Hungarian Eats Week II: Chicken Paprikash

It is only fitting that our first recipe is Chicken Paprikash. Like many of Hungary’s signature dishes, Chicken Paprikash originated as a herdsmen’s stew, reflecting the importance of livestock and a nomadic lifestyle during the Middle Ages. Says Wikipedia.

The base of any Herdsmen’s stew, which also includes goulash, is a heap of paprika added to onions which have been fried in lard until light gold in color (I just wanted to use the word "light" to describe HU cooking). Only Chicken Paprikash is served with noodles.

This is my adaptation of the Chef Parade recipe. I have made this recipe three times, and it has been delicious each time. Making the dumplings is the most fun part. Let me know what you think!

Chicken Paprikash with Dumplings
Serves 4


Chicken Paprikash
4 pieces of chicken
2 onions
Paprika (sweet or hot)
2 tomatoes
2 red peppers
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. flour

Dumplings
2 eggs
1.5 cups flour
Salt
Water

Stir fry the finely chopped onions in oil until golden. Remove from heat and stir in paprika (to taste – I used ¼ cup) and one cup water.

Add the whole chicken pieces and return pan to the stove. Add roughly chopped pepper, tomatoes and salt. Add lid, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is tender.

In a separate dish, mix flour and sour cream. Add a spoonful of the chicken liquid to sour cream mixture (to increase temperature) and whisk until smooth. Remove pan from burner and stir in sour cream mixture. Return to stove and bring to boil. Serve over dumplings.

To make dumplings, mix eggs, flour and salt and add water to get a consistency similar to pancake batter (don’t make too watery). Use a cheese grater to strain dumpling batter into boiling, salted water (this will be messy and awkward but it works!). Cook dumplings for 2-3 minutes.