Chicken paprikash makes an impressive meal — if you use the right paprika

One of my college roommates was from Hungary and she was a terrific cook. Every weekend, she was in the tiny kitchen of our rented house, cooking something fragrant and delicious. Lucky for me, she was always generous enough to share her creations, which is how I became absolutely addicted to chicken paprikash.

Chicken paprikash is one of the most well-known and beloved dishes from Hungary and one that my roommate made often. I used to carefully watch her as she was cooking, making sure to jot down every little detail of the recipe in hopes of re-creating it myself.

She started by browning the chicken, then cooking onions, garlic and thin slices of red bell pepper in the drippings. A giant dollop of tomato paste was added and cooked until it turned a dark, rusty red color, signifying it had properly caramelized, before three heaping spoonfuls of paprika were stirred into the mix and cooked for just a second (it burns easily) before the chicken broth was poured into the pot.

The chicken was simmered in the paprika-infused broth until meltingly tender. Sour cream, a lot of it, was the final touch.

It was heaven. Rich, tangy, creamy and comforting, with just the slightest hint of heat. The dish seemed simple to make, but the flavor was deep and complex.

When I finally had the opportunity to cook it for my family on a trip back home, I was so excited. It felt like an exotic dish at the time, one my family had never tried. And boy, did I hype it up. I assured them all that once they tasted chicken paprikash, life would never be the same.

After following every step precisely, I proudly served it to my family, who tried to look impressed, but clearly were not. When I took my first forkful, I understood why. While my version looked similar to my roommate's, it was dull and lifeless in flavor. Just chicken, swimming in a pink sour cream sauce.

"There's your problem," she said, before handing me the little plastic bag she used to hold the paprika she had brought from Hungary. I could immediately see and smell the difference. It was a vibrant dark red, with a slightly pungent, slightly sweet red pepper aroma — nothing like the light red-brown, odorless powder my mother had been using on her potato salad for years.

It was a lesson in the importance of using good-quality, fresh spices, and one I have never forgotten. Of course, it's an absolute must when making chicken paprikash, which I hope you do. Because once you've tasted it, life will never be the same.

Serves 4 to 6.

Good quality Hungarian paprika is the key to delivering big flavor to this warming, creamy eastern European chicken stew. From Meredith Deeds.

• 3 lb. bone-in chicken thighs and legs

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

• 1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips

• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 3 tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika, plus extra for serving

• 1/2 tsp. hot Hungarian paprika or 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

• 3 c. low-sodium chicken broth

• 3/4 c. sour cream

• 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in two batches, brown the chicken, skin-side down, until it is golden and crisp, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Then turn the chicken over, and repeat on the other side, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate to rest. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot.

Reduce heat to medium and add onion and bell pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to the same Dutch oven and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the color turns a rusty red. Add in both paprikas (or cayenne, if using) into pot, and cook, stirring constantly, for 15 seconds, making sure not to burn. Immediately add the broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Nestle the chicken in the broth mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer until chicken is very tender and registers at least 195 degrees, about 30 minutes, stirring and flipping chicken halfway through.

In a medium bowl, whisk sour cream and flour together until no lumps remain. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup cooking liquid into sour cream mixture. Stir sour cream mixture into broth in the pot. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until thickened, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and season with salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve over hot buttered egg noodles, spaetzle or nokedli (Hungarian dumplings), as desired.