Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash (Hungarian Comfort Food Made Easy)

If you're craving a hearty, comforting chicken dish with a rich, paprika-kissed sauce, this Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash is it. The chicken turns tender and juicy, soaking up all those sweet, smoky, and slightly tangy flavors that Hungarian cooking is known for.

Chicken Paprikash isn't just another recipe in my kitchen-it's one I've been cooking for decades, and it's still one of the first meals my grown kids ask for when they come home. I learned to make the traditional stovetop version from my mom as a teenager, and over the years, it's become a family favorite.

I've cooked it countless times on the stovetop, but adapting it to the Pressure Cooker has made it faster, easier, and perfect for our RV lifestyle-without losing any of the rich, comforting flavor.

I LOVE my Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Pressure Cooker Combo. It's seriously one of my favorite kitchen tools, especially for RV living. When you're cooking in a small space, having one appliance that can do it all-pressure cook, air fry, steam, bake, broil, and more-is a total game changer. It saves space, cuts down on clutter, and allows me to create just about anything without hauling out a bunch of gear.

What is Hungarian Chicken Paprikash? 

Chicken Paprikash, also known as "Paprikás Csirke" in Hungarian, is a traditional Hungarian dish that is known for its rich, creamy, and flavorful sauce. It features tender pieces of chicken cooked with onions, garlic, and plenty of paprika, which gives the dish its distinct red hue and smoky undertones. The dish is often served with a side of egg noodles or rice to soak up the scrumptious sauce.

Why You'll Love This Easy Chicken Paprikash Recipe

• Quick and convenient - The Instant Pot gets dinner on the table in under an hour, perfect for busy weeknights or long travel days.

• Easy cleanup - One pot means fewer dishes to wash, which is always a win in an RV kitchen. Less mess and no babysitting the stove.

• Intensified flavor - Pressure cooking locks in the spices and aromatics, giving you a rich, velvety sauce that tastes like it simmered all day.

• Scales down easily - make the full family batch or the version for two if you're cooking in your RV.

Let's Gather Up the Ingredients

• Chicken- Whole Chicken cut into 10 pieces. You'll end up with four breast pieces, two thighs, two wings, and two legs. Set aside the back and neck to use later for homemade stock.

• Onions and Garlic- the base for that savory depth.

• Butter- One stick of butter. Yep, the whole thing!

• Sour Cream- Use full-fat sour cream for a richer flavor. This is not diet food, and we ARE using an entire stick of butter after all.

• Paprika- I use a combination of Hungarian Sweet Paprika and Smoked Paprika. Choose a good quality brand because this is the most important ingredient.

• Salt- Kosher salt

• Pepper- Fresh cracked black pepper

• Garlic Powder

• Corn starch- To make a slurry that will thicken the sauce

How to Make Chicken Paprikash with Sour Cream

Sauté the onions and garlic

Cut both ends off a large onion. Cut it in half vertically, peel it, and then slice it into half moons. Smash the garlic cloves, and then mince.

Set the Pressure Cooker to the sauté function and adjust to medium-high heat. Add the stick of butter to the insert. Once melted, add the onions and garlic and saute using a wooden spoon until the onions have softened and are slightly translucent.

Layer and season the Chicken

In a small bowl, combine the sweet paprika, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place half of the chicken pieces over the sautéed onions and sprinkle with half the seasoning. Add the remaining chicken on top and finish with the remaining spice mix.

Pour in one cup of water or chicken broth. Secure the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 20 minutes. When the timer is up, allow a 10-minute natural release, then quick-release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove the lid and transfer the chicken pieces to a serving platter.

Make the paprika sauce

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with a little cold water until smooth. Switch the Instant Pot back to Sauté (high) and bring the sauce to a boil. Slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry, whisking constantly, and cook for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens.

Turn the pressure cooker to low heat and stir in the sour cream. Keep the sauce below a boil to prevent curdling. Mix until smooth, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Back to the pot

Transfer the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pot and nestle it into the sauce. Simmer for about ten minutes or until the chicken is heated through.  

How to Serve 

Growing up, we always ate this dish served over white rice, but you could also serve it over spaetzle, egg noodles, or even mashed potatoes. Add a vibrant green vegetable like this roasted broccoli, and you are all set! 

Substitutions

This Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash is all about simplicity-no specialty ingredients or complicated swaps required. It's true comfort food, and the best thing you can do is keep it straightforward.

That said, you can easily adjust it to fit your family's tastes. Instead of using a whole chicken, go with the bone-in pieces you like best. I lean toward dark meat for the flavor, while my husband prefers white meat, so cooking a whole chicken keeps everyone happy.

Want a little extra kick? Try replacing the smoked paprika with hot paprika for more heat.

Tips for Success

• Trim the chicken - Remove any excess skin before cooking.

• Stick with bone-in pieces - The bones create a richer flavor, almost like making stock as the chicken cooks. Boneless just can't compare.

• Use Argo Corn Starch - It blends smoothly and helps you avoid lumps in the sauce.

• Go full-fat - Sour cream adds creaminess, but don't let the sauce boil after adding it, or it may curdle. Keep it at a gentle simmer. If it gets too thick, thin with a splash of cream or water.

• Protect your pot - Always use a wooden or silicone spoon so you don't scratch the insert.

• Any pressure cooker works - Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or your favorite brand-just follow the directions for your specific model. I personally use a Ninja Foodi.

Cooking for Two

Now that it's usually just the two of us, I often scale this recipe down. Instead of cooking a whole chicken, I'll pull out just the pieces we like best (breasts for my husband, legs and thighs for me) from the chicken I've already broken down and frozen in sections.

It makes weeknight dinners simple, budget-friendly, and efficient. The flavors are every bit as rich and comforting, just in a smaller portion that's perfect for two people.

You will find the scaled-down version in the recipe card below.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Delicious Ways to Use Your Pressure Cooker

There's a reason my family asks for this dish again and again.

Chicken Paprikash is proof that great food doesn't require complicated steps or hard-to-find ingredients. With a little adaptation, it works just as well in an RV kitchen as it does at home.