This Paprika Chicken Soup: Remake and customize the popular Hungarian dish with the comfort of home with fresh, lighter ingredient choices. This chicken paprika soup is a satisfying weeknight dinner with its robust flavors and vibrant colors.
I recommend this recipe because you can easily modify the soup's spiciness to suit your family's taste preferences.
Whether you have leftover rotisserie chicken or prefer boneless chicken thighs, this Hungarian-inspired recipe is highly flexible(similar to this Chinese-inspired Hibachi soup).
Quick and easy to whip up, this Paprika chicken soup is the perfect solution for a delicious dinner on busy evenings, especially during cold weather.
Why You'll Love This Recipe?
⭐️Effortless Dinner
⭐️Adjust the Heat
⭐️Simple Ingredients
About This Recipe?
Chicken Paprikash Soup is a classic comfort food from Hungarian cuisine. It's known for its rich, smoky flavor, from paprika, a popular spice in Hungary.
You can easily make the traditional Hungarian dish, Paprika Soup, at home without any extra trips to the grocery store. Our chicken paprika soup is a simple, flavorful recipe that brings the taste of Hungary to your kitchen using common ingredients.
The Ingredients
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: Swap with boneless chicken thighs or leftover rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Olive Oil: You can choose canola or vegetable oil as alternatives.
- Onion: In this paprika chicken soup recipe, yellow onions give a hint of sweetness; however, red onions work great, too.
- Garlic: I have used freshly minced garlic; you may also use garlic powder.
- Paprika is the main ingredient that provides the best flavor to the soup.
- Herbs: I have used dried thyme; feel free to swap it with fresh or oregano.
- Chicken Broth: Use homemade or store-bought.
- Diced Tomatoes: Canned or fresh tomatoes work equally well.
- Veggies: I have used carrots, sweet potatoes, and red bell peppers. These veggies add color, texture, and nutrients. Feel free to swap in other vegetables like peas or green beans.
How To Make The Paprika Chicken Soup?
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; sauté onion and garlic until softened. Then add chicken breasts and cook until browned on all sides.
- Stir in paprika, thyme, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper, then pour in chicken broth, boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Then, add diced tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot, stir in fresh parsley, cook for five more minutes, and serve hot.
How To Adjust The Heat?
This Paprika Chicken Soup is mildly spicy, as paprika provides a subtle warmth with a mild heat.
Reduce the amount of paprika or use sweet paprika instead for less heat. Stir in heavy cream or yogurt before serving to reduce the heat substantially.
Smoked paprika provides bold flavors. For a spicy twist, sprinkle in cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Brown the Chicken: Take the time to brown the chicken breasts properly. This process adds a rich flavor to the chicken and leaves tasty bits in the pot of paprika chicken soup.
- Sauté Onion Thoroughly: Sauté onions and garlic until translucent to ensure they release their maximum flavor.
- Simmer: Let the soup simmer gently. Rushing this process can affect the tenderness of the chicken and the melding of flavors.
- Fresh Herbs for Garnishing: Adding fresh parsley, green onions, or dill at the end adds a refreshing flavor to this paprika chicken soup.
The Leftovers
Leftover paprika chicken soup can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or reheat in the microwave in 1-minute intervals but stirring in between.
FAQs
Add dumplings, cooked egg noodles, or pasta to the simmering soup for a hearty meal.
Enjoy it with cooked rice/quinoa, bread rolls, potato wedges, or panini.
You can sauté the onion and garlic separately, then transfer them to the slow cooker with the chicken, spices, broth, water, and vegetables. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, shred the chicken, stir in parsley, and cook for 5-10 more minutes.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know your thoughts in the 📝 comments section below the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Paprika Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts boneless & skinless
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup tomatoes diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 1 cup sweet potatoes diced
- 1 cup bell peppers diced
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until softened.
- Add chicken breasts to the pot and cook until browned on all sides.
- Stir in paprika, thyme, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper to coat the chicken evenly.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks.
- Add diced tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers to the pot. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Return shredded chicken to the pot and stir in fresh parsley.
- Cook for 5 more minutes, then serve hot.
Notes
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- To Store: Refrigerate the leftover paprika chicken soup in airtight containers for 3-4 days.
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- To Freeze: For extended storage, freeze the leftover chicken paprika soup in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
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- To Thaw: Thaw the frozen paprika chicken soup overnight in the refrigerator or quickly melt it using the defrost setting on your microwave.
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- To Reheat: Warm the soup over the stovetop on medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally.
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