Chicken Paprikash

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Yield:

4 to 6 servings

In this warming and cozy Chicken Paprikash, succulent and tender chicken thighs are coated in a creamy and deeply flavorful sauce with heaps of paprika. A combination of sweet and hot Hungarian paprika will give you the most complex seasoning, but feel free to use any non-smoked paprika you have on hand — it’ll still be delicious.

This dish comes together in exactly one hour, which makes it ideal for serving on weeknights and at dinner parties alike; either way, you’ll impress your guests with this classic preparation. Serve the chicken with prepared egg noodles for a complete meal, or with potatoes, rice, or just some crusty bread. The key is pairing the chicken with something starchy to sop up all the delicious sauce.

Frequently asked questions

What is chicken paprikash sauce made of?

Chicken Paprikash is more than just sour cream and paprika. To make this sauce, combine unsalted butter, sliced red bell peppers and onions, and garlic in a skillet. Flour is added to help thicken the sauce, while paprika, thyme, a bay leaf, salt, and pepper add layers of flavor. A trio of white wine, sour cream, and water give this sauce its luscious, shiny appearance and smooth consistency.

What wine goes with Chicken Paprikash?

Serve Chicken Paprikash with a lively, full-bodied white wine or a light-bodied red wine.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Paprika, made from dried red peppers, ranges in flavor from sweet and fruity to spicy and pungent. Sweet paprika contains mild chiles; hot paprika is made with spicier varieties. Find Hungarian paprika at most specialty grocery stores or online at worldmarket.com. If you don’t have Hungarian paprika, use any non-smoked paprika you have on hand — the dish will still be delicious.

Start by cooking the chicken thighs in a cold pan, skin side down. Doing so encourages the skin to render completely and leaves you with some flavorful schmaltz in the pan to cook with.

Make ahead

You can cook the egg noodles for Chicken Paprikash up to one day in advance. Arrange them in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet and store, wrapped, in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

Suggested pairing

We recommend serving a full-bodied Hungarian white, such as Disznókő Dry Furmint.

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Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 thighs)
4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons hot Hungarian paprika (such as Pride of Szeged)
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small red bell peppers, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 yellow onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 1 3/4 cups)
6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika (such as Pride of Szeged)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 cup sour cream
Cooked egg noodles, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle chicken all over with 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, hot paprika, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Place chicken, skin side down, in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet. Cook over medium-high until skin is browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a plate; set aside. Do not wipe skillet clean.
Add butter, bell peppers, onion, and garlic to skillet; cook over medium-high, stirring often, until onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and sweet paprika; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 cups water, thyme, bay leaf, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Add chicken, skin side up, to skillet; transfer to preheated oven, and roast, uncovered, until sauce is slightly reduced and a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a plate. Transfer 1/4 cup of the pan sauce to a small bowl; stir in sour cream. Stir sour cream mixture back into remaining pan sauce in skillet until well combined. Return chicken to skillet, skin side up. Serve with cooked egg noodles, and garnish with additional thyme.