Life at Gray Gables: Recipe of the Day: Hungarian Chicken Paprikas & Dumplings

Monday, September 28, 2015

Recipe of the Day: Hungarian Chicken Paprikas & Dumplings

This is my Grandmothers version of Hungarian Chicken Paprikash. If there is food served in Heaven, I am sure this is on the menu! My Grandmother was the best cook ever. She would have this hardy dish ready and we could hardly wait! Now I serve it to my Grandchildren, and they love it as well! Down home pure comfort food.:

Hungarian Chicken Paprikas & Dumplings

Ingredients

3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Vadalia Onion, Chopped
1 Whole cut up Chicken, skin in tact
2 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
3 Chicken Bullion Cubes (1 per cup of water added)

Add later to broth:
1 pt Sour Cream
1/2 Pt Water
4 Tbsp Flour
3 Tsp Seasoning Salt

For Dumplings:
4 Eggs
3 Cup Water
6 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Salt

Directions

In a large pot place the oil and chopped onion. Cook over medium/high heat until translucent.(you don't want them brown, just tender)
Take off heat.
Add the Paprika. Mix it well.
Put chicken parts in the pot and brown slightly with the onion/paprika mixture.(do it in batches if you have to and add additional oil in small amounts if needed)

NOTE: I buy a whole chicken and cut it up myself. Make sure the chicken pieces you use are whole with the skin in tact. It adds to the flavor.

Add water to almost cover chicken. Bring to a boil, and add chicken bullion cubes ( a good rule is 1 cube for every one cup of water...just eyeball it. Also add the Seasoning Salt.
Cover and simmer for 25 minutes with a regular pot, or about 15-20 minutes with a pressure cooker.
While the chicken is simmering,Mix the sour cream,water and flour together with a hand mixer or a Kitchen-aid mixer. Whip it very smooth and set aside.
When the chicken is done,remove the chicken pieces to a colander to cool.
Slowly add the sour cream mixture a little bit at a time to the broth, stirring constantly to incorporate into the broth.

OPTIONAL: You can de-bone the chicken, or leave the pieces in tack. I spoil everyone and skin and de-bone it and add it back to the sauce.

FOR THE DUMPLINGS:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
In a mixer combine eggs,water and flour and salt. Mix together to form a soupy dough.
When water is boiling, scrape the dough into the water a spoonful at a time. This is easier if you dip the spoon onto the boiling water,so the dough will not stick to the spoon.
After you scrape the dough into the boiling water, they should cook for about 7 minutes. When they rise to the surface, they are done.
Drain and rinse. It makes alot of dumplings! But that is ok, they will be gone in no time!
Serve up a big helping of dumplings, and pour sauce over them. Serve with the whole chicken pieces, or if you de-bone it, it will be placed in the sauce.