Here’s the traditional Hungarian Chicken Paprikash with Dumplings (Csirkepaprikás nokedlivel) — this is the classic, Sunday-lunch version in Hungary 🇭🇺
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash with Dumplings
(Csirkepaprikás nokedlivel)
Ingredients (4 servings)
Chicken Paprikash
- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
(or ~1 kg bone-in thighs & drumsticks) - Salt, black pepper
- 2 tbsp lard (or neutral oil)
- 2 large onions, very finely chopped
- 2–3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
- ½ tsp hot paprika (optional)
- 1 Hungarian wax pepper or bell pepper, sliced
- 1 medium tomato, chopped (or ½ cup crushed tomato)
- 1 clove garlic (optional)
- 1 cup water or light chicken stock
- 200 ml (¾ cup) full-fat sour cream
- 1 tbsp flour
Nokedli (Hungarian Dumplings)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- ~¾ cup water
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
1. Make the Chicken Paprikash
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat lard in a wide pot. Add onions and cook slowly until very soft and pale golden
(do not brown – sweetness matters). - Remove from heat, stir in sweet & hot paprika quickly.
- Add pepper, tomato, garlic, chicken pieces, and water/stock.
- Cover and simmer gently for 35–45 minutes until chicken is very tender.
- Mix sour cream with flour until smooth.
Temper with a ladle of hot sauce, then stir back into the pot. - Simmer uncovered 5–10 minutes until the sauce is thick and silky.
2. Make the Nokedli (Dumplings)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Mix flour and salt. Add eggs and water gradually to make a thick, sticky batter
(softer than pasta dough, thicker than pancake batter). - Using a nokedli spaetzle maker, colander, or spoon, drop small dumplings into boiling water.
- When dumplings float, cook 30 more seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon.
- Toss lightly with butter or a spoon of chicken sauce to prevent sticking.
Serve
- Plate dumplings, top with chicken and lots of paprika sauce
- Optional extra sour cream on top
- Traditionally served with cucumber salad or pickles
Very Hungarian Rules 🇭🇺
- ✔ Sour cream only (no heavy cream)
- ✔ Paprika added off heat
- ❌ No browning the chicken
- Dumplings should be soft, irregular, and tender
If you want, I can:
- Adjust this for boneless chicken
- Show a quick weeknight version
- Give tips if your sauce turns pale or oily
- Share a vegetarian paprikás-style sauce
Just tell me 😊
