Notes

This is a classic Hungarian recipe. As with recipes of its type, it’s very resistant to changes. As such, all of the amounts listed are guesses; I usually eyeball everything. My personal favorite way to serve it is to mix up some sweet cornmeal dumplings and drop them in about half an hour before the stew is done.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• 3 stalks of celery
• 3 large carrots
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can crushed roasted tomatoes
• 5 tbsp paprika, divided as you like between hot and smoked
• 1½-2 cartons chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics)
• 8-10 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs with half of the skins removed
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Give the onion, celery, and carrot a rustic chop, and sweat them in butter in the bottom of a large stock pot.
2. Mince the garlic and add it to the pot. Cook about one minute.
3. Add the tomato paste and stir until the contents of the pot are coated.
4. Add the canned tomato and stir, then add the paprika, stirring again.
5. Add the chicken stock, stir, then bring to a boil.
6. Add the chicken and reduce to a simmer.
7. Simmer on low for about 5 hours, or until the chicken falls off the bone.
8. Allow to cool until edible. Serve hot.