Chicken Paprikash Recipe

I’m always blown away by the intensely delicious flavor of this Hungarian Chicken Paprikash recipe, and it’s so easy to make in just one pot! Rich chicken legs and thighs are slowly cooked to fall-off-the-bone perfection in a bold mixture of paprika and marjoram, then combined with veggies in a creamy tomato sauce. This saucy paprikash chicken recipe is a must when I need something comforting!

This dish has everything I love: juicy chicken, a creamy sauce, a flavorful mix of spices, and easy clean up! I keep this one pot recipe for chicken paprikash in the rotation for nights when I want to cook an extra cozy dinner, served with noodles or dumplings to make it truly satiating.

What’s in this Chicken Paprikash Recipe?

This easy chicken paprikash is made flavorful with tomatoes, marjoram, plenty of paprika, and just a few more simple ingredients.

• Chicken: Use bone-in chicken thighs and legs/drumsticks for this recipe.
• Paprika: This spice is the star of this chicken dish. Use sweet, smoky, or spicy paprika, depending on the flavor profile you prefer. And if you can find some good quality Hungarian paprika, it will make a huge difference!
• Dried Marjoram: This has a peppery, herb-y, almost sweet taste.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter to avoid an overly salty dish.
• Onion: Yellow onion works best, but a white onion will work in a pinch.
• Bell Peppers: Adds some freshness into the mix. Use any bell peppers you like–I used red and green.
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves for the most potency, not pre-minced.
• All-Purpose Flour: This helps to thicken the consistency of the sauce.
• White Wine: A dry white wine works best–like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
• Diced Tomatoes: The base of the sauce.
• Sour Cream: This is what gives the sauce it’s delicious, creamy quality!

Make it Spicier

I used a sweet paprika for this chicken paprikash recipe, which makes this dish quite mild. To make it spicier and add some heat, use a smoky or spicy paprika, or add some cayenne pepper into the seasoning mix. I also like to serve mine with hot sauce to add heat on the plate.

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How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover chicken paprikash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat until warmed through.

How to Freeze

Store creamy paprikash chicken in a freezer-safe container, and freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for best results.

Notes and Tips

• For dark meat (chicken thighs and legs), it’s best to cook it to an internal temperature of 175°F. It can withstand longer cooking than white meat without drying out, and it ultimately makes it much juicier.
• This authentic Hungarian chicken paprikash dish is traditionally served with egg noodles, dumplings, mashed or boiled potatoes, or rice.

4.85 from 19 votes

Creamy Chicken Paprikash Recipe

Chicken Paprikash is a traditional Hungarian dish with so much flavor, and we've made the sauce extra creamy. This one pot paprika chicken is one of our favorite weeknight dinners!

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time : 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

• ▢ 3 pounds bone-in skinless chicken thighs and legs about 8 pieces
• ▢ kosher salt to taste
• ▢ freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ▢ ¼ cup sweet paprika divided
• ▢ 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 large yellow onion halved and sliced thin
• ▢ 1 large red bell pepper stemmed & seeded, halved; cut into ¼” strips
• ▢ 1 large green bell pepper stemmed, seeded, halved; cut into ¼” strips
• ▢ 1 garlic clove minced
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• ▢ 1½ tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup dry white wine
• ▢ 14½ ounces diced tomatoes 1 can
• ▢ 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ⅓ cup sour cream
• ▢ 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce optional

For Serving

• ▢ Garnish: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• ▢ buttered egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes

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Instructions

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300°F.
• Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and liberally season all sides with salt, pepper and 1½ teaspoons paprika.
  3 pounds bone-in skinless chicken thighs and legs, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, ¼ cup sweet paprika
  
• In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes, or just until it begins to shimmer.
  1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Add half the chicken to the Dutch oven and cook, without moving them, until crisp and brown, 4-5 minutes.
  
• Turn the chicken and brown the other side, another 4-5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and repeat until all chicken has been browned. Set aside to cool.
• Discard all but 2 tablespoons fat from the Dutch oven.
• Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add the red and green peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  1 large yellow onion, 1 large red bell pepper, 1 large green bell pepper, 1 garlic clove
  
• Stir in 3 tablespoons paprika, marjoram and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
  ¼ cup sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon dried marjoram, 1½ tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• Add the wine while scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This will loosen the flavorful brown bits stuck to the pan.
  ½ cup dry white wine
• Add the tomatoes and 1½ teaspoons kosher salt.
  14½ ounces diced tomatoes, 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
  
• Add the chicken and the accumulated chicken juices to the pot. Nestle the chicken pieces down into the vegetable mixture.
  
• Bring the chicken to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low.
• Place the pot of chicken in the oven and cook 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175°F (dark meat) on an instant-read meat thermometer.
• While the chicken simmers in the oven, combine the sour cream with the remaining 1½ teaspoons paprika.
  ¼ cup sweet paprika, ⅓ cup sour cream
  
• Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate.
• Add the sour cream/paprika mixture to the vegetable/tomato mixture, in the pot, and stir until incorporated. If desired, add a splash or two of hot sauce and season to taste with extra salt & black pepper.
  1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
  
• To serve: Place the chicken on a bed of buttered egg noodles. Spoon the vegetable mixture over the chicken and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
  Garnish: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, buttered egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes
  
• Enjoy!

Notes

Storage: Store chicken paprikash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Chicken Paprikash Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 582 Calories from Fat 270

% Daily Value*

Fat 30g46%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 193mg64%

Sodium 1065mg46%

Potassium 1305mg37%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 55g110%

Vitamin A 4845IU97%

Vitamin C 69.1mg84%

Calcium 100mg10%

Iron 3.6mg20%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Becky Hardin

Course:Main Course

Cuisine:American

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How to Make Chicken Paprikash Step by Step

Season the Chicken: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300°F. Pat dry 3 pounds of bone-in skinless chicken thighs and legs with paper towels, then liberally season all sides with salt, pepper, and 1½ teaspoons of sweet paprika.

Brown the Chicken: In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, or just until it begins to shimmer. Add half of the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven and cook, without moving them, until crisp and brown, 4-5 minutes; then turn the chicken and brown the other side, another 4-5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and repeat with the rest of the chicken, then set it aside to cool. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the Dutch oven.

Cook the Veggies: Add 1 yellow onion (halved and cut into thin slices) and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Then add 2 bell peppers (cut into ¼ strips) and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Then add 1 minced clove of garlic, and cook until fragrant.

Add Flour and Spices: Stir in 3 tablespoons of paprika, ½ teaspoon of dried marjoram, and 1½ tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Then cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Deglaze and Add Tomatoes: Add ½ cup of dry white wine while scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This will loosen the flavorful brown bits stuck to the pan. Then add 14½ ounces of diced tomatoes and 1½ teaspoons of kosher salt.

Bake in the Oven: Add the browned chicken and the accumulated chicken juices back to the pot. Nestle the chicken pieces down into the sauce and vegetable mixture; then bring it to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Place the pot in the pre-heated oven and cook 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 175°F on an instant-read meat thermometer.

Mix: While the chicken simmers in the oven, combine ⅓ cup of sour cream with the remaining 1½ teaspoons paprika in a small bowl.

Add the Sour Cream: Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate. Then stir the sour cream-paprika mixture into the sauce. If desired, add a splash or two of hot sauce and season to taste with extra salt & black pepper.

Serve: To serve chicken paprikash, place the chicken on a bed of buttered egg noodles, then spoon the sauce mixture over the chicken and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

More Bone-In Chicken Recipes We Love

• Homemade Shake and Bake Chicken
• Grilled Chicken Thighs
• Harissa Chicken
• Lemongrass Chicken
• Easy Chicken Adobo
• Caramel Chicken

Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.