This post gives you 2 recipes in one - the first is a simple stove-top Hungarian chicken paprikash made with pieces of bone-in chicken, gently simmered in a paprika-flavoured sauce for an easy homestyle dinner. The second tells you how to turn your leftover chicken paprikash into a hearty pie by adding just a few extra ingredients. This is great for meal planning because you can cook once and eat twice!
Jump to:
- Hungarian paprika chicken
- Leftover paprika chicken pie
- Why you should try these recipes
- Recipe information
- Ingredients - Hungarian chicken paprikash
- Ingredients - Leftover paprika chicken pie
- Instructions - Hungarian chicken paprikash
- Instructions - Leftover paprika chicken pie
- Tips for a successful outcome
- Serving suggestions
- How to poach chicken
- Equipment
- Storage
- FAQ
- Save for later
- Related recipes
- 📋The recipe
Please note this is a long post. Use the 'Jump to' menu above to help you navigate to the sections that interest you.
Hungarian paprika chicken
This recipe started out as a simple recipe for Hungarian chicken paprikash. As there are only 2 of us at home, I tend to double up my recipes so that I can publish family-size meals that I know will work. We normally eat half, and I freeze the rest for the days when I'm baking rather than cooking!
However, this creamy chicken paprikash turned out so well that it practically screamed 'turn me into a pie' when I was putting away the leftovers. So that's what I did, and you can read how to do it yourself in the next section.
But first, let's talk about this easy stove-top chicken paprikash.
This simple weeknight chicken dinner is a mildly spiced dish, made with succulent on-the-bone chicken pieces simmered in a creamy paprika sauce. The sauce is packed with flavour, thanks to the slow-cooked onions and red peppers, with a slight hint of heat from the paprika and a gentle tang from the yoghurt. Spoon it over a pile of mashed potatoes, spaetzle (or noodles) or rice, and you have an easy and delicious meal.
This Hungarian chicken paprikash a simple dish to make and you don't need too many ingredients; just chicken, onions, red bell pepper (capsicum) and tomatoes. The sauce (or gravy) is flavoured with sweet paprika, yoghurt and cream, with a little tomato paste for extra tomato goodness.
It must be all of 20 years since I last visited Hungary. While I was there, I managed to sample the traditional Hungarian goulash (yum!), but I wasn't there long enough to try the chicken paprikash. I believe an authentic Hungarian chicken paprikash is made with sour cream, but as I didn't have any (i.e. I'd forgotten to buy it), I improvised and swapped the sour cream for a mixture of yoghurt and double cream.
And it was Good with a capital 'G'! The yoghurt provided the same tang that you get from sour cream, and the double cream provided the creamy taste.
This is my version of chicken paprikash or csirke paprikás as it is known in Hungary. I hope you enjoy it!
Leftover paprika chicken pie
This recipe for leftover paprika chicken pie is ideal for using up any leftover chicken paprikash. The creamy chicken filling is further enhanced by the addition of sautéed leeks and mushrooms, and topped with a layer of crispy puff pastry before going into the oven for half an hour.
My standby recipe for leftover chicken is normally this creamy chicken leek and mushroom pie, so this leftover chicken paprikash makes a tasty change. The tangy paprika sauce, coupled with soft, sweet leeks and earthy mushrooms, makes a delicious pie filling, and I'm definitely going to be making this more often.
If you would like to make this pie, without making paprika chicken first, you could simply follow the paprika chicken recipe, and saute the leeks and mushrooms with the onions and red peppers.
Why you should try these recipes
- Two meals from one cooking session. Enjoy a classic Chicken Paprikash, then turn the leftovers into a brand new pie!
- Budget-friendly. Makes the most of ingredients you already have, reducing waste.
- Comforting homestyle meals. Rich paprika sauce, tender chicken and a hearty pie filling. What could be better?
- Great for meal planning. Cook once, plan 2 dinners. You could even freeze the assembled pie and bake it later, so you're not eating similar recipes twice in a row.
Recipe information
| Chicken paprikash | Chicken paprikash pie | |
|---|---|---|
| Prep time | 20 minutes | 10 minutes |
| Cooking time | 45 minutes | 35 minutes |
| Yield | 4 people | 4 people |
Note: I've mentioned the chicken paprikash serves 4 people, which is fine if there are 4 of you in the family! If you intend to make a pie with leftovers, I would recommend adding a few extra pieces of chicken.
Ingredients - Hungarian chicken paprikash
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements for both the chicken paprikash and the leftover pie on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
- Chicken pieces - You can use whole chicken legs (or Marylands), or you could use just thighs or drumsticks. Because the sauce needs to simmer slowly for the flavours to develop, I would avoid using chicken breasts as they would tend to overcook and become dry and stringy. If you prefer to use breast meat, I recommend you allow the stock and vegetables to simmer for 10 minutes before adding the chicken.
- Red bell pepper (capsicum) and onions. These two vegetables form the base of the sauce. The onions should be peeled, and the peppers deseeded and cut into approximately one-inch pieces.
- Garlic. Not too much - this isn't meant to be a very garlicky dish. You can leave it out if you prefer.
- Tomatoes. These add extra depth to the stock. They should be cut into small pieces. There's no need to peel them first.
- Tomato puree (or tomato paste). This is highly concentrated tomatoes, and adds a little extra tomato goodness.
- Sweet paprika. Chicken paprikash is normally made with sweet paprika. You could use smoked paprika instead.
- Stock. This is chicken stock. If you have fresh stock or a carton of shop-bought stock, you can use this. Otherwise, make the stock using a stock cube.
- Yoghurt and cream. You will need half a cup of mixed yoghurt and the same of double or heavy cream. If you want to be more traditional, use one cup of sour cream instead.
- Salt. This is optional - you should taste the sauce once it has cooked and only add salt if necessary. I normally sprinkle the chicken pieces with a little salt before frying them, and this, coupled with the paprika, is usually sufficient seasoning.
Ingredients - Leftover paprika chicken pie
- Leftover chicken. This is leftover chicken from the paprikash. You should remove the bones and skin and shred the chicken. For a pie large enough for 4 people you will need around 2 cups of shredded chicken. If you only have leftover sauce, don't waste it. Simply poach a couple of chicken breasts (instructions below - see How to poach chicken), shred them and use those instead.
- Leftover paprika sauce. This is the leftover sauce from the paprikash. Once again, you will need around 2 cups of sauce.
- Leeks. The leek should be cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into semi-circles.
- Mushrooms. Use your favourite mushrooms. They should be thickly sliced.
- Butter. This is used to sauté the leeks and mushrooms. If possible, use butter instead of oil as the butter will be added to the dish; oil may make the dish greasy.
- Cornflour (or cornstarch) and milk. The amount of milk you need will depend on how much sauce you have leftover. The milk helps thin out the sauce, which may have thickened on standing. The cornflour is used to thicken the pie filling.
- Puff pastry. I used shop-bought puff pastry. If you prefer to make your own shortcrust pastry to top the pie, this will be perfectly fine. You don't need pastry on the top and bottom, only enough to form a lid on top.
- Egg. The pastry will be brushed with lightly beaten egg so that it browns nicely.
Instructions - Hungarian chicken paprikash
Step 1: Heat the oil in a heavy casserole dish. Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper and fry over medium to high heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side until well browned. Remove the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
Step 2: Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped onions and bell peppers to the pan. Add an extra tablespoon of oil if necessary. Saute them until soft and translucent - 6 to 7 minutes. Stir often so the onions do not burn. Add the minced garlic for the last minute.
Step 3: Remove the pan from the heat (to avoid burning the paprika). Stir in the paprika until the onions and peppers are well-coated.
Step 4: Stir in the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and return the pan to the heat. Stir (still on medium heat) for 2 to 3 minutes to give the tomatoes time to soften.
Step 5: Place the browned chicken pieces back in the pan and pour in the stock until it partially covers the chicken.
Step 6: Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature of fully cooked chicken should register 74°C / 165°F. Remove the chicken pieces to a plate.
Step 7: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream and yoghurt. Return the chicken pieces to the sauce and warm gently for 3 to 4 minutes until well heated through.
The cream and yoghurt should thicken the sauce naturally. If the sauce is too thin for your liking, you can thicken it by stirring in a slurry of 2 teaspoons of cornflour and 2 tablespoons of water over low heat.
Transfer the chicken and sauce to a serving dish. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
Instructions - Leftover paprika chicken pie
Step 1 - Pie: Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the leeks and saute them on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they start to soften.
Step 2 - Pie: Add the mushrooms and stir for 2 to 3 minutes longer until they release their moisture.
Step 3 - Pie: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cornflour, taking care to remove any lumps. Then pour in the milk and stir over medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens.
Step 4 - Pie: Stir in the paprika sauce and the shredded chicken. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
Step 5 - Pie: Pour the cooled mixture into a 7 x 10-inch pie dish.
Step 6 - Pie: Unroll the puff pastry and use it to form a lid on top of the pie. Press the edges of the pastry to the edges of a dish with a fork. Prick holes on top of the pastry to allow the steam to escape and brush the pastry with lightly beaten egg.
Step 7 - Pie: Bake the pie in a preheated oven (200C / 400F) for 25 to 30 minutes until puffed and golden.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure both these recipes turn out perfectly:
Chicken paprikash
- Use chicken on the bone. The dark meat cuts (thighs and drumsticks) are normally used in this dish as they stay juicy and give the sauce more depth. Using bone-in pieces is also considered more traditional than using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you do use breasts, reduce the cooking time to 25 to 30 minutes so the breasts don't dry out.
- Use sweet Hungarian paprika for a more authentic taste. Smoked paprika will still be delicious, but not quite as traditional.
- Remove the pan from the heat before stirring in the paprika to avoid burning, which would give a bitter taste.
- Don't rush softening the onions and peppers. Soft sweet onions and peppers are the base of a good sauce.
- Remove the pan from the heat before adding the paprika. Paprika can become bitter if it scorches, and removing the pan from the heat before stirring in the paprika helps prevent this.
- Add the cream and yoghurt off the heat to avoid curdling. You could also temper the cream and yoghurt by adding a few tablespoons of hot stock to the yoghurt mixture before pouring it into the sauce.
Leftover paprika chicken pie
- Saute the leeks slowly so they retain their sweetness. Don't allow them to brown or they may taste bitter.
- Allow the filling to cool before attempting to cover it with pastry. If you put pastry onto hot filling, the fat in the pastry will melt, and the pastry will not crisp as it bakes.
Serving suggestions
This is how I like to serve these recipes:
Serve the chicken paprikash with plenty of sauce, spooned over buttered noodles (or mashed potatoes). Add freshly steamed vegetables to your own taste.
Serve the leftover paprika chicken pie with a quick side dish of steamed beans and carrots. There's plenty of gravy in the pie, which is one less thing to worry about!
How to poach chicken
Follow these easy instructions if you would like to poach chicken breasts for the pie:
- Place 2 chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover them with cold water (or chicken stock).
- Season with salt and optionally add about 6 black peppercorns. For more flavour you could add a washed carrot (no need to peel it), a small peeled onion and a stalk of celery.
- Cover the pan with a lid and bring it to a boil.
- As soon as it's boiling rapidly, turn off the heat and let the chicken stand in the water until it's cool enough to handle.
- The residual heat will cook the chicken, and you can shred it and use it in the pie.
- Note - if the chicken is still slightly pink, it doesn't matter. It will finish cooking once the pie goes into the oven.
Equipment
For the chicken paprikash
- A heavy casserole dish or Dutch oven. You will need a casserole dish with a lid to cover the chicken paprikas as it simmers.
- Sharp knife - for cutting up the vegetables.
- Chopping board - to protect your work surface.
For the leftover paprika chicken pie
- A saucepan large enough to hold all the pie filling.
- 7 x 10" oblong pie dish. The shape doesn't really matter so long as you can fit all the filling into it.
Storage
Chicken paprikash
- Store leftover chicken and sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove.
- Leftover shredded chicken and leftover sauce can be frozen separately in suitable containers for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost in the refrigerator before using. The defrosted leftovers can be used to make the leftover paprika chicken pie, or combined and heated in a saucepan, and served either over pasta or mashed potatoes for a quick and easy meal.
Leftover paprika chicken pie
- In the interests of food safety (because this pie is made with leftover meat), I wouldn't refrigerate the pie for longer than overnight. Any leftovers will be fine for lunch the next day, but should be discarded after that.
- If you intend to freeze the pie, it can be frozen either before or after baking. Wrap the pie (in the baking dish) in a layer of aluminium foil and then in a double layer of plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month.
- To cook the frozen pie - bake it from frozen at 180C/360F for 40 minutes, or until golden. You could also allow the unbaked pie to defrost in the refrigerator and bake it at 200C/400F for 30 minutes.
- To reheat a pre-cooked pie - allow it to defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat it in a hot oven (200C/400F) for 10 to 12 minutes until heated all the way through.
- Because we've used leftover chicken to make this pie I wouldn't refreeze it once it's been defrosted.
FAQ
Paprika is a spice central to Hungarian cuisine and is made by drying a particular type of sweet pepper (normally the Capsicum annuum variety) and then grinding it to a fine, rich red powder. The specific type of peppers used and the drying process can influence the flavour and heat level of the paprika.
For sweet paprika, the peppers are dried naturally, and this helps to retain the sweetness of the pepper. For smoked paprika, the peppers are dried over oak fires before being ground, which adds the smoky flavour. Smoked paprika normally has more heat than sweet paprika.
Save for later
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Related recipes
Visit my chicken and poultry recipes page for other tasty ways to serve chicken. Here are a few you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Hungarian chicken Paprikash and a leftover pie
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Heavy casserole or Dutch oven with a lid
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
- Saucepan for cooking the pie filling
- 7 x 10" pie dish for baking the pie
Ingredients
Chicken paprikash
- 4 chicken legs Maryland style (ie thigh and drumstick attached)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil for browning
- 1 large onion peeled and finely diced
- 1 large red bell pepper (capsicum) deseeded and diced
- 1 large tomato diced
- 2 - 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree (tomato paste)
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon sweet paprika
- ½ cup Greek or natural yoghurt
- ½ cup double or heavy cream
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley finely chopped for serving
Leftover chicken paprika pie
- 2 cups leftover shredded chicken
- 2 cups leftover paprika sauce
- 1 cup slice mushrooms
- 1 cup sliced leeks
- 1 tablespoon cornflour or cornstarch for thickening
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ounce / 30 grams butter for softening the leeks and mushrooms
- 1 roll shop-bought puff pastry you may not need it all
- 1 small egg lightly beaten for egg wash
Instructions
Chicken paprikash
- Heat the oil in a heavy casserole dish. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper and fry it over medium to high hea for 4 to 5 minutes per side until well browned. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.4 chicken legs, Salt and black pepper to taste, 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped onions and bell peppers to the pan. Add an extra tablespoon of oil if necessary. Saute them until soft and translucent - 6 to 7 minutes. Stir often so the onions do not burn. Add the minced garlic for the last minute.1 large onion, 2 - 3 cloves garlic, 1 large red bell pepper (capsicum)
- Remove the pan from the heat (to avoid burning the paprika). Stir in the paprika until the onions and peppers are well-coated.2 tablespoon sweet paprika
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and return the pan to the heat. Stir (still on medium heat) for 2 to 3 minutes to give the tomatoes time to soften.1 large tomato, 2 tablespoons tomato puree (tomato paste)
- Place the browned chicken pieces back in the pan and pour in the stock until it partially covers the chicken.1½ cups chicken stock
- Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature of fully cooked chicken should register 74°C / 165°F. Remove the chicken pieces to a plate.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream and yoghurt.½ cup Greek or natural yoghurt, ½ cup double or heavy cream
- Return the chicken pieces to the sauce and warm gently for 3 to 4 minutes until well heated through.
- Transfer the chicken and sauce to a serving dish. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.1 small bunch fresh parsley
- Serve with egg noodles, spaetzle or nokedli, or mashed potatoes.
Leftover paprika chicken pie
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the leeks and saute them on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they start to soften.1 ounce / 30 grams butter, 1 cup sliced leeks
- Add the mushrooms and stir for 2 to 3 minutes longer until they release their moisture.1 cup slice mushrooms
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cornflour, taking care to remove any lumps. Then pour in the milk and stir over medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens.1 tablespoon cornflour or cornstarch, 1 cup milk
- Stir in the paprika sauce and the shredded chicken. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.2 cups leftover paprika sauce, 2 cups leftover shredded chicken
- Pour the cooled mixture into a 7 x 10-inch pie dish.
- Unroll the puff pastry and use it to form a lid on top of the pie. Press the edges of the pastry to the edges of a dish with a fork. Prick holes on top of the pastry to allow the steam to escape and brush the pastry with lightly beaten egg.1 roll shop-bought puff pastry, 1 small egg
- Bake the pie in a preheated oven (200C / 400F) for 25 to 30 minutes until puffed and golden.
Notes
- The prep and cooking time shown at the top of the recipe are for the chicken paprikash only.
- If you would like to make the pie, the prep time is 10 minutes and the cooking time 35 minutes. You will also need to allow 15 minutes for the filling to cool before adding the pastry.
- Nutrition has been calculated for the chicken paprikash only.
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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