budapest so this recipe was brought back some delicious memories!
Amber says
Can this be made in the slow cooker?
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Hi Amber! I've not tried it, and I'm not sure I'd recommend it. If you have a fancier slow cooker that allows you to sauté and then slow cook, you might be able to pull it off. But the sautéing is pretty essential to the recipe.
Amber says
Made tonight...good but not great...it needed something but not sure what.
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Did you end up making it in your slow cooker or on the stovetop? Just curious. Hungarian sweet paprika has a mild and delicate flavor, so if you're wanting something that packs a little more punch, you might try adding some Hungarian hot paprika. Here's a brand that I recommend: http://amzn.to/2nFrk9k
Linda says
My Grandma ALWAYS left the chicken pieces WHOLE...
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
You can definitely leave the chicken pieces whole! You may just need to increase the cooking time to ensure the pieces are cooked through. Since I'm feeding 7, it's just easier and faster to cook them already cut into bite-size chunks.
Denise Madwj says
I too grew up with Chicken Paprikash, Hungarian Ghoulash, and Cabbage and noodles. My Grandmother was a fantastic cook and she taught her daughter-in-law (my mom) these delicious recipes. We make Chicken Paprikash for every Big family get-to-gether. Great recipe!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
I love to hear this, Denise! My great-grandma emigrated from Austria-Hungary, and I always wish that I could go back and have her write down all of her recipes -- AND the directions, lol. I have her strudel recipe, but it's just the ingredients... Maybe one of these days I'll master it!