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Chicken Paprikash with Sour Cream

Chicken Paprikash with Sour Cream reads richness 6.3, umami 5.9 and allium 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Hungarian main, about 1 hr 5 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.1 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 6.3 · Umami 5.9 · Allium 4.5 · Salinity 3.9 · Sweetness 3.0 · Herbaceous 2.8 · Sourness 2.8 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Fruity 2.0 · Heat 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Smoke 1.1 · Earthy 1.1 · Citrus 1.0 · Bitterness 1.0 · Floral 0.8 · Nutty 0.6

What's in it (14)

• boneless chicken — 907 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• lard — 27 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• red bell pepper — 100 g
• garlic — 9 g
• hot paprika — 44 g
• tomato paste — 15 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 473 g
• hot cooked egg noodles — 340 g
• sour cream — 237 g
• all-purpose flour — 15 g
• parsley — 7 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 5 min (1 hr 4 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 127.5 kcal, 13.9 g protein, 5.2 g fat, 7.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the noodles; while it heats, pat the chicken thighs dry and season with the salt and black pepper.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the lard in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working in two batches so the pan stays hot, brown the chicken pieces until deeply golden on the first side, 3-4 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of lard. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 6-8 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then stir in the paprika and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until deep red and fragrant, about 1 minute (pull the pot off heat briefly if the paprika starts to smoke — scorched paprika turns bitter).
5. Pour in the broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, then return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat to low, and braise until the chicken is fork-tender and reaches 165°F, 25-30 minutes.
6. About 10 minutes before the chicken is done, drop the egg noodles into the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes, then drain.
7. Whisk the sour cream and flour together in a small bowl until smooth, then whisk in a ladleful of the hot braising liquid to temper it.
8. Stir the tempered sour cream mixture into the pot and simmer gently, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and glossy, 3-4 minutes — don't let it boil hard or the sour cream will break. Season to taste with more salt.
9. Divide the noodles among bowls, ladle the chicken and sauce over top, and finish with a scatter of chopped parsley.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Buttermilk Chicken and Dumplings — Southern
• One-Pot Chicken and Dumplings — American
• Pörkölt (Braised Meat Stew) — Hungarian
• Sausage and Peppers — Italian-American
• One-Pan Sausage and Peppers — Italian-American

Keep reading: what richness, umami, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.