Chicken Paprikash with Spaetzle

Here is a relatively easy dish that has a history. I have wanted to make this dish for a while, and finally got around to doing it. The key to making this dish is using authentic Hungarian Paprika. First let’s start out with a bit of history…

It was under the Turkish rule, which lasted 150 years, that paprika was brought to Hungary. The spice was mostly used by the peasantry. Due to rising pepper prices in Hungary, this spice became a substitute for pepper. Because of this the spice began being used in just about every thing that the Hungarians cooked, and eventually became the symbol of Hungarian cooking. Now let’s get to cooking, shall we?

Ingredients
Chicken Paprikash
1 cut up chicken, I used boneless chicken thighs
1 onion chopped
8 oz. crimini mushrooms
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 TBS butter
2 TBS Hungarian Paprika
1 14.5 oz can of chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine, I used Pinot Grigio
1 pint of sour cream
1 TBS flour
Spaetzle
1 1/2 cup flour
2 eggs beaten
3/4 cup of water
3 TBS butter
1 TBS parsley flakes

Let’s start with the chicken. If using chicken with bones this will take about an hour and a half. Boneless chicken, like what I used takes about an hour. Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet until the butter melts. Add the onion and mushroom. Cook until they caramelize.

Caramelized onions and mushrooms

Then add the paprika

Add the paprika

and stir to coat the onions and mushrooms. Then add the broth and wine and bring to a boil.

Add the broth and the wine

Add the chicken,

Add the chicken

turning to coat.

Turn the chicken to coat

Bring back up to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Cover and cook.

While the chicken is cooking make the spaetzle. Combine the flour, eggs and water.

The ingredients for the spaetzle

Mix until it has the consistency of pancake batter.

When mixed this looks like pancake batter

Heat water in a soup pot. Here is the tricky part. You want to use a colander to which you add some of the batter, and then using a spoon, push the batter through the holes in the colander.

Using the colander

Do this in batches. Bits of the batter will drop in to the water and cook, raising to the top as they are cooked.

This spaetzle is done

As they rise to the top, with a slotted spoon, remove this to a bowl and set aside. Do this until you have used all the batter. Once all is cooked, clean your colander, then drain the spaetzle.

Drain the spaetzle that was set aside

This process takes about a half hour. I keep this to the side until I finish the chicken dish.

When the chicken is done cooking, remove the pieces to a plate. Then add the flour to the sour cream, blending well. Slowly add the sour cream mixture to the juices in the skillet and stir to combine.

Sour cream has been added

Add the chicken back to the mixture and heat through.

In another pan, add the three TBS of butter and heat to melt. Add the spaetzle and the parsley flakes to the pan, and heat through.

Spaetzle combined with butter and parsley

When ready to serve, place some of the spaetzle on the plate, and place the chicken on top drizzling some of the wonderfully tasty sauce over all.

Dinner is served!

Don’t forget your green vegetable! Enjoy this with the white wine that you used in the recipe!