Holy Paprikash!

Smother chicken thighs in a perfect sauce and sop it up with delicious fried dumplings?  Yes please!  This recipe turned out so well, I couldn't stop myself from sneaking spoonfuls.  Hungarian paprika is a wonderful warm flavor that pairs so well with peppers, onions and the coolness of sour cream.  Serve this dish over rustic fried dumplings, and you've got a meal that is close to home.    

Quick list of ingredients:


For the chicken:


1 1/2 lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 5 thighs)
1 large white onion sliced very thinly
1 yellow pepper sliced very thinly
2 tbsp butter 
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup diced tomatoes
3 1/2 tbsp hungarian sweet paprika
A couple dashes cayenne pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

 For the dumplings:

1 cup all purpose flour
3 eggs
3 tbsp water
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
oil for frying
about a cup of seasoned bread crumbs


First, heat the butter and olive oil in a large dutch oven.  Pat the chicken thighs dry, sprinkle a bit of salt on both sides, and place skin-side-down in the pot.  Leave them alone for about 6 minutes.  Don't touch em, don't move em.  Get it?  Check the brownness, and remove them from the pot being careful not to tear the skin.  Check my brown...

Now that's a perfect crust.

Anyways, put the thighs aside and add the onions to the pot.  Salt them lightly and scrape the bits from the bottom of the pot as they cook.  Soften them for about 5 minutes, then add the peppers.  Cook for another 2 minutes, add the paprika, cayenne, black pepper, diced tomatoes and broth.  Combine nicely, and add the chicken back into the pot.  This time skin up!  The sauce should not cover the chicken completely, so don't be worried.  Cover the pot, and allow to cook while you make the dumplings.

In a bowl combine the flour, eggs, water, salt and pepper.  The dough should be thick and sort of stringy.  It should do this off of a fork when you pull it...

Put a medium pot on to boil and salt the water well.  When the water comes to a rolling boil, drop spoonfuls of the dough into the boiling water.  Make sure the dough doesn't fall into the water in large lumps, but rather thinner strips like the above photograph.  This will ensure that your dumplings don't turn out too thick and doughy.  Boil a couple at a time and don't crowd the pot.  They will float after a few seconds.  Boil the dumplings for approximately two to three minutes each depending on the size.  Check the first few to make sure that the inside cooks through.  Remove the dumplings from the water, and continue to cook in batches until the dough is gone.  Roll the dumplings in breadcrumbs.  Heat up a pan with enough oil in it to generously coat the bottom.  Fry in batches until dumplings are a lovely golden brown!

Drain the dumplings on a paper towel and set aside.

By this point, the chicken should be cooked through.  (About 20-30 minutes)  Remove the chicken from the pot, and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.  Add the sour cream and stir.  Return the chicken to the sauce and coat well.  Serve atop dumplings!