When we were in Hungary, I bought sweet paprika from the markets after eating many versions of chicken paprikash. There were good ones and meh ones, but the one from Gundel was my favorite. The sauce! I didn't like the nokledi with it, though the Hungarian egg noodle dumplings with it were very traditional. I wanted something that could soak up all the sauce for eating ... so I think I would have preferred a mashed potato or rice.
I found a recipe when I got home and was excited to try it. Luckily, it was everything that I hoped for. Chicken paprikash is the national dish of Hungary and eating it took me back to the amazing trip and beautiful country.
The recipe makes a ton of sauce (which made me even happier) so afterwards, I made a bunch of pasta to just shy of al dente and then let it finish looking in the sauce. That way, I didn't waste a drop!
Chicken Paprikash
adopted from Daring Gourmet
Serves 4-6
2 tablespoons pork lard or butter (lard is traditional; I used bacon fat)
3 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
1 Hungarian bell pepper, diced (optional)
3-4 Tbsp quality sweet Hungarian paprika
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup full fat sour cream, room temperature (to avoid lumps)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Heat the lard in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot and brown the chicken on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
In the same oil, add the onions and fry until golden brown. Add the garlic and tomatoes (and pepper if using) and fry another 2-3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the paprika, salt and pepper (paprika becomes bitter if scorched).
Return the chicken to the pot and place it back over the heat. Pour in the chicken broth. The chicken should be mostly covered. Bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove the chicken and transfer to a plate.
In a small bowl, stir the flour into the sour cream/cream mixture to form a smooth paste. Stir the cream mixture into the sauce, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring it to a simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce is thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the sauce and simmer to heat through.
