Hungarian paprika chicken

Ingredients

• 1whole chicken, cleaned
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml)sweet paprika
• 2 mediumonions
• 720 ml (3 cups)sour cream
• 4 smallelongated green peppers
• 2 ripetomatoes
• 50 g (or 4 tablespoons / 60 ml)lard (or sunflower oil)
• to tastesalt
• to tastefreshly ground black pepper
• 435 gplain flour
• 2eggs
• 300–400 mlwater
• 2 teaspoonssalt
• 2 tablespoonsplain flour, for thickening the sour cream

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the dough

   Tip the flour onto a work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the salt and lightly beaten eggs to the well, then begin mixing them into the flour with a fork.

2. 2

   Rest the dough

   Gradually add enough water to make a soft dough that is not sticky. Avoid overworking it, or the dumplings may turn rubbery. Shape into a ball, dust with flour, cover with a cloth and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Prepare the chicken

   Rinse and trim the peppers and tomatoes. Wash the chicken and cut it into pieces, then peel and finely chop the onions.

4. 4

   Brown the ingredients

   Heat the lard in a casserole and gently cook the onion without letting it brown. Add the chicken pieces and peppers, and brown them for a few minutes.

5. 5

   Simmer the chicken

   Chop the tomatoes and add them to the casserole. Mix the paprika with a generous cup of water, then add it along with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over a low heat for about 1 hour, adding more water if needed.

6. 6

   Thicken the cream

   Stir 2 tablespoons of flour into the sour cream until smooth. Set aside a few tablespoons of the mixture to use as a garnish.

7. 7

   Finish the sauce

   When the chicken is tender, take the casserole off the heat and stir in the sour cream mixture. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil for the dumplings.

8. 8

   Cook the dumplings

   Press the dough through a spaetzle maker so small pieces drop into the boiling water.

9. 9

   Drain the dumplings

   If you do not have a spaetzle maker, pinch off tiny pieces of dough by hand or with a spoon and boil them. Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the surface.

10. 10

    Serve the dish

    Return the chicken to the heat and bring it back to the boil, then turn off the heat. Divide it between individual plates and serve each portion with some dumplings, a pepper and a few spoonfuls of the reserved sour cream.

What is Hungarian paprika chicken?

Paprikás csirke is a Hungarian chicken dish built around paprika, onions and a creamy sauce, commonly served with small dumplings. This version cooks the chicken with green peppers and tomatoes, then folds sour cream into the sauce off the heat.

The homemade dumplings make it a substantial one-pot-style meal. Their mild, soft texture is a good match for the savoury, gently tangy sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1400 calories, 60g protein, 120g carbs, 70g fat.

The dumplings and flour-thickened sauce provide most of the carbohydrates, while the chicken contributes protein. Sour cream and the lard or sunflower oil supply much of the fat, with the amounts depending on the chicken and dairy used. Balance the plate with a crisp salad or extra vegetables alongside the dumplings.

Choosing the paprika and peppers

Paprika: Sweet paprika gives the sauce its characteristic colour and rounded pepper flavour. Mix it with water before adding it, as the recipe directs, rather than letting it sit dry against the hot pan.

Green peppers: The small elongated peppers cook alongside the chicken and are served with it. Trim and rinse them before cooking, keeping them whole as described.

Making tender dumplings

Dough: Add the water gradually, stopping when the mixture is soft but no longer sticky. A little restraint when mixing helps keep the cooked dumplings tender rather than chewy.

Rest: Cover the floured dough and leave it for at least 30 minutes. This gives you time to prepare and simmer the chicken before shaping the dumplings.

Getting the sauce right

Sour cream: Stir the flour into the sour cream until smooth, then reserve a few spoonfuls for serving. Take the chicken off the heat before mixing in the rest to help keep the sauce smooth.

Consistency: Add extra water during the covered simmer only if the casserole needs it. The finished sauce should coat the chicken and dumplings without becoming overly thin.

How to tell when it is ready

Chicken: After about an hour of gentle, covered cooking, check that the meat is tender. If it still feels firm, continue simmering and add a little water if the pan is drying out.

Dumplings: Lift them from the boiling water as soon as they float to the surface. Cook them in batches if needed so they have room to move.

Timing the two parts

Start with the dough so it can rest for at least 30 minutes while you prepare and cook the chicken. The chicken simmer takes about an hour, making it the longest part of the preparation.

Cook the dumplings once the sauce is ready, then briefly bring the chicken back to the boil before serving. This keeps the dumplings freshly cooked and the chicken hot.

What to serve alongside

The dumplings are the intended accompaniment and soak up the paprika and sour-cream sauce. Serve a green pepper with each portion and finish with some of the reserved sour cream.

For a fresher contrast, add a simple salad or another crisp vegetable alongside the rich chicken and dumplings.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use sweet paprika and mix it with water before adding it to the casserole.
• Keep the heat low while the covered chicken simmers and add water if the pan begins to dry out.
• Mix the dough only until it comes together to avoid tough dumplings.
• Flour the work surface and dough lightly so the rested dough is easier to handle.
• Reserve the garnish portion of sour cream before adding the rest to the chicken.
• Cook dumplings until they float, then lift them out with a slotted spoon.

Variations

• Use sunflower oil: Swap it for the lard if you prefer the alternative listed in the recipe.
• Adjust the paprika: Use a little less for a milder sauce, or add more for a stronger paprika flavour.
• Add more peppers: Cook extra green peppers with the chicken and serve them alongside.
• Serve with rice: Use rice instead of the homemade dumplings if you want a simpler accompaniment.
• Make smaller dumplings: Pinch off very small pieces by hand when you do not have a spaetzle maker.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overworking the dough: Mix only until it becomes a soft dough so the dumplings are less likely to turn rubbery.
• Adding water all at once: Pour it in gradually and stop when the dough is soft but not sticky.
• Browning the onion: Cook it gently until softened without letting it take on colour.
• Letting the pan dry out: Check during the simmer and add water if needed.
• Boiling the sour cream: Stir it in after taking the casserole off the heat, then reheat the chicken gently before serving.
• Leaving dumplings in too long: Lift them out once they float to the surface.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover chicken and dumplings promptly in an airtight container and use within 2–3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened; the dumplings may soften as they sit.

Frequently asked questions