Mains · By James
Chicken Paprikash (Hungarian: Paprikás Csirke)
Lorne Cooper, a colleague, loved Paprikash, and shared some excellent Hungarian sweet-paprika with me back in the mid 1990s. This began our own love of this richly flavorful comfort food! For some time, when the kids were young, a big bag of Lorne's paprika was in our freezer, carefully meted out for this Paprikash. The Hungarian love of paprika goes back to the Ottoman Turks who invaded in the 1400s, bringing with them this chile pepper from their trade with the new world. Paprika has long been the national spice of Hungary, and significant amounts of it are used in dishes such as the classic goulash and paprikash. It became clear, when I tried to substitute non-Hungarian paprika (Medicine Hat was not quite cosmopolitan enough at that time for Hungarian sweet paprika), that not all paprika is created equal — Spanish paprika will not result in the earthy, sweet, sharp paprika pepper taste that is the signature of this dish. Hungary, and Budapest in particular, are a European area that we have yet to experience in our travels. The glorious architecture of Budapest, the Danube River and its historical environs, the excellent wines (Tokaj botrytis affected dessert wines are renowned), and of course the rich foods (goulash, paprikash, meggyleves — classic cold cherry soup, amazing pastries, cakes — like Esterhazy Torta), have all been lures. Just recently I discovered that Hungary is also an important player in the European truffle scene, with much of the hunting happening in the oak forests beside Budapest — another reason to go!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on (traditional and recommended for the most flavor; alternatively use boneless/skinless thighs) — about 8 or 9 bone-in thighs, or 11–12 boneless
- 4 tbsp olive oil (or bacon-fat/lard for richer flavor)
- Flour for coating chicken
- 2 medium onions (or 1 large), finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 15 grape tomatoes, finely diced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp anchovy paste (enhance the umami)
- 5–6 tbsp quality, genuine imported sweet Hungarian paprika
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3–4 tbsp all-purpose flour (thickening sauce)
- ¾ cup full fat sour cream
- ¼ cup whipping cream (you can just add in regular cream or even milk if you don't have the heavy cream)
- ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a heavy non-stick skillet, coat chicken pieces in flour, and brown the chicken on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- 2
In the same oil, add the onions and fry until golden brown. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, and anchovy paste and fry another 2–3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the paprika, salt and pepper (paprika becomes bitter if scorched).
- 3
Return the chicken to the pot, and pour in the chicken broth. The chicken should be mostly covered. Place it back over the heat and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- 4
In a small bowl, stir the flour into the sour cream and cream to form a smooth paste. Stir this cream mixture into the sauce, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring it to a simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce is thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the sauce and simmer to heat through.
- 5
Mix in the chopped parsley, and serve. Paprikash is traditionally served with Hungarian nokedli (like German Spätzle), or with dumplings or mashed potatoes (egg noodles or rice would be options).
A note from James
A traditional Hungarian wine to serve with this would be a young, light Egri Bikaver red-blend (there are bolder styles that might be too strong for the subtle spice of this dish). Drink/wine pairing: Egri Bikaver (lighter style), or a pinot noir, or other lighter, more acidic reds — a German pinot noir (Spätburgunder) would be ideal. An oaked California Chardonnay would also be excellent with the rich creaminess of this dish.
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