Paprika Hendl

Name: Paprika Hendl
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 Chicken, whole or parts; 2 1/2 Onions; 1/2 cups Sour Cream; 2 1/2 tbsp Sweet Paprika

Paprika Hendl is a comforting, rustic chicken dish simmered slowly with onions and finished with creamy sour cream and plenty of sweet paprika for a warm, smoky flavor. It's simple to make yet richly satisfying — perfect served with mashed potatoes, dumplings, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce. The combination of tender poultry and velvety sauce makes this a household favorite.

Paprika Hendl is a comforting, rustic chicken dish simmered slowly with onions and finished with creamy sour cream and plenty of s... Show more

By Tasting History with Max Miller · Original recipe

Health Grade

A+ · Excellent

Time

1 hr

Price

1,16 €

Calories

675 kcal

healthy

few ingredients

gluten free

high protein

Method

Cut the chicken

If you're starting with a whole chicken, cut it into 8 serving pieces: split it in half through the backbone, then separate the legs, thighs, wings, and breasts. If you're using chicken parts, just pat them dry well with paper towels so they brown properly.

Slice the onions

Peel the onions, trim the ends, cut them in half from root to tip, and slice them thinly. Try to keep the slices fairly even so they soften at the same rate and melt smoothly into the sauce.

Brown the chicken

Set a heavy lidded pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Lay the chicken pieces in skin-side down in the dry pot and let them cook until the skin is deep golden and some fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes; turn and brown the second side for 6 to 8 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving the fat behind in the pot.

Build the sauce

Add the sliced onions to the pot and cook in the chicken fat, stirring often, until they are very soft and lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Take the pot off the heat, stir in the sweet paprika, and mix for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. If the pot looks dry, splash in a little water immediately so the paprika stays vivid and doesn't scorch.

Simmer until tender

Return the chicken and any juices on the plate to the pot. Pour in enough water to come about halfway up the pieces, bring it to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and the sauce has taken on a rich red color. Turn the pieces once or twice during cooking so everything cooks evenly.

Stir in sour cream

Scoop the sour cream into a bowl and whisk in a few spoonfuls of the hot sauce until smooth and loose. Lower the heat under the pot, then stir the warmed sour cream mixture back into the sauce until fully combined and creamy. Let it heat through gently for 1 to 2 minutes, but do not let it boil or the sauce can split.

Serve the hendl

Taste the sauce and, if needed, let it simmer uncovered for a minute or two to thicken slightly before serving. Spoon the chicken onto plates or into a shallow serving dish and ladle plenty of the paprika-onion sauce over the top.