Chicken Goulash (Chicken Paprikash)
Oh no, one of those recipes that has someone's grandmother's entire life story before it!
This dish mystifies my Floridian in-laws, but is a deep comfort to the Australian side of the family in the depths of a July winter. It is a hug in a bowl, courtesy of my maternal grandparents who (much like Bruni and Joszef) were German and Hungarian immigrants and children of the Second World War.
While here in the Southern Hemisphere, we're starting to put away our soup and slow cooker recipes, those in the Northern half of the world might find this appropriate for the upcoming "soup season". Very slow cooker friendly!
Note: This recipe has been transferred from an oral recipe. It may require some intuitive cooking skills ;)
Featured in From the Stovetop Issue 4: Motherlands
Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins | Total time: 1 hour 5 mins | Serves: 6
Ingredients:
Chicken and sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole chicken OR 1.5kg (3lb) Chicken chops (covered with water) OR1kg (2lb) Chicken breast fillets (covered with water)
1 large onion, diced
Olive oil (as needed)
1 tbsp paprika
400g (14oz) diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)
1 small green capsicum (bell pepper), diced
8-10 chicken stock cubes
2 cups water
250ml (8oz) light sour cream
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
Spatzle
2 eggs
Flour
Water
Method:
Chicken and sauce
If using a whole chicken, chop up. Breast and pieces can stay as is; ensure they are covered in water.
In a large pot over medium heat, drizzle a tbsp of oil.
Add onions until browned, then turn off and add paprika.
Remove all chicken from the water and add to the pot.
Turn the heat back on to low and seal the chicken.
Once sealed, add tomatoes, capsicum stock cubes and water to the pot.
Bring up to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes. If using a slow cooker, transfer the contents of the pot to your slow cooker and cook for 8-10 hours on low or 6-8 hours on high.
Remove chicken.
Turn off the heat to your pot (slow cooker can stay on) and mix the flour in a bowl with a bit of water until thick, then add to the pot or slow cooker.
If you’d like the sauce smooth, combine everything with an immersion (burr) blender.
For those cooking in a pot, turn the heat back up to the boil to thicken.
Add sour cream to the pot.
If using chicken breasts, quarter them, then return them to the pot or slow cooker. All other chicken can go back in the pot or slow cooker as is.
Turn off the heat and start on the spätzle.
Spatzle
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Beat eggs with water (start with about 1½ cups) and stir in flour; do not use an immersion (burr) blender, as it will overwork the flour.
Add flour until you get a thick consistency that will drop from a spoon. You are making small dumplings from the mixture.
When the water has reached boiling point, begin dropping the mixture in every 1-2 seconds.
Skim the top of the boiling water when any spätzle have floated to the top, and drain.
Serve in a bowl with goulash on top.
