Chicken paprikash can be called as the alpha and omega of the Hungarian cuisine, this classic dish is the highlight of Sunday lunches. It’s one of the most famous variations on the paprikash preparations, foreigners usually mention it among the Hungarian dishes they know or have already heard about. Customs vary from house to house, so there isn’t any ultimate chicken paprikash recipe that stands above all, everyone has its own formula.

Chicken stew can be made in two ways: pörkölt or paprikash. The base of both methods is the same: sauté onion, add meat, season with paprika and pour in water. The difference between paprikash and pörkölt is that paprikash is cooked in more liquid and always thickened with flour and sour cream, pörkölt is cooked in less liquid (for this reason it can’t be left unattended on the stove for long, it has to be stirred very often) and doesn’t contain any thickening agent.

Chicken paprikash or pörkölt is always served with some kind of boiled noodles. Its traditional side dish is nokedli, which is made from a thick batter and pushed through a special tool into boiling water. But if you don’t have that gadget or you are not in the mood to make your own noodles, store-bought pasta will also do.