Ah, you’re talking about a classic Hungarian comfort dish! Chicken Paprikash (or Paprikás Csirke) with dumplings (galuska) is rich, creamy, and packed with flavor. Here’s a step-by-step recipe you can follow:
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash with Dumplings
Ingredients
For the Chicken Paprikash:
- 2–3 lbs (900 g–1.4 kg) chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or a mix)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika (very important!)
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
- 1–2 tomatoes, chopped or 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth or water
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream
For the Dumplings (Nokedli/Galuska):
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) water (adjust as needed)
Instructions
1. Cook the Chicken Paprikash
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until golden brown (about 5–7 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the paprika (this prevents it from burning and becoming bitter).
- Return to heat, add the chicken pieces, and stir to coat in the paprika-onion mixture.
- Add bell pepper and tomatoes if using. Pour in chicken broth just to cover the chicken.
- Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 35–45 minutes until chicken is cooked and tender.
2. Make the Dumplings
- In a bowl, combine flour and salt. Beat in eggs and gradually add water until you get a sticky, soft dough (not too runny, not too stiff).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Using a small spoon or a dumpling maker, drop small pieces of dough into the boiling water.
- Cook dumplings until they float to the top (about 2–3 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Finish the Paprikash
- Remove chicken from heat. Stir in sour cream (temper it first with a little hot sauce from the pan to prevent curdling).
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. Serve
- Plate the dumplings and ladle the chicken paprikash over the top.
- Garnish with extra paprika or fresh parsley if desired.
💡 Tips for Best Results:
- Use sweet Hungarian paprika—it makes a huge difference.
- Don’t boil the sour cream—stir it in at the end off the heat.
- Dumplings are best served immediately; they absorb the sauce wonderfully.
If you want, I can also give you a shortcut version of the dumplings that takes just 10 minutes, which is great if you’re hungry and don’t want to spend all afternoon cooking.
Do you want me to give that shortcut version too?
