Authentic Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Stew from an Old Recipe 🇭🇺

What is Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Stew?
– chicken and peppers simmered in rich paprika and tomato sauce called lecsó, finished with sour cream blended into the sauce for a creamy finish.

Introduction to Hungarian Chicken Paprika Stew

I often make pepper-based stews and sauces, including vegetarian versions and the classic Hungarian Chicken Paprikash (Paprika Csirke). They are prepared quickly and simply by starting with a brief fry and then adding all the ingredients at once, making them essentially one-pot meals.

I recently came across an older Chicken paprikash recipe from the book “Cookbook of Memories” by Gyula Krúdy, he was a Hungarian writer and food and wine enthusiast.
The difference between modern versions and this older one is that the main component of the sauce, called lecso (a concentrated tomato and pepper sauce) is prepared separately. If you love Hungarian cuisine, particularly Chicken Paprikash, you should try this older recipe, it is delicious!
And of course, don’t forget to serve it with nokedli, the Hungarian dumplings. Recipe included!

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Ingredients

• chicken – Use a whole chicken, cut into smaller pieces. Alternatively, you can use chicken legs or thighs, but avoid using only chicken breasts, as they tend to be too bland for this dish.
• peppers – A mix of red and yellow bell peppers
• onion – A yellow variety
• garlic – Use fresh, not paste or powdered
• sweet and smoked paprika – You’ll need both sweet paprika and smoked paprika to achieve the authentic flavour. Sweet paprika provides a rich, deep colour and a mild sweetness, while smoked paprika adds a distinct smoky flavour that enhances the dish. If you enjoy a bit of heat, buy some hot paprika to add a spicy kick to your Paprikás Csirke.
• parsley – Fresh leaves only
• sour cream – Full fat or low fat, whichever you prefer
• flour – Use plain white flour
• sugar – Plain white caster sugar; counteracts the acidity from the tomato
• oil – Sunflower

For the base ( lecso sauce):

• peppers – A mix of yellow and red sweet bell peppers
• tomatoes – Fresh or canned chopped tomatoes
• onion – Use yellow variety
• bacon – You can use either smoked bacon or smoked pancetta.
• lard – This is rendered pork fat, you can substitute lard with a high-quality vegetable oil, but using lard will give you the most authentic taste. Butter is not recommended for this recipe because it has a lower smoke point than lard or vegetable oil, meaning it can burn more easily at high temperatures. Additionally, butter contains water and milk solids that can alter the texture and flavour of the dish, making it less authentic. Lard, being pure fat, provides a more traditional taste and ensures a smooth, rich texture in the sauce.
• sweet paprika

Note on ingredients: This Chicken Paprikash wouldn’t be truly authentic without lard, smoked bacon, and both smoked and sweet paprika. These ingredients are crucial for achieving a genuine Hungarian flavour. The sour cream added at the end is also essential for rounding out the dish perfectly.

For Hungarian Dumplings – nokeldi

• flour – Use plain white flour
• eggs

While you are here check out these tasty Chicken in sauce recipes:
African Chicken Kedjenou and Puerto Rican Chicken

How to make Hungarian Chicken Paprikash?

Base Sauce:

To start, prepare Hungarian Lecsó, the base sauce for the paprikash.
Begin by heating lard in a pan. Add the chopped bacon, onions and bell peppers sliced into strips. Fry on medium heat for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Onions must brown around the edge and peppers and bacon should be crisp.
Next, add the chopped tomatoes, salt, and ground paprika. Mix thoroughly and cook for about 15 minutes until the peppers are completely tender and the liquid has reduced, resulting in a thick, rich sauce.

Chicken

In a deep frying pan, heat oil and add chopped onion. Sauté for about 2 minutes until the onion becomes translucent, don’t let it brown. Next, add the chicken pieces, and season with salt. Fry the chicken skin-side down for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Turn the pieces over and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Finally, add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Finish the Paprikash

Transfer the browned chicken to the pot with the pepper and tomato sauce. Pour in water to cover the chicken pieces and add sweet and smoked paprika, along with the fresh bell pepper strips. Season with salt. Cover the pot and simmer for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces on low-to-medium heat. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, remove the lid to allow the liquid to reduce slightly. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting.

The final step is to add the sour cream. You can either serve it on the side after plating or incorporate it into the sauce at the end of cooking; I prefer adding it directly to the sauce.

To do this, mix the sour cream with flour in a medium-sized bowl. Using a ladle or a large spoon, take a small amount ( 100ml) of the sauce from the pot and blend it into the sour cream mixture while mixing with a fork. Mix it until smooth. Then, pour this mixture back into the pot. Stir thoroughly to ensure the sauce thickens evenly and is smooth without any lumps.

How to make Hungarian Dumplings – Nokeldi?

To make nokedli, start by beating the egg and mixing it with water in a medium-sized bowl. Gradually add flour to the mixture, creating a thick but manageable dough. The dough should break apart easily with a fork.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add one or two tablespoons of oil to prevent sticking. Use a spaetzle maker to drop small portions of the dough into the boiling water. But you can also make small dumplings with a teaspoon.

Note: I didn’t have a spaetzle maker, so I used a small teaspoon to scoop tiny portions of the dough into the boiling water. The dumplings turned out just as cute and delicious as those made with a spaetzle maker. Using this method, you can control the size of the dumplings, making them as small or as large as you prefer.

Cook in batches for about 2 minutes or until the dumplings float to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place on a serving plate. Once all the dumplings are cooked, toss them lightly with a bit of oil to keep them from sticking together. Enjoy your nokedli with your Paprikás Csirke!

What to serve with Hungarian Chicken Paprikash?

Traditionally, Chicken Paprikash is served with nokedli, which perfectly complements the rich, smoky sauce. However, this dish is versatile and can be paired with a variety of other carbohydrates. You might enjoy it with boiled or mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, or simply some warm, rustic homemade bread. Each option provides a delicious base to soak up the flavourful sauce.

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