Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

So we’re in Cancun at the Westin Lagunamar (FAVORITE DESTINATION EVER!!!), half-drunk, floating around in the pool and we start chitchatting with some another couple. Naturally we start talking about how Mark’s grandma was from Hungary and she used to make Paprikash, yada yada yada…and lo and behold, the lady we’re talking to, Tammy, says her husband is Hungarian and so she learned to make Chicken Paprikash and it’s her husband’s favorite meal. At least that’s what I think she said…I tried really hard not to keep thinking of Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally talking in that weird accent to Meg Ryan, “Waiter, there’s too much pepper in my paprikash…”

ANYWAY…I was of course dying to add Tammy’s recipe to my repertoire, but we were drunk and in a swimming pool and I didn’t get out to pee so I certainly wasn’t going to get out to write down a recipe. Tammy says, “Email me. My email is easy to remember…it’s like ‘back of sky’ except with a v, like if you were Hungarian.” So yeah…a week later I emailed her and she sent it to me! Ain’t life grand!?

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Serving Size: 6-8 servings

Chef: Tammy Backovsky

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Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

A very subtle, classic dish.

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 pounds boneless chicken thighs, skin-on
• 2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 pint sour cream
• 8 ounces water
• 4 tablespoons flour (or more, to thicken sauce)
• 3 tablespoons Lawry's seasoning salt
• Dumplings/noodles/rice, prepared

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot, over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook until translucent (you don't want to brown them, just want them tender.)
2. Take OFF the heat and add the paprika. Mix it well.
3. Add chicken thighs, in batches, and brown slightly with the onion and paprika mixture. Add more oil in small amounts, if needed, to brown the chicken.
4. Add all chicken back to the pot and cover with just enough chicken broth to cover chicken.
5. Add seasoning salt. Cover and simmer about 25 min, until chicken is tender.
6. While chicken is simmering, mix together the flour, sour cream and water with a hand mixer, until smooth. Set aside.
7. When the chicken is done, remove the chicken pieces and slowly add the sour cream to the paprika/onion broth, stirring constantly.
8. Place chicken pieces on top of dumplings or rice, and top with Paprika Cream sauce.

Notes

Now if I’m being totally honest…this dish is…OKAY. You gotta get genuine Hungarian Sweet Paprika (not SMOKED paprika like I would have done). But yeah…it’s pretty bland, so don’t be chintzy with the salt and pepper.

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