Give Chicken And Dumplings A Flavorful Twist That's Twice As Comforting And Warm

Southern food is the epitome of cozy cuisine, and none best represents it like chicken and dumplings. The tender main ingredients swim around in a silky, creamy pool — what's not to love? They're a true comfort food, and they become even heartier with a dash of tomatoes, red bell peppers, and a hefty dose of fiery Hungarian paprika.

Though chicken and dumplings are representative of the South, the region isn't the only place that lays claim to it. It has roots in Europe, and combining it with other flavors to make paprikash-style chicken and dumplings best highlights the coziness of the internationally beloved meal. Traditional chicken paprikash is a Hungarian dish that cooks the poultry in the trio of aforementioned sweet, earthy red ingredients. It's a favorite of recipe developer Michelle McGlinn, and was a no-brainer pick when she thought of what dish to meld with chicken and dumplings.

Chicken paprikash is usually made with butter beans; McGlinn knew that fluffy, square-shaped dumplings would be an ideal replacement for them. "To me, they best replicate the tender, buttery beans in the chicken paprikash soup I love while thickening the broth and offering a uniquely silky mouthfeel," she says. Making the dish starts out like any standard chicken and dumplings recipe; brown the chicken, then saute aromatics in its stead. Pour in some broth and paprika and let the chicken simmer before adding the dumplings in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

The dish comes together in less than an hour and is relatively hands-free, making it the perfect meal to serve when you need something to soothe the soul. To make it even heartier, you can add in all the veggies you'd typically find in chicken and dumplings, like carrots, celery, and peas. Kale or spinach also give the cozy meal a filling, nutritious touch.

As a nod to the paprikash aspect of the meal, pair the chicken and dumplings with some comforting Hungarian dishes. Rather than eat some simple dinner rolls alongside the chicken and dumplings, try out a lángos. The deep-fried flatbread has a slightly crunchy exterior and warm, fluffy insides, making it the perfect pair to creamy chicken and dumplings. Add a smear of sour cream and cheese on top, or simply dip the bread into the paprika-rich dumpling sauce.

If you'd rather eat something refreshing to balance out the richness of the meal, we'd suggest a three-ingredient cucumber salad. The crisp cucumbers offer a nice contrast to the silky dish, and the simplicity of the salt, pepper, and olive oil-flavored salad allows the bold paprikash-style chicken and dumplings to stand out.