Hungarian Chicken Paprikash (Paprikás Csirke)

• porsi: 6 servings
• total waktu: 1 hour 40 minutes

Bahan-bahan

½ cup drained jarred roasted red peppers

2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided

4 teaspoons hot paprika, divided

1 teaspoon white sugar

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1 ripe medium tomato, cored and chopped

2 banana peppers or wax peppers, 1 stemmed, seeded and finely chopped, 1 stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced, reserved separately

¼ cup sweet paprika

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

¾ cup sour cream

Hungarian dumplings, to serve

Cucumber salad with sour cream, to serve

Petunjuk

In a blender, combine the roasted peppers, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of the hot paprika, the sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Puree, scraping the jar as needed, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking. Stir in the onion, tomato and finely chopped banana pepper. Cover, reduce to medium and cook, stirring often, until the tomato has broken down and the onion is softened and light golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the sweet paprika, remaining 3 teaspoons hot paprika, broth and half of the pepper puree. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Stir in the sweet paprika, remaining 3 teaspoons hot paprika, broth and half of the pepper puree. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Add the chicken and stir until well coated. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then cover, reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until a skewer inserted into the chicken meets no resistance, about 40 minutes.

Off heat, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Push the chicken to the side; add the remaining pepper puree and the sour cream to the liquid. Whisk to incorporate, then stir to combine the sauce and chicken. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve garnished with the sliced banana pepper and with the dumplings and cucumber salad.

Catatan

Our version of paprikás csirke, or chicken paprikash, blends techniques from restaurant chefs and home cooks who taught us their recipes during our visit to Budapest, Hungary. We learned that in addition to a generous amount of onion, sautéed until sweet and softened to create a flavor base, there are a couple other keys to achieving fullness and complexity in the iconic dish. Paprika (both sweet and hot) is, of course, a defining ingredient in the dish—one that adds a touch of heat, a rusty hue and thickening power to boot—but multiple forms of capsicums, or peppers, are essential for depth and range of flavor. To that end, we include jarred roasted red peppers, blended to a smooth puree, to bring a silky sweetness, plus a fresh banana (or wax) pepper, finely chopped, for tangy, fruity notes. Additionally, the freshness of the paprika is important. If yours has been in the pantry for a while and has lost its verve (it should be bright red, not dull brown, and full of fragrance), it won’t deliver. Seek out fresh, quality paprika, and in particular look for brands produced in Hungary. With a lush, velvety sauce, paprikash traditionally is served with homemade dumplings called nokedli and a tangy-creamy cucumber salad called uborka saláta that brings brightness and texture.

TIP

Don’t stir the sour cream into the chicken mixture while still on the heat. Remove the pot from the burner, push the chicken to the sides and whisk the sour cream and the remaining pepper puree into the braising liquid in the center. This technique gently warms the sour cream so it won’t separate.