Hungarian Chicken Paprikash with Nokedli
Hungarian chicken paprikash with nokedli turns budget-friendly chicken thighs into tender pieces in a creamy paprika sauce with soft homemade dumplings.
This classic comfort meal uses a short list of real ingredients. Onion, sweet pepper, tomatoes, paprika, sour cream, and chicken cook together until the sauce tastes rich, savory, and gently sweet.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Rich paprika flavor: Sweet paprika blooms in fat, then melts into a silky sauce.
- Tender chicken: Thighs stay juicy as they simmer slowly with onion, tomato, and pepper.
- Soft homemade dumplings: Nokedli cook fast and soak up every bit of sauce.
- Simple pantry cooking: You need basic ingredients and one pot for the chicken.
Fabian’s Budget Tip: Chicken thighs give the best flavor for the price, but drumsticks also work well. If your thighs have skin, render a little chicken fat first and use it in place of some or all of the lard.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
For the Chicken Paprikash
- 6 chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 pounds (700 g)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup (150 g)
- 1 sweet wax pepper, sliced (80 g)
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (250 g)
- 1 tablespoon lard (14 g)
- 1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika (2 g)
- Scant 1/2 cup sour cream (100 ml)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g), plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (1 g), plus more to taste
For the Nokedli Dumplings
- 2 cups all purpose flour (250 g)
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water (200 g)
- 1 large egg (50 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil (5 ml)
- Extra salt for the boiling water
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Season the Chicken
Pat the chicken thighs dry. Season them all over with salt and black pepper. Let them sit while you chop the onion, pepper, and tomatoes. This short rest helps the seasoning cling to the meat.
2. Build the Onion and Paprika Base
Warm the lard in a wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it looks glossy and soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir often so it sweetens without burning.
Pull the pot off the heat and stir in the paprika. The fat should turn deep red and smell warm, sweet, and earthy. Do not let the paprika scorch, because burnt paprika tastes bitter.
3. Simmer the Chicken Until Tender
Add the chicken thighs, sweet wax pepper, and tomatoes to the pot. Stir to coat the chicken in the red onion base. Return the pot to medium heat and let the vegetables release their juices for 3 to 4 minutes.
Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, turning the chicken once or twice. The sauce should bubble gently, the tomatoes should collapse, and the chicken should feel tender when pierced with a fork.
4. Make the Nokedli Dough
While the chicken simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a bowl, mix the flour, egg, water, and salt until you have a thick, sticky dough. Stop as soon as no dry flour remains. A few small lumps are fine and help keep the dumplings tender.
5. Cook the Dumplings
Drop small pieces of dough into the boiling water using a nokedli maker, a spoon, or the large holes of a sturdy colander. Work in batches so the pot does not crowd.
Cook until the dumplings float and look plump, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scoop them out or drain them well. Toss the hot nokedli with the sunflower oil so they stay separate and glossy.
6. Finish the Sauce with Sour Cream
When the chicken is tender, reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Spoon a little hot sauce into the sour cream and stir until smooth. Add this mixture back to the pot and stir gently.
Let the sauce warm for 2 to 3 minutes without a hard boil. It should turn creamy orange and coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
7. Serve
Spoon the nokedli into shallow bowls and ladle the chicken paprikash over the top. Add extra sauce, because the dumplings drink it up fast.
Expert Troubleshooting & FAQs
Why did my paprikash taste bitter?
The paprika likely burned. Always remove the pot from direct heat before stirring in paprika. Let it bloom in the hot fat for a few seconds, then add juicy vegetables or chicken to protect it.
How do I stop the sour cream from curdling?
Use full fat sour cream and temper it first. Stir a few spoonfuls of hot sauce into the sour cream, then add it back to the pot over very low heat. Do not boil the sauce hard after adding it.
What if I do not have a nokedli maker?
Use two teaspoons to drop small bits of dough into the boiling water. You can also press the dough through a colander with large holes. The shapes will look rustic, which is normal for home cooking.
How do I know the chicken is fully cooked?
The chicken should be tender at the bone or in the thickest part. If you use a thermometer, it should read at least 165 F (74 C). For the best texture, keep simmering until the meat pulls apart easily.
Can I make chicken paprikash ahead?
Yes. The chicken and sauce taste even better the next day. Store the dumplings separately if you can, then reheat them with a splash of water so they turn soft again.
Estimated Nutritional Facts
These values are rough estimates per serving and will vary with the size of the chicken thighs and the sour cream used.
- Calories: 590
- Protein: 36 g
- Carbs: 55 g
- Fats: 25 g
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash with Nokedli
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 pounds (700 g)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup (150 g)
- 1 sweet wax pepper, sliced (80 g)
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (250 g)
- 1 tablespoon lard (14 g)
- 1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika (2 g)
- Scant 1/2 cup sour cream (100 ml)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g), plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (1 g), plus more to taste
- 2 cups all purpose flour (250 g)
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water (200 g)
- 1 large egg (50 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil (5 ml)
- Extra salt for the boiling water
Instructions
- 1. Season the Chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry. Season them all over with salt and black pepper. Let them sit while you chop the onion, pepper, and tomatoes. This short rest helps the seasoning cling to the meat.
- 2. Build the Onion and Paprika Base. Warm the lard in a wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it looks glossy and soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir often so it sweetens without burning. Pull the pot off the heat and stir in the paprika. The fat should turn deep red and smell warm, sweet, and earthy. Do not let the paprika scorch, because burnt paprika tastes bitter.
- 3. Simmer the Chicken Until Tender. Add the chicken thighs, sweet wax pepper, and tomatoes to the pot. Stir to coat the chicken in the red onion base. Return the pot to medium heat and let the vegetables release their juices for 3 to 4 minutes. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, turning the chicken once or twice. The sauce should bubble gently, the tomatoes should collapse, and the chicken should feel tender when pierced with a fork.
- 4. Make the Nokedli Dough. While the chicken simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a bowl, mix the flour, egg, water, and salt until you have a thick, sticky dough. Stop as soon as no dry flour remains. A few small lumps are fine and help keep the dumplings tender.
- 5. Cook the Dumplings. Drop small pieces of dough into the boiling water using a nokedli maker, a spoon, or the large holes of a sturdy colander. Work in batches so the pot does not crowd. Cook until the dumplings float and look plump, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scoop them out or drain them well. Toss the hot nokedli with the sunflower oil so they stay separate and glossy.
- 6. Finish the Sauce with Sour Cream. When the chicken is tender, reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Spoon a little hot sauce into the sour cream and stir until smooth. Add this mixture back to the pot and stir gently. Let the sauce warm for 2 to 3 minutes without a hard boil. It should turn creamy orange and coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
- 7. Serve. Spoon the nokedli into shallow bowls and ladle the chicken paprikash over the top. Add extra sauce, because the dumplings drink it up fast.
