Chicken Paprikash for the Hall

Name: Chicken Paprikash for the Hall
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Hungarian
Ingredients: 4.4 lb bone-in chicken thighs; 2.8 tbsp sweet paprika; 2 whole yellow onion; 2 whole red bell pepper; 5 cloves garlic cloves; 1.8 tbsp tomato paste; 2.7 cups chicken broth; 7/8 cup sour cream; 1 3/4 lb egg noodles; 3.7 tbsp butter; 1/4 cup fresh parsley

Hungarian paprika stew with sour cream over egg noodles for ten

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 50 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: medium

Chicken thighs braise in a brick-red paprika sauce with onion and bell pepper until tender, then finish with sour cream off heat. Serve over buttered egg noodles with extra paprika at the line.

Why crews like it: Paprikash brings Eastern European comfort to halls that already ran out of chili ideas. The sauce is rich but not cream-pasta heavy, and thighs stay juicy on the hold line.

490Cal

36gProtein

44gCarbs

20gFat

Ingredients

4.4 lb bone-in chicken thighs
2.8 tbsp sweet paprika
2 whole yellow onion
2 whole red bell pepper
5 cloves garlic cloves
1.8 tbsp tomato paste
2.7 cups chicken broth
7/8 cup sour cream
1 3/4 lb egg noodles
3.7 tbsp butter
1/4 cup fresh parsley

Instructions

Brown the chicken: Season thighs with salt and pepper. Sear skin-side down in a Dutch oven until golden, flip briefly, then set aside.
Build paprika base: Sauté onion and bell pepper in the same pot 6 minutes. Stir in paprika and garlic, cook 1 minute until fragrant, then add tomato paste.
Braise until tender: Add broth, nestle chicken skin-side up, cover, and simmer 35–40 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F and sauce thickens.
Finish with sour cream: Remove pot from heat. Stir sour cream in gradually until sauce turns silky. Taste and adjust salt.
Boil noodles and serve: Cook egg noodles, toss with butter, and portion into bowls. Top with chicken, sauce, and parsley.

Tonight's spread

Paprikash over noodles with cucumber salad in sour cream dressing.
Crusty bread for soaking up every bit of red sauce.

Hall tips

A pinch of caraway seed in the base adds classic Hungarian aroma.
Pull chicken bones at the line if your crew prefers fork-only eating.
Hot paprika on the side lets spice lovers upgrade without changing the batch.

Meal prep

Bloom paprika in fat briefly—never burn it or the whole pot turns bitter. Stir sour cream off heat to prevent curdling. Hold noodles and sauce separately if holding over 30 minutes.

Leftovers

Shred chicken into sauce and reheat gently for next-day stew.
Reduce sauce further and use as a filling for savory hand pies.

Dutch oven
Large pot
Instant-read thermometer
Tongs
Ladle