AP – Chicken paprikash is a saucy blend of chicken, onions, sour cream and lots of paprika.
In this recipe, we blend techniques from restaurant chefs and home cooks who taught us their recipes during our visit to Budapest, Hungary.
In addition to a generous amount of onion, sautéed until sweet and softened to create a flavourful base, there are a couple other keys to achieving fullness and complexity in the iconic dish.
Paprika, both sweet and hot, is a defining ingredient. The spice adds a touch of heat, a rusty hue and helps thicken the stew.
Multiple forms of peppers are essential for depth and range of flavour. Jarred roasted red peppers, blended to a smooth puree, bring a silky sweetness; fresh banana pepper, finely chopped, adds tangy, fruity notes. The paprika should be bright red, not dull brown, and full of fragrance.
Seek out fresh, quality paprika, and in particular look for brands produced in Hungary.
Don’t stir the sour cream into the chicken mixture while still on the heat. Remove the pot from the burner, push the chicken to the sides and whisk the sour cream and the remaining pepper puree into the braising liquid in the centre. This gently warms the sour cream so it won’t separate.
HUNGARIAN CHICKEN PAPRIKASH
Start to finish: One hour 40 minutes (25 minutes active)
Servings: Four to six
Ingredients:
– Half cup drained jarred roasted red peppers
– Two tablespoons lemon juice, divided
– Four teaspoons hot paprika, divided
– One teaspoon white sugar
– Kosher salt and ground black pepper
– One tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
– One large yellow onion, finely chopped
– One ripe medium tomato, cored and chopped
– Two banana peppers or wax peppers, one stemmed, seeded and finely chopped, one stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced, reserved separately
– A quarter cup sweet paprika
– Two cups low-sodium chicken broth
– Three pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
– Three-quarter cup sour cream
Directions:
In a blender, combine the roasted peppers, one tablespoon of the lemon juice, one teaspoon of the hot paprika, the sugar and half teaspoon salt. Puree, scraping the jar as needed, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking. Stir in the onion, tomato and finely chopped banana pepper. Cover, reduce to medium and cook, stirring often, until the tomato has broken down and the onion is softened and light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the sweet paprika, remaining three teaspoons hot paprika, broth and half of the pepper puree.
Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Add the chicken and stir until well coated. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then cover, reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until a skewer inserted into the chicken meets no resistance, about 40 minutes.
Off heat, stir in the remaining one tablespoon lemon juice.
Push the chicken to the side; add the remaining pepper puree and the sour cream to the liquid.
Whisk to incorporate, then stir to combine the sauce and chicken. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
Serve garnished with the sliced banana pepper. – Christopher Kimball
