Chicken Paprikash (Braised or Slow Cooker Recipe)

Chicken Paprikash (Paprikás Csirke) is a traditional Hungarian dish that transforms bone-in chicken pieces into succulent fall-off-the-bone chicken in a creamy paprika sauce.

This chicken paprikash recipe brings together the rich flavors of Hungarian cuisine in a stew-like dish that's sure to become a favorite with your entire family!

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It's easy to make and doesn't use any complicated ingredients. I have been working on this recipe for quite some time in order to deliver a recipe with fall-off-the-bone chicken WITH crispy skin.

I use my Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro to sear and braise the chicken thighs and then crisp the skin up in the oven while I finish the sauce.

However, if you don't have the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro, you can use your slow cooker to slow cook the chicken.

It's truly spectacular and I highly recommend you serve it alongside a homemade batch of Nokedli noodles for the perfect dinner!

Suggested Kitchen Tools for Chicken Paprikash

• Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro or Slow Cooker, as well as a pan for searing the chicken if your slow cooker doesn't have the ability to sear
• Baking sheet to crisp chicken in the oven before serving
• Small bowl for sour cream mixture
• Large plate for chicken
• Tongs

Ingredients & Substitutions

With just a few ingredients you can make a delicious chicken paprikash meal. Many of the ingredients can be substituted for with ingredients you have on hand, making this a dish you can easily make at home.

Seasonings (sauce and chicken)

This Recipe Uses: The main seasoning in this dish is Hungarian Paprika along with salt and pepper.

What it does in the recipe: The Hungarian Paprika is what brings most of the flavor into the dish and the salt and pepper are for balance. I recommend you use the Hungarian Paprika as opposed to Spanish Paprika that is found in most US grocery stores.

I have tested the recipe with both and the flavor is much better with the Hungarian paprika. If your local stores don't carry it (mine don't), then it is easily ordered on Amazon.

Amazon Link: (affiliate link)Hungarian Paprika

I used all sweet paprika in this recipe, but you can use a combination of sweet and hot paprika, or even add in some smoked paprika if you want a little smoky flavor.

Chicken

This Recipe Uses: 2.5-3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, which is about 6 chicken thighs.

What it does in the recipe: Provides rich flavor, maintains moisture, skin creates texture when crisped in the oven. The biggest benefit to using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs is they will not become dry during the cooking process. Chicken thighs are so forgiving, you can cook them well into the 200℉/90℃'s and they will still be tender and fall-off-the bone tender which is what you want for this Paprikash recipe.

Substitutions:

• Whole chicken (broken down into pieces)
• Bone-in chicken breast (adjust cooking time)
• Chicken drumsticks
• Mix of chicken pieces
• Skinless, boneless chicken thighs (less flavor, shorter cooking time)

Vegetables

This Recipe Uses:

1. Sweet Onions
   • What it does in the recipe: Creates base flavor, helps thicken sauce
   • Substitutions:
     • Yellow onions
     • White onions
     • Red onions (affects color)
2. Yellow Bell Peppers
   • What it does in the recipe: Adds sweetness and texture as well as a visual appeal.
   • Substitutions:
     • Red or orange peppers
     • Hungarian wax peppers
     • Can be omitted entirely
3. Garlic (whole smashed cloves)
   • What it does in recipe: Provides a very subtle garlic flavor which rounds outs the flavors in the sauce.
   • Substitutions:
     • Garlic powder (1 teaspoon)
     • Roasted garlic
     • Garlic paste
     • Can be omitted entirely

Sauce Ingredients

Main Recipe Uses:

1. Hungarian sweet paprika
   • What it does in the recipe: Primary flavoring, creates signature color
   • Substitutions:
     • Mix of sweet and hot Hungarian paprika
     • Smoked paprika for a portion of the total paprika (I recommend up to 1 Tablespoons in addition to the Hungarian paprika (adds a slightly smoky flavor)
     • Spanish paprika (Slightly different flavor, but it is still good)
2. Chicken stock
   • What it does in the recipe: Creates braising liquid
   • Substitutions:
     • Low-sodium chicken broth
     • Vegetable stock
     • Water with bouillon
     • Plain water (less flavor)
3. Fire-roasted diced tomatoes
   • What it does in the recipe: Adds texture, depth of flavor, and body to sauce
   • Substitutions:
     • Regular diced tomatoes
     • Tomato paste with splash of water (only use about 1 tablespoon)
     • Additional stock (omit tomatoes entirely and use ½ cup extra of chicken broth if desired)
4. Sour cream
   • What it does in the recipe: Creates creamy texture, adds tanginess and helps to thicken the sauce
   • Substitutions:
     • Heavy cream
     • Greek yogurt
     • Coconut Cream or Cashew Cream (dairy-free option, but will change the flavor)
5. Butter (salted or unsalted)
   • What it does in the recipe: Searing fat, adds richness and flavor
   • Substitutions:
     • Vegetable oil
     • Olive oil
     • Lard
     • Tallow
     • Duck fat
     • Chicken fat (schmaltz)
6. Flour
   • What it does in the recipe: Thickens the sauce
   • Substitutions:
     • Cornstarch (use 1 tablespoon and the sauce needs to brought to a simmer to active the cornstarch)
     • Arrow root
     • Can be omitted for thinner sauce

How to Make Chicken Paprikash in the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro

Season & Sear the Chicken

This is a very important step in making chicken paprikash and should not be skipped. It will take about 15 minutes to get a good sear on the chicken and to save time I usually prep the vegetables while the chicken is searing.

Turn the Possible Cooker Pro on high sear/sauté and let it go through the preheat process.

Season the chicken with the blend of salt, pepper, and paprika on both sides. There is no need to trim the chicken thighs.

When it says to "add food," add the butter and move it around in the pan so it doesn't burn.

Place the chicken thighs, skin side down into the pot and let them sit and sear for at least 10 minutes or until the skin is nicely seared, but not burnt. The paprika will look dark and that is normal.

Flip the chicken thighs over and sear on the other side for about 5 minutes.

Sauté the Vegetables

While the chicken is searing, dice the onion and peppers into about ½" dice and peel and smash the bulb of garlic. You can use the entire bulb in the dish and it will not be overpowering as long as you don't mince it. If you want to use minced garlic, use 1-2 teaspoons.

I like to remove the chicken thighs and place them on a plate or tray while I sauté the vegetables, but you can sauté the vegetables in the pot with the chicken by moving the chicken pieces to the side and stacking them.

Braise the Chicken

Pour in the chicken stock.

Mix the seasonings with the fire roasted tomatoes which will prevent the seasonings from clumping when added to the vegetables.

Stir the fire roasted tomatoes into the pot with the vegetables.

Place the chicken thighs back into the pot on top of the vegetables with the skin side facing up.

Select the braise function on the Ninja Possible Cooker Pro and set the time to 2 hours, press start and put the lid on the pot.

Finish the Sauce & Prepare for Serving

Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a baking sheet pan. I like to put it on a rack on a pan, but that is optional.

If you want to (and I highly recommend it) crisp the skin on the chicken, preheat the oven to 475℉/245℃ and then place the tray of chicken on the top rack to bake for about 10 minutes. I do this while finishing the sauce.

While the chicken is crisping in the oven, it's time to finish the paprikash sauce by adding sour cream.

I like my sauce to be gravy-like in consistency, so I thicken it with flour. This is optional, but if you want to thicken it please follow these instructions IF you are going straight from braise to thickening the sauce.

It is so important to temper the sour cream with the hot liquid and then mixing in the flour. If you mix the flour and sour cream and put it right into the hot sauce, you can end up with clumpy bits of cooked dough from the flour and sour cream in the sauce. I made this mistake once and it took me forever to remove all the clumps, so please follow these instructions.

Take 1-2 scoops of the hot sauce from the Possible Cooker Pro and mix it in with the sour cream. Add the flour and stir it until you have a smooth consistency. You can add more of the hot sauce if needed.

Add the tempered sour cream and flour to the remaining braising liquid and stir to combine. Continue to cook on the braise function for at least 10 minutes so the flour taste cooks out.

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Once the chicken has crisped up in the oven, remove the tray and place it on a heat-proof surface.

To serve, place the chicken on a platter (or individual plates) and spoon the delicious paprikash gravy over top of it.

You can garnish with parsley if desired. Serve with a side of Nokedli for the perfect meal!

How to Make Chicken Paprikash in a Slow Cooker or on the Stove

Slow Cooker Instructions

If your slow cooker does not have a sear/sauté option, use a pan on the stove to sear the chicken. If it does have the ability to sear/sauté, you can complete that step directly in the slow cooker.

Before Slow Cooking

1. Season chicken thighs generously with:
   • 2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika
   • 1 teaspoon black pepper
   • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2-3 tablespoons butter or oil.
3. Sear chicken thighs skin-side down for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. This step is crucial for flavor development - don't skip it!
4. While chicken sears, dice your onions and bell peppers.

Setting up the Slow Cooker

1. Place diced onions and peppers in bottom of slow cooker. If your slow cooker has a sauté option, I do recommend sautéing the onions and peppers for a few minutes.
2. Add smashed garlic.
3. Pour in:
   • 1 cup chicken stock
   • 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (mixed with 3 Tablespoons Sweet Paprika and salt and pepper in recipe)
4. Stir everything together and place the seared chicken thighs on top of the vegetables and liquid.

Slow Cooking

Keep in mind that slow cookers do vary by brand, so use these times as estimates and monitor the internal temperature of the chicken to know when it is done.

You want the chicken thighs to reach these high temperatures so the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, which happens above 190℉/90℃. The chicken is done at 165℉/74℃ and can be served then, but I have found that the tenderness is greatly improved when you take the chicken to higher temps.

1. Cover and slow cook:
   • LOW: 4-6 hours
   • HIGH: 1-2 hours

Finishing Steps

1. Remove chicken thighs to a baking sheet.
2. Optional: Bake chicken skin-side up at 475°F for 10-15 minutes to re-crisp skin.
3. Meanwhile, prepare sauce:
   • Scoop 1 cup of hot liquid from slow cooker
   • Whisk into ½ cup sour cream and 2 tablespoons flour in a small bowl
   • Stir mixture back into slow cooker
   • Cook on HIGH for 15-20 minutes until thickened

Serve chicken Paprikash over egg noodles or Hungarian dumplings, topped with the creamy paprika sauce.

Stovetop Instructions

1. Season chicken with sweet Hungarian paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper.
2. Heat a Dutch oven or a large skillet with a lid on the stove to medium-high heat. Add butter and sear chicken in single layer, skin side down until golden brown. This will take 5-10 minutes. Flip the chicken and sear on the other side for 3-5 minutes. Remove chicken mixture to large plate.
3. Reduce the stove to medium heat. Add the diced onion and peppers and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add smashed garlic cloves and sauté another 2 minutes.
5. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock.
6. Mix the remaining seasonings into the fire roasted tomatoes and stir into the vegetable mixture.
7. Place the chicken, skin side up back into the pot or pan and put a lid on it.
8. Turn the heat to low and simmer covered for about an hour or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches around 200℉/ 95℃. You want the chicken thighs to reach these high temperatures so the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, which happens above 190℉/90℃. The chicken is done at 165℉/74℃ and can be served then, but I have found that the tenderness is greatly improved when you take the chicken to higher temps.
9. Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a baking tray in a preheated 475℉/225℃ oven to crisp the skin. This will take 10 minutes or so.
10. Add a scoop or two of the braising liquid to the sour cream and mix it in. Add the flour to the mixture and combine until you have a smooth consistency.
11. Stir the sour cream and flour mixture into the rest of the braising liquid an simmer for 10-15 minutes while the chicken is crisping.
12. Place the crisped chicken thighs on a platter and spoon over the paprikash gravy. Don't forget the Nokedli!

Storage & Reheating Instructions

How to Store Leftover Chicken Paprikash

If you know you will have leftovers, I recommend keeping the chicken separate from the gravy so you can crisp the chicken skin in the oven while you warm the gravy for serving.

Refrigeration

Place leftover chicken paprikash in an airtight container and it will last 3-5 days.

Freezer

Make sure the chicken paprikash is cold before freezing. I recommend refrigerating it overnight.

I also recommend freezing the chicken and paprikash gravy together instead of separate for the best quality when thawing and reheating.

Place the chicken paprikash in a freezer bag or vacuum sealed bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Use within 3 months for the best quality.

How to Reheat Chicken Paprikash

Separate Chicken and Gravy

If you kept your chicken and gravy separate, warm the chicken in the oven on 350℉/175℃ and heat the gravy on the stove or in any appliance using sear/sauté. Keep the heat on medium so you don't burn the gravy.

Chicken and Gravy together

When the chicken is with the gravy, slow cook on high until the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165℉/74℃

What to serve with Chicken Paprikash

While it is traditional to serve Nokedli (hungarian dumplings/egg noodles) with Paprikash, there are other side dishes that pair nicely with it. Here are a few suggestions.

Chicken Paprikash (Braised or Slow Cooker Recipe)

Recipe By: Louise

This easy Chicken Paprikash recipe transforms simple ingredients into a restaurant-quality meal that is perfect for family dinners. Make it in the Ninja Possible Cooker Pro, your slow cooker, or in a large skillet on the stove!

5 from 1 vote

Difficulty Level : Easy

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Entree

Cuisine Hungarian

Servings 6

Calories 500 kcal

Equipment

• Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro or
• Slow Cooker or
• Large Skillet on the Stove

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Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 2 teaspoons (affiliate link)Hungarian sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons fine grind sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs about 3 pounds
• 4 Tablespoons butter salted or unsalted (I use salted)

For the Paprikash Sauce

• 2 Large Sweet onions about 3-4 cups ½" diced
• 2 yellow or orange bell peppers about 2 cups ½" diced
• 1 small bulb garlic about 6-8 cloves peeled and smashed
• 1 cup chicken broth or stock
• 14.5 ounces Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes or plain diced tomatoes
• 3 Tablespoons (affiliate link)Hungarian Sweet Paprika
• 1 teaspoon fine grind sea salt or kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper or white pepper if you prefer
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 Tablepsoons all purpose flour optional for thickening
• 1-2 Tablespoons fresh or dried parsley optional for garnish

Nokedli

• 1 batch Homemade Nokedli Egg Noodles

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Instructions

 

Searing the chicken and Sautéing the Vegetables

• Turn the Possible Cooker Pro on high sear/sauté and let it go through the preheat process.
• While the Possible Cooker Pro is preheating, mix the seasoning blend and season the chicken thighs on both sides. There is no need to trim the chicken thighs.

  When it says to "add food," add the butter and move it around in the pan so it doesn't burn.
  2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika, 2 teaspoons fine grind sea salt or kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, 4 Tablespoons butter
• Place the chicken thighs skin side down in a single layer in the pot and let them sear for 10 minutes or until the skin develops a golden brown color. Don't worry if the seasoning becomes dark, that is normal.

  Flip the chicken over and let it sear on the other side for about 5 minutes (total searing time is about 15 minutes.
• While the chicken is searing, dice the onions and peppers. Peel and smash the garlic.
  2 Large Sweet onions, 2 yellow or orange bell peppers, 1 small bulb garlic
• Remove the chicken and place it on a plate when it is golden brown.

  Add the diced vegetables to the Possible Cooker Pro pot and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  Add the smashed garlic and sauté for about 2-3 minutes.
• Deglaze the pot with chicken broth or stock.
  1 cup chicken broth or stock
• Mix the seasonings with the fire roasted tomatoes (to prevent clumping) and add to the Possible Cooker Pot. Stir to combine.
  14.5 ounces Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, 3 Tablespoons Hungarian Sweet Paprika, 1 teaspoon fine grind sea salt or kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper

Braising the Chicken Paprikash

• Place the chicken thighs on top of the mixture with the skin side facing up. Switch to the "Braise" function and set the time to 2 hours.

  After 90 minutes, check the internal temperature of the chicken thighs and it should be between 190-200℉/90-95℃. Don't worry if it is a little higher than that.

  You can cook the chicken longer if needed.

Making the Nokedli

• While the chicken is cooking, you can make the Nokedli if desired. Here is the recipe: Homemade Nokedli Noodles
  1 batch Homemade Nokedli Egg Noodles

Crisping the Chicken

• When the chicken has reached the desired temperature, remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a baking pan. I like to sit it on a rack on the baking pan, but this is optional.

  For Crispy skin: Preheat the oven to 475℉/225℃ and place the chicken in the oven to crisp up while you finish the sauce. This takes 10-15 minutes usually.

Finishing the Paprikash Gravy

• For Thinner Gravy: Stir the sour cream into the brasing liquid and turn the Possible Cooker to Keep Warm until you are ready to serve the chicken paprikash.

  For thicker Gravy: Mix about ½ cup of the braising liquid with the sour cream. Add the flour and stir until you have a smooth mixture. Tempering the sour cream prevents lumps from forming in the gravy.

  Add to the rest of the braising liquid and stir to combine. Stay on the braise function for 15 minutes so the gravy thickens and cooks out the flour taste.
  ½ cup sour cream, 2 Tablepsoons all purpose flour

Serving Chicken Paprikash with Nokedli

• Place the chicken on a platter or individual plates alongside the homemade Nokedli and spoon over the paprikash gravy. Garnish with fresh or dried parsley if desired.

  Enjoy!
  1-2 Tablespoons fresh or dried parsley

Notes

Nutritional Information does not include Nokedli noodles. 

Slow Cooker Instructions: 

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2-3 tablespoons butter or oil.
2. Sear chicken thighs skin-side down for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. 
3. Place diced onions and peppers in bottom of slow cooker along with smashed garlic, chicken broth, and seasoned fire roasted tomatoes. 
4. Place the chicken thighs skin side up on top. 
5. Slow cook on low for 3-4 hours and on high for 1-3 hours. The timing will depend on your slow cooker. 
6. Follow the rest of the recipe instructions for crisping the chicken and finishing the sauce. Slow cook the sauce on high for 20-30 minutes. 
7. Serve & Enjoy! 

Stove Top Instructions: 

1. Heat a Dutch oven or a large skillet with a lid on the stove to medium-high heat. Add butter and sear chicken in single layer, skin side down until golden brown. Remove chicken mixture to large plate.
2. Reduce the stove to medium heat. Add the diced onion and peppers and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add smashed garlic cloves and sauté another 2 minutes.
4. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock.
5. Mix the remaining seasonings into the fire roasted tomatoes and stir into the vegetable mixture.
6. Place the chicken, skin side up back into the pot or pan and put a lid on it.
7. Turn the heat to low and simmer covered for about an hour or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches around 200℉/ 95℃. 
8. Follow the rest of the recipe instructions for crisping the chicken skin and thickening the sauce. Simmer the sauce on low for 10-15 minutes after adding the sour cream and flour mixture. 
9. Serve & Enjoy! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1chicken thigh with sauceCalories: 500kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 27gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 174mgSodium: 1603mgPotassium: 649mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2876IUVitamin C: 80mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 3mg

Course Dinner, Entree

Cuisine Hungarian

Difficulty Level Easy

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About the Recipe Author, Louise Long

Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.

She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.

Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.

Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and learning more about the appliances they love.

Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 101

Simply Cooking with Louise

Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker

Ninja Combi Recipes & Tips

Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.

She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information

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