Chicken Paprikash Soup Recipe
This chicken paprikash soup recipe is bright, spicy, creamy, and makes a fantastic lunch or dinner the whole family will love! Made with tender chicken and vegetables slow simmered in a flavorful creamy broth spiced with Hungarian paprika.
Serve with egg noodles, this tasty soup is a modern variation of traditional Hungarian chicken paprikash – with a twist! Cook a big pot on the weekend, and enjoy this delicious soup as a lunch or dinner (served with our favorite chopped salad) throughout the week.
We love updated versions of classic recipes, and this tasty chicken paprikash soup was SO good we are adding it into our monthly meal rotation! It’s bright, fresh, spicy, and so comforting – perfect for cold days, or just to enjoy any time of year.
This soup has chicken, egg noodles, and fresh vegetables in each bite! And the creamy both is so flavorful from the sweet and spicy Hungarian paprika. It makes a great appetizer, or even could be a full meal served with a slice of homemade sourdough bread and a tasty modern chopped salad.
This Chicken Paprikash Soup Recipe Is
- Creamy
- Spicy
- Flavorful
- Loaded with Vegetables
- Easy to Make-Ahead
- Versatile
- Great to Meal Prep
A Great Modern Adaptation of a Classic Hungarian Recipe
Traditional chicken paprikash (or paprikás csirke) is made with chicken and sweet Hungarian paprika. Baked in a Dutch oven (or a large soup pot) with vegetables and a creamy paprika sauce, this tasty chicken paprikash recipe is made with simple ingredients and a fresh twist.
While this is a new twist on authentic chicken paprikash, it has many of the same main ingredients as the classic popular Hungarian dish. I start this hearty soup by browning the chicken and coating it in hot paprika.
It makes a great main course for lunch or dinner! It’s a fun take on a traditional Hungarian dish, like a tasty chicken noodle soup with a big kick from the spice. This paprika chicken soup is a a flavorful dish the whole family will love.
Ingredients for this Chicken Paprika Soup Recipe
- Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, but you could also use skinless chicken breasts if desired. Light meat or dark meat, either is delicious in this easy recipe.
- Hungarian Paprika – this spice is the star of this dish. Hungarian paprika is a bit sweeter and spicier than normal paprika, making it a great flavorful choice for this soup.
- Egg Noodles – while classic chicken paprikash is served over egg noodles, I added them directly into the soup for a fun twist. You can use any small or medium shaped pasta you prefer, but I like using egg noodles to keep it more classic, and the texture is great.
- Veggies – I chopped onions, carrots, celery, and cremini mushrooms in my soup to make it hearty and add great flavor.
- Diced tomatoes – I used diced tomatoes with the juice in this broth. You can use crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, or even tomato paste instead.
- Chicken Stock or chicken broth – or substitute vegetable stock instead of desired.
- Heavy cream – makes the broth flavorful and so savory.
- Fresh herbs – some fresh parsley gives this dish a great finish.
How To Make Paprikash Chicken Soup
- Cook egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside. If noodles stick together, toss them with a bit of olive oil.
- Prep your chicken – trim off any fat, and dice into bite-sized pieces.
- In a Dutch oven or other large heavy-bottomed soup pot, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and the chopped chicken thighs. Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes to brown the outside of the chicken, the reduce heat to medium and cook chicken for an additional 5 minutes.
- To the pot, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the chopped onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add the sliced mushrooms, and stir in the Hungarian paprika.
- Add the diced tomatoes and chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook covered for 30 minutes over low heat, or until vegetables are cooked through.
- Add in the heavy cream and parsley, and stir well. Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. Add the cooked noodles back into the pot, and stir well.
- Before serving, squeeze fresh lemons over the soup, and enjoy. Store leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Substitutions or Add-Ins
Instead of heavy cream you can sub light cream, whole milk, or even coconut milk for a non-dairy version. You could even finish the dish with a dollop of sour cream.
Add bell peppers for a sweet kick – red peppers, or even chopped green pepper would be delicious.
Instead of egg noodles you could serve this with a tasty spaetzle recipe – talk about amazing Hungarian comfort food!
If you wanted to use cooked chicken, you can use a rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken you’ve cooked from a previous meal. Or break down a whole chicken, and add the meat to the soup.
More Modern Soup Recipes You’ll Love
Share This Easy Hungarian Paprika Soup with Chicken
After you make this easy Hungarian soup recipe – please be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag Modern Bites on Instagram. I absolutely love browsing through all your photos of my recipes!
Let’s keep in touch – make sure to sign up for my newsletter to get fresh recipes weekly. And don’t forget to follow over on Facebook, Instagram, & Tik Tok– I’d love to connect with you there!
Chicken Paprikash Soup
Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 12 ounces egg noodles
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs I used boneless and skinless
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onions chopped
- 3 carrots sliced
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parsley
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- Lemon Juice for serving
Instructions
- Cook egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside. If noodles stick together, toss them with a bit of olive oil.
- Prep your chicken – trim off any fat, and dice into bite-sized pieces.
- In a Dutch oven or other large heavy-bottomed soup pot, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and the chopped chicken thighs. Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes to brown the outside of the chicken, the reduce heat to medium and cook chicken for an additional 5 minutes.
- To the pot, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the chopped onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add the sliced mushrooms, and stir in the Hungarian paprika.
- Add the diced tomatoes and chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook covered for 30 minutes over low heat, or until vegetables are cooked through.
- Add in the heavy cream and parsley, and stir well. Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. Add the cooked noodles back into the pot, and stir well.
- Before serving, squeeze fresh lemons over the soup, and enjoy. Store leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
A delicious flavorful combination