Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken & Vegetables
- 800 g bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 400 g yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2.5cm cubes
- 300 g turnips, peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes
- 150 g yellow onion, cut into 1.5cm wedges
Paprika Rub
- 45 ml olive oil
- 30 g tomato paste
- 15 g sweet hungarian paprika
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
Garnish
- 60 g sour cream
- 5 g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 824 kcal
- Protein
- 55 g
- Carbohydrates
- 96 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 1253 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 5 mg
- Potassium
- 2011 mg
- Calcium
- 235 mg
- Iron
- 7.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 155 mg
- Phosphorus
- 628 mg
- Zinc
- 6.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 362 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 33 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 30 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.28 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.19 mg
- Niacin
- 4.2 mg
- Folate
- 86 mcg
- Water
- 92 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 215°C/420°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easier cleanup if desired.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, tomato paste, sweet Hungarian paprika, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper until a thick, uniform paste forms.
Add the chicken thighs, cubed potatoes, cubed turnips, and onion wedges to the bowl with the paprika rub. Toss thoroughly using your hands or a large spatula to ensure every piece is evenly coated. Wash hands and surfaces thoroughly after handling raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
Transfer the coated chicken and vegetables to the prepared rimmed baking sheet. Arrange them in a single, even layer, making sure the chicken thighs are placed skin-side up and have some space around them to allow for proper roasting.
Roast in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. The dish is done when the vegetables are easily pierced with a fork, the chicken skin is deeply browned and crispy, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute and the roasted vegetables to absorb some of the flavorful rendered fat.
Divide the chicken and roasted vegetables among warm plates. Top each portion with a generous dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh parsley before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For the most authentic flavor profile, ensure you are using a high-quality, fresh sweet Hungarian paprika. It should be bright red and highly aromatic; old paprika turns brown and dusty.
- Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs is crucial for this recipe. The skin protects the meat from drying out at high heat, while the rendered fat drips down to baste and flavor the potatoes and turnips.
- If you want a sauce reminiscent of the traditional stew, remove the cooked chicken and vegetables, place the baking sheet over two burners on medium heat, and deglaze with 120ml of chicken broth. Whisk in the sour cream off the heat to create a pan sauce.
- Turnips cook slightly faster than potatoes. If your turnips are very small or tender, you can cut them into slightly larger pieces than the potatoes so everything finishes at the exact same time.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store leftover sour cream garnish separately from the chicken and vegetables.
Freezer: 1 month — Chicken freezes well, but roasted potatoes and turnips may become slightly grainy upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175°C/350°F oven for 15 minutes to restore the crispy texture of the chicken skin.
Troubleshooting
Chicken skin is not getting crispy but vegetables are done
Cause: Pan is overcrowded, creating steam instead of dry roasting heat
Fix: Remove the cooked vegetables to a plate, then place the chicken under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until crispy
Prevention: Use a sufficiently large baking sheet to ensure ingredients are spaced out in a single layer
Paprika rub tastes bitter or burnt
Cause: Paprika was old, or the oven ran too hot and scorched the dry spices
Fix: Cannot be fixed. A dollop of extra sour cream can help mask mild bitterness
Prevention: Ensure paprika is fresh (vibrant red, highly aromatic) and the oil ratio is sufficient to protect the spice from burning
Cultural Context
Traditional Hungarian Chicken Paprikash (Paprikás Csirke) is a slow-simmered stew characterized by a rich, velvety sauce made from sweet paprika, onions, chicken broth, and sour cream. This sheet-pan adaptation captures the beloved flavor profile of the original dish while transforming the cooking method into a hands-off, accessible American weeknight dinner that incorporates root vegetables right into the pan.
