This chicken paprikash recipe is pure comfort food, with tender chicken simmered in a rich paprika sauce that practically begs to be spooned over noodles.

Chicken Paprikash over egg noodles with dollop of sour cream.

Chicken paprikash, or paprikás csirke, is a classic Hungarian comfort food, with tender chicken simmered in a rich, savory sauce made with plenty of paprika and finished with sour cream. This recipe is adapted from America’s Test Kitchen, with a few changes. Traditionally, the dish is made with bone-in chicken, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs work especially well here — they cook quickly in the sauce and can be easily pulled into bite-size pieces, so there are no bones to navigate at the dinner table.

Spoon the chicken and its creamy paprika sauce over buttered egg noodles, with an extra dollop of sour cream on the side. And if you love the warm, earthy flavor of paprika, try Hungarian goulash next — it puts the spice to equally good use in a hearty beef stew.

“This was amazing. So full of flavor and just the right amount of spices.”

What You’ll Need to Make Chicken Paprikash

chicken paprikash ingredients

  • Extra-virgin olive oil: Used to sauté the vegetables and build the flavorful base of the sauce.
  • Onion, red bell pepper, and garlic: Cook down until soft and savory, adding sweetness and depth to the sauce.
  • Diced tomatoes and tomato paste: Diced tomatoes add body and acidity, while tomato paste gives the sauce a deeper, more concentrated tomato flavor.
  • Chicken broth: Provides the liquid for simmering the chicken and forms the base of the sauce.
  • Paprika: The signature flavor of chicken paprikash. For best results, look for sweet Hungarian paprika at well-stocked grocery stores, spice shops, or online. But don’t worry if you can only find regular paprika — it’s still delicious. Avoid smoked paprika, which has a very different flavor.
  • Cayenne pepper: Adds a subtle touch of heat without making the dish spicy.
  • Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Traditional chicken paprikash is typically made with bone-in chicken, but boneless thighs make this version easier to cook (and eat) while still staying juicy and tender as they simmer.
  • Sour cream and flour: Sour cream gives the sauce its creamy, tangy finish, while flour helps thicken and stabilize it.
  • Fresh parsley: An optional finishing touch that adds freshness and a pop of color.

How to Make Chicken Paprikash

Soften the vegetables: Cook the onion and bell pepper until they’re soft and starting to relax, then stir in the tomato paste and garlic. This builds the savory base of the sauce.

Onions and bell pepper added to olive oil in Dutch oven.

Softened vegetables in Dutch oven.

Cook down the tomatoes and build the sauce: Add the tomatoes and cook until the vegetables are very soft and most of the liquid has cooked away. This concentrates the flavor. Stir in the broth, paprika, and seasonings.

Tomatoes cooking down in Dutch oven.

Broth and seasoning added to vegetables in Dutch oven.

Simmer and shred the chicken: Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate, then use two forks to pull it into bite-size pieces.

Chicken cooking in pot of chicken paprikash.

Shredded chicken on plate.

Make the creamy sauce: Stir the sour cream and flour together until smooth — the flour prevents the sour cream from curdling when it is added to the sauce — then gradually whisk in some of the hot cooking liquid. Whisk the mixture back into the pot until the sauce is smooth and creamy, then stir in the shredded chicken and serve over buttered egg noodles.

Sour cream tempered with hot cooking liquid.

Chicken paprikash sauce thickened with sour cream.