Hungarian Chicken Paprikash (Chicken and Dumplings)🇭🇺
🥣 Instructions
1. Sauté Aromatics
Heat butter/oil in a large pot. Cook onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more.
2. Add Chicken
Place chicken into the pot and brown lightly on all sides.
3. Season
Add:
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
Caraway seeds (optional)
Mix well to coat the chicken.
Tip: Add paprika off heat to prevent bitterness.
4. Simmer
Add enough broth to mostly cover the chicken. Cover and cook on low heat 45–60 minutes, until tender.
5. Make the Dumplings
In a bowl, combine:
Flour
Eggs
Salt
Add water until you get a thick, sticky batter.
Boil salted water. Using a spoon, scraper, or spaetzle maker, drop small pieces of dough into water. Cook 2–3 minutes until they float. Drain and set aside.
6. Make the Paprikash Sauce
Remove chicken from pot. In a bowl, whisk sour cream + flour until smooth. Add a little hot liquid to temper, then pour back into pot. Stir and simmer until thick and creamy.
Return chicken to sauce.
7. Serve
Serve hot, with dumplings on the side or mixed into the sauce.
Garnish with:
Fresh parsley
Extra sour cream
🍽️ What Makes It Authentic
Sweet Hungarian paprika is essential
Sour cream thickened sauce
Simple, rustic dumplings
Slow cooked for tenderness
💡 Tips
Don’t burn paprika — it turns bitter
Thighs/drumsticks give richer flavor
Add a splash of lemon juice to brighten
Dumpling batter should be sticky, not runny
🧾 Variations
Add mushrooms
Add bell peppers
Use boneless chicken for faster cooking
Finish with cream instead of sour cream
⏳ Storage
Refrigerate 3 days
Freeze chicken (without dumplings) 2–3 months
🇭🇺 Serving Ideas
Cucumber salad
Pickles
Crusty bread
Hungarian red wine 🍷
This is cozy, hearty Hungarian comfort food — perfect for winter dinners and big family meals.
If you want, I can turn it into a WordPress post with an intro, history section, and printable card!
