Chicken paprikash is traditionally made with bone-in chicken, but this quicker version uses chicken breast for an easy weeknight dinner. The meat stays tender, and a spoonful of sour cream stirred in at the end makes the paprika-rich sauce silky and luxurious. Using a good Hungarian paprika really lifts the flavour — below I explain my preference.
“We had this as a main for two people but did rice instead of pasta as we’d had pasta the night before. It was delicious and I’m sure will be with pasta as well. My husband had it the day after for lunch on it’s own and it was a huge bowl full and he loved it like that too. We loved it so much that it’s on our weekly menu.”
– Jane Crawley
Nicky’s Notes
There’s something deeply comforting about chicken paprikash simmering on the hob. The aroma draws people in and the glossy paprika sauce feels generous and warming.
This recipe takes a few practical shortcuts: chicken breast reduces cooking time and chopped tomatoes give the sauce brightness. The result retains the cosy, savoury character of paprikash in a version that suits everyday cooking.
It’s an unassuming dish that delivers big on taste. The rich paprika sauce clinging to pasta or mashed potato makes it feel like a real treat.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- What is Chicken Paprikash
- 📋 Ingredients
- Ingredient spotlight: Paprika
- 🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
- Pro Tips
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Chicken Paprikash Recipe
- 🍲 Love a creamy chicken recipe?
- 🥘 My Blue Cast Iron
What is Chicken Paprikash
Chicken paprikash is a classic Hungarian comfort dish: chicken simmered in a paprika-forward sauce and finished with sour cream for a rich, slightly tangy finish. It’s known for its warm red colour, tender chicken, and comforting, savoury flavour.
The dish balances savoury notes with a hint of sweetness from onions and paprika, rounded out by the creaminess of sour cream for a luxurious mouthfeel.
📋 Ingredients
- This recipe uses chicken breast for speed; if you prefer bone-in pieces, increase the simmer time by 20–30 minutes until cooked through.
- Sour cream — use full-fat sour cream to avoid splitting and for the best, richest flavour.
Ingredient spotlight: Paprika
Paprika is the star of this dish. A good Hungarian sweet paprika brings a deeper aroma, richer colour and more nuanced flavour than standard supermarket paprika. If Hungarian paprika isn’t available, use the freshest paprika you can find.
🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
Full recipe with detailed steps is in the recipe card below.
Softened onions are cooked in butter and oil, then chicken pieces dusted with seasoned flour are lightly browned. Paprika and garlic are stirred in briefly, then chopped tomatoes and hot chicken stock are added. Bring to the boil, simmer covered for 15 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in sour cream off the heat and serve.
Pro Tips
- Use Hungarian sweet paprika for the best colour and authentic flavour.
- To thicken the sauce, simmer uncovered for an extra 5–10 minutes.
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🍽️ What to serve it with
I like a drizzle of extra sour cream and a sprinkle of parsley before serving. The key is to give the sauce something to cling to.
Pasta is a brilliant choice because it catches the silky paprika sauce. Mashed potatoes make it fully comforting, and fresh bread is perfect for mopping up the last spoonfuls.
The photo shows large fusilli (Fusilli Gigante) which works wonderfully, but any sturdy pasta will do.
📺 Watch how to make it
The video demonstrates the sauce texture and how it looks once the sour cream is incorporated — useful if you prefer a visual guide.
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Chicken Paprikash Recipe
10 mins
40 mins
50 mins
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil (sunflower or neutral)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 3 chicken breasts (approx. 525g), chopped into bite-size chunks
- 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp Hungarian sweet or spiced paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes in juice
- 480 ml (2 cups) hot chicken stock
- 225 ml (1 cup) sour cream
To Serve:
- Cooked pasta such as pappardelle, tagliatelle or penne
- Handful of chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a large, lidded pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Toss the chicken pieces with the flour, salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly browned.
- Reduce heat to medium and stir in the paprika and garlic for about a minute to coat the chicken.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and hot chicken stock and bring to the boil.
- Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid, stir and simmer for a further 10 minutes, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
- Turn off the heat and stir through half of the sour cream until combined.
- Serve with cooked pasta or mashed potato, top with the remaining sour cream and chopped parsley, and enjoy with crusty bread.
Video
Notes
Make ahead: The paprikash can be made ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan until piping hot.
Freezing: Cool, cover and freeze. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a pan until piping hot.
Scaling: To serve 2, halve all ingredients and simmer for around 20 minutes. To double for 8, double all ingredients except keep chicken stock at 480 ml (2 cups) so the sauce reduces at a reasonable rate; add more stock if needed while simmering.
Nutritional information shown below is per serving (serves 4) and does not include pasta or parsley. It is an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
This chicken paprikash recipe was first posted in March 2021 and has been updated with recipe improvements and housekeeping edits.
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🥘 My Blue Cast Iron
I often get asked about my blue casserole pan — it’s a Le Creuset Signature enamelled cast iron shallow casserole. It’s my go-to for many one-pot recipes and has been used hundreds of times.
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on ingredients and preparation. Thank you for reading.