Traditional Hungarian chicken in creamy paprika sauce.

Chicken Paprikash

By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime

Chicken  Paprikash (or Paprika Chicken) is considered the National dish of Hungary. It is made by braising chicken  pieces,  usually leg pieces, in a paprika based sauce, but other pieces are common as  well, including boneless chicken.

It is quite similar to goulash but with different meat,  and also has some similarity to Beef Stroganoff,  which is also enriched with sour cream.

It’s the sour cream part of it that I like the best- the way it blends with the spices and flavorings is very much a comfort food to me. This is usually served over comforting noodles (nokedli) which are quite like spaetzle. Being in the midwest where there is a lot of Amish influence, I stick to common Amish egg noodles  (Amish egg noodles can have a little more body and  substance that typical dry egg noodles on the shelf at markets). But this would also be fabulous over rice or mashed potatoes. You know what you like. Go for it!

This also has a lot of mushrooms. And folks who  know me understand that I am insanely obsessed with mushrooms. For many years I wouldn’t touch a pizza unless it has mushrooms on it. And yes,  I know that can be the antithesis of other people who wouldn’t touch a pizza if it did have the mushrooms. How does that happen in this universe anyway? It’s like people who don’t like garlic.  You’re kidding me, right? How does that happen,  exactly?

Join me  tomorrow for National Pear Day when I  share my recipe for Roasted Pear Quiche. Just thinking of it makes me want to bake quiche again. And hey! High  today is only around 50F so I guess no one will break a sweat turning the oven  on. Although it is really hot elsewhere. I’ll be thinking of you guys (Stay cool!)

~s

Chicken Paprikash

• Servings: 4
• Time: 50mins
• Difficulty: moderate
• Print

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 pounds chicken drumsticks
• 14 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• salt and black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup Hungarian paprika
• 2-1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• cooked buttered noodles,  rice or mashed potatoes

Method:

1. Brown the chicken drumsticks in 3 tablespoons oil, then set aside.
2. Drain the fat back to about one tablespoon then add the mushrooms, onion, and  garlic, cooking util the vegetables soften.
3. Add the salt, black pepper, thyme, tomato paste, paprika and chicken stock,  stirring well.
4. Add the chicken back to the pan and bring to a boil.
5. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 30-40 minutes until chicken temp is about 165°F.
6. Stir cornstarch with about 1/4 cup cold water.
7. Pull the legs out, and add  the cornstarch slurry to the sauce, stirring until  it thickens (about one minute after it starts boiling).
8. Remove from heat and stir the sour cream into the sauce, then add the chicken back to the pan,  turning to coat.
9. Serve chicken and sauce over buttered noodles, rice or mashed potatoes, whatever you  fancy.

From the kitchen of palatablepastime.com