Chicken paprikash is a classic Hungarian dish that relies on a serious scoop of paprika for both mild peppery flavor and a vibrant red color. Here that recipe’s building blocks are reimagined as a ragù, with ground chicken, aromatics, and a dollop of sour cream swirled in for richness.
Two notes for shopping. If you can find dark meat ground chicken, definitely grab it; dark meat has more fat than white meat, which is welcome in a ragù (traditionally made with pork or beef, both with higher fat content than chicken). And in the spice aisle, seek out Hungarian paprika, which is very bright red and more flavorful than “sweet paprika” or just “paprika” (though either will do in a pinch). The only variety to avoid here is smoked, or Spanish, paprika, which will provide a different flavor profile and a much darker color to your finished pasta.