Simplified Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

1. Heat the Oil

Begin by heating the vegetable oil in a large straight-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat until the oil is shimmering.

2. Cook the Onions

Add the diced or thinly sliced onion to the pan, along with a pinch of kosher salt, and cook for about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally until the onions are completely softened and just starting to brown.

3. Add Paprika

Sprinkle in the high-quality Hungarian sweet paprika and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4. Cook the Chicken

Add the chicken pieces to the pan, nestling them in a single layer. Sprinkle a bit more kosher salt over the chicken. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Let the chicken cook for 30 to 45 minutes until it is completely tender and pulls easily from the bone.

5. Remove Chicken

Once the chicken is cooked through, remove the pieces from the pan and set them aside on a large plate.

6. Prepare the Sauce

Skim off any excess fat from the cooking liquid in the pan. Measure the remaining liquid; you should have about 2 cups. If you have less, add water or low-sodium chicken broth to make up the difference.

7. Add Sour Cream

Return the liquid to the pan and whisk in the sour cream until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more kosher salt and paprika if desired.

8. Coat the Chicken

Return the chicken pieces to the pan, turning them to coat in the sauce thoroughly.

9. Serve

Serve the chicken paprikash hot, over a bed of egg noodles, boiled potatoes, or spaetzle. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of minced fresh parsley or dill, if you like.