Michael Berkowits’ Kosher Chicken Paprikash – Learn to make kosher Chicken Paprikash. Dairy free and delicious. Serve over homemade nokedli, rice, potatoes or any of your favorite starches.
Last week I visited with my friend, Michael Berkowits, a retired chef and Holocaust survivor living here in Southern California. I first met Michael last year through my friend and fellow food writer Jackie Dodd, who blogs at DomesticFits.com and TheBeeroness.com. At that time, she ran a social work program for local seniors (she has since gone on to write a fabulous cookbook!). Ever since Jackie introduced us, Michael and I have stayed in touch. When we first met, he shared his incredible life story with me, which I wrote about in this post: Michael Berkowits’ Tiramisu. If you haven’t had a chance to read his story yet, please do. Have tissues handy. He is a wonderful person who has been through so much, yet he remains positive and full of life. I feel so blessed to know him.
Michael has been wanting to teach me his recipe for Kosher Chicken Paprikash, so last Wednesday I headed over to his place for a cooking lesson. My assistant Ashley came along for the ride to snap pics. Michael walked us through the process of making the recipe, step-by-step.
Michael became familiar with this dish during his childhood. He grew up in Transylvania (what is now the central part of Romania, and was once part of Hungary). Because of his background, many of his family recipes have a Hungarian influence. Michael’s mother, who sadly was lost in the Holocaust, cooked this dish for him when he was a young boy. After moving to Israel and later America, Michael became a chef. Though he cooks a variety of foods from around the world, the Hungarian-inspired dishes hold a special place in his heart.
This chicken paprikash might be slightly different than the paprikash you’re familiar with. Many Hungarian paprikash recipes contain sour cream, which adds creaminess to the sauce. Because Michael grew up kosher and milk was never mixed with meat, this recipe contains no dairy. The sauce is rich and thick, but not creamy. Nowadays kosher cooks can substitute dairy-free sour cream in a dish like this, but back then soy-based dairy substitutes didn’t exist. If you aren’t worried about keeping it kosher, you can stir in 1/2 cup sour cream (or more to taste) at the end of cooking. That said, I honestly don’t feel like the dish needs it. I didn’t miss the sour cream here at all. This chicken paprikash is totally delicious as-is.
Traditionally the dish is served over what Michael called nokeli – in some regions it is known as nokedli or spätzle. These simple little egg noodle dumplings couldn’t be easier to make. I’ve provided instructions here: Nokedli – Spätzle. If you don’t want to go to the trouble of making the dumplings (or if you’re gluten free), you can easily sub mashed potatoes, rice, or even quinoa. The dish pairs well with a starch, but you could also serve it with a green vegetable or mashed cauliflower to make it low carb. It’s a versatile entree.
After we cooked, we ate together and chatted about Michael’s new hobby. He’s recently started organizing large dinners for the residents of his retirement complex. Everybody pitches in money for the ingredients, then Michael cooks the food. They’ve been doing it twice a month, but the residents are enjoying it so much they’ve asked him to do it every week! Not surprising, Michael’s food is really amazing.
I’ve broken down Michael’s instructions to create the Kosher Chicken Paprikash recipe below. It’s a pretty simple dish to make. This is a hearty but healthy cold weather dish, a super comforting meal. Thanks to Michael for sharing!
To learn to make Nokedli – Spätzle, click here.
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Kosher Chicken Paprikash
Ingredients
Paprikash
- 12 pieces chicken legs and thighs
- 2 teaspoons paprika (Hungarian paprika is best)
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon chicken consomme powder
- 4 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions (peeled and sliced)
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, divided
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Homemade nokedli (spätzle) for serving (see notes)
NOTES
Instructions
- Before he begins, Michael likes to take the skin off of the chicken, so the dish doesn't contain as much fat. You can leave the skin on if you prefer.Sprinkle the chicken pieces generously with paprika, salt and pepper (if using kosher chicken, salt lightly).
- Place the bell peppers, tomatoes, chicken consomme powder and garlic into a blender.
- Blend to form a sauce.
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium. Saute the onion slices in olive oil until tender.
- Once the onions have softened and are starting to caramelize, add the seasoned chicken pieces to the pot. Saute for a few minutes.
- Pour the blended sauce over the top of the chicken pieces. Add water till the sauce just covers the chicken.
- Sprinkle with 3 tbsp of the chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste (I used about 1 1/4 tsp of each), and bring to a boil.Reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover the pot, vented slightly.
- Cook the chicken for about 1 hour or to desired tenderness. The longer it simmers the more tender it becomes.When the chicken is finished cooking, adjust salt and pepper seasoning to taste. Mix together 2 tbsp cornstarch with 3 tbsp of cold water. Gently stir the corn starch mixture into the chicken sauce and simmer for a minute or two to thicken.
- Serve chicken and sauce over warm nokedli - spätzle or the starch of your choice. Mashed potatoes, egg noodles and rice will also work well. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp chopped parsley to garnish (optional).
Stephen says
Made this tonight for dinner (my family is from Budapest so I’m always up for Hungarian food). It was amazing. I added some caraway seeds as well. Highly, highly recommend it.
Neecee Malan says
Can’t wait to try this. I haven’t made chicken paprikash in years. My the Lord’s blessings be on you both! Shalom.
Tori Avey says
Thanks Neecee!
Miche says
My father’s family is of Hungarian Jewish descent, and we have a very similar recipe for chicken paprikash! My mother always serves it over rice, but my grandmother used to make it with nokedli. It’s also really wonderful for matzo balls during Passover.
Another thing my grandmother did was making “weiner paprikash” with hotdogs. Very 1970s.
Tori Avey says
LOL”weiner paprikash”– love it!!
Jeniece says
I made this last night. My husband was just so crestfallen when there wasn’t any left for lunch today. Will make again… and again and again!
Tori Avey says
Great to hear that Jeniece!
laura33 says
Hurrah! I did not grow up kosher, but I have an aversion to mixing dairy and meat … and this paprikash looks and sounds delicious.
Dave S says
Hi Tori,
This looks great! I saw a previous post with someone asking about consomme powder. Is this the same as bouillon powders? Aren’t those mainly sodium or is this something else? At BJ’s and at Restaurant Depot (my brothers both have memberships) I’ve gotten chicken stock pastes. Could these be used instead of the powders?
Tori Avey says
Hi Dave– yes, you can use a chicken stock paste and then add salt to taste, if desired. Consomme powder is very salty but it also adds a savory flavor.
Lucretia Morales says
I tried this today….wonderful stuff!!!!
Judy says
Hi,
This looks delicious! What is chicken consomme powder?
Judy
Tori Avey says
Hi Judy, it is powdered chicken bouillon that can be reconstituted with liquid. It is available in most grocery stores, usually where the chicken broth is sold.
Anita Bonita says
The dish has always had stick-to-it-iveness. My dad (may he rest in peace) used to say, even into his 70’s, that he could still taste the paprikash from his bar mitzvah! (My paternal grandfather was from Munkacs, now part of Ukraine.)
Keena Doyle says
God bless! Can´t wait to make this!
Audrey Atkins-Mc Lester says
love and shared….
Jeremy says
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I added a little more corn starch to help it thicken, and used only 9 pieces of chicken. I also added a little bit of cayenne for kick. It was such a great smell filling the kitchen, and yes, good paprika is a must! Thank you for providing a blog with such a wonderful list of recipes!
Sylvia Simko says
Please tell Michael that his recipe for Csirke Paprikasch (that’s how one writes it) is delicious. My family also comes from Transylvania, from a little village called Deva. They were practically all murdered during the Shoah. The best recipes come from that area, and you should take advantage of Michael’s knowledge to get more recipes. Especially cookies, cakes and deserts are to die for ! (the US pies and cookies simply cannot compete with these…). Do get some more recipes from him!
Robin says
My Hungarian mother-in-law made something very similar but much more basic. Sauteed a lot onions (she chopped them) in a little oil until starting to caramelize and then stir paprika into the onions. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika and stir into the onions. Pour in some water or chicken stock if you have it, cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is falling off the bone. She always served it over rice dusted with parsley and a Hungarian cucumber and onion salad. I started making this when I was a young bride and my now-adult son tells me that mine was better than hers, a point even my mother-in-law conceded!
Larry says
I learned this from my Grandmother. An alternative method of cooking it to sweat the onions, take off the heat and add a generous tablespoon of paprika (on the heat will bitter the paprika taste). Then add your chicken pieces on high heat to brown. Drop heat to low and cover. Don’t add water unless you think it will burn. After about 30 minutes add the (two) seeded peppers (I use cubanelle) and one peeled and seeded tomato. Cook uncovered for about another 30 minutes. I like the idea of blending the peppers and tomatoes. I will try that next time.
Tony Brice says
G*d bless his soul. That looks delicious enough to make your tongue slap your brain
Simcha Joy says
Thanks for this recipe
Barbara Weilersbacher says
Looks delicious!
Sharon Berg says
looks amazing and a wonderful story! my husband´s family is hungarian and will love this dish!
Heather Jewett Christothoulou says
this is beautiful Tori- thank you 🙂