How to Make the Most Amazing Chicken Paprikash Soup in 30-Minutes!
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Soup is the perfect comfort food meal. Made with shredded chicken, sour cream, and filled with dumplings (spaetzle), it’s hard to resist this recipe combination. And, because it can be made in just 30 minutes, it’s an easy weeknight meal idea.
Chicken Paprikash Soup is one of the main reasons I always keep cooked, shredded chicken in my freezer.
Brimming with dumplings (spaetzle) and chock full of chicken and spices, you can have this recipe on the table in under 30 minutes.
Pair it with a loaf of crusty french bread, and you’ll have the ultimate comfort food meal ready for your family in no time.
This post will show you how to make the absolute best, easiest ever Chicken Paprikash Soup!
What You’ll Need to Make Easy Chicken Paprikash Soup
- 4 cups shredded chicken
- 2 – 32-ounce cartons of chicken broth
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons seasoning salt (such as Lawry’s)
- 2 cups sour cream
- 16-ounce package of pre-cooked spaetzles
- Salt and pepper to taste
You can purchase pre-cooked spaetzles at your grocery store (they are usually found in the refrigerator section near the pre-cooked mashed potatoes and refrigerator hashbrowns).
In the event that you REALLY want a bowl of Chicken Paprikash Soup NOW (it happens!) and do not feel up to running out to the store to buy spaetzles, this recipe from Taste of Home is super easy and only takes about 15 minutes.
I do not own a spaetzle maker, so I just use my potato ricer when I make homemade spaetzle.
(BTW, if you love homemade mashed potatoes and do not own a potato ricer, you seriously need to consider purchasing on now! Not only is it quicker and easier than dragging out your beaters or potato masher, but this little gadget creates the smoothest, silkiest mashed potatoes you will ever make. )
How to Make Chicken Paprikash Soup
Step One
Begin by melting your butter in a dutch oven or other large (at least 3 quarts) pot over medium heat.
Step Two
Toss in the diced onions and allow to cook until soft and translucent. Add in the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Step Three
Next, stir in the paprika, seasoning salt, and flour, coating the onions and garlic, and allow to cook for about 1 minute.
Step Four
Next, pour in the chicken broth and stir until the flour and paprika are absorbed by the broth. Add in the shredded chicken and allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes.
Step Five
After the soup has simmered for 15 minutes, add the spaetzle to the pot. Allow the paprikash soup to simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the spaetzle is heated.
Step Six
Once the spaetzle is heated, remove the pot from the burner and quickly stir in the sour cream until dissolved.
If you are using light sour cream, you will see a few white spots in your soup, where the sour cream did not completely dissolve. I’m sure there’s some science behind this, but the soup still tastes AMAZING and it saves a few calories.
Other Quick & Easy Meals You Will Love
- The Secret to Meals in Minutes – Freezer Friendly Shredded Chicken
- The Most Addicting Chicken Pasta Salad Ever!
- 20 Minute Comforting Salisbury Steak
- No-Fail 30 Minute Chicken Parmesan
- 20 Minute Delicious BLT Pizza
- Quick & Easy Chicken Pesto Pasta Dinner
- Easy Dinner Idea – Slow Cooker Mexican Pork Carnitas
Quick and Easy Chicken Paprikash Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups opens in a new tab">shredded chicken
- 2 – 32-ounce cartons of chicken broth
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup finely opens in a new tab">diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons seasoning salt such as Lawry’s
- 2 cups sour cream
- 16- ounce package of pre-cooked spaetzles
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Step One
- Begin by melting your butter in a dutch oven or other large (at least 3 quarts) pot over medium heat.
Step Two
- Toss in the diced onions and allow to cook until soft and translucent. Add in the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Step Three
- Next, stir in the paprika, seasoning salt, and flour, coating the onions and garlic, and allow to cook for about 1 minute.
Step Four
- Next, pour in the chicken broth and stir until the flour and paprika are absorbed by the broth. Add in the shredded chicken and allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes.
Step Five
- After the soup has simmered for 15 minutes, add the spaetzle to the pot. Allow the paprikash soup to simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the spaetzle is heated.
Step Six
- Once the spaetzle is heated, remove the pot from the burner and quickly stir in the sour cream until dissolved.
- If you are using light sour cream, you will see a few white spots in your soup, where the sour cream did not completely dissolve. I’m sure there’s some science behind this, but the soup still tastes AMAZING and it saves a few calories.
Can you make this a day before serving
Yes, I do this all the time and I think it’s even more flavorful!
Is the 16 oz. spaetzles called for dry spaetzles or the pre-cooked? I cannot find pre-cooked here so I am planning on buying 16 oz. of dry and want to make sure this will work.
Hi Larry, the recipe calls for pre-cooked spaetzle. I’ve never used dry spaetzles before, so I’m uncertain of exactly how much you’ll need to make. I’d try to end up with 2 1/2 – 3 cups of cooked spaetzles in the soup – although you can always add more or less depending upon your preference.
I pre-cook my own then add it to the finished product before the sour cream.
This is soooo good!! Made it for dinner tonight and got amazing feedback from my family. I made my own Spaetzle but I’m sure it would be just as good with the pre cooked stuff.
This was very good! I used chicken breast from rotisserie chicken. Very easy and satisfied my daughters homemade paprikash craving in a pinch. Keeper!
Morning! Have a question on the paprika – Sweet, Smoked, Hungarian or Hot Hungarian?
Normally I would just wing it, but with a 1/4 cup it’s going to be fairly pronounced.
I prefer to use smoked paprika but have also used sweet paprika in this recipe with good results.
Loved the soup! Was wondering if you can freeze leftovers?