In the Czech kitchen: A modern twist on paprika chicken 'wings' it

Paprika chicken (kuře na paprice), tender chicken in a velvety paprika sauce, transports many Czechs back to childhood. Whether it's the version their mother made them or the one they enjoyed in the school cafeteria, for many it craving for this comfort food has carried over into adulthood. No surprise that paprika chicken is still one of the most popular Czech dishes and restaurants continue to turn out modern variations.

Paprika chicken is not just a part of Czech, but also of Viennese cuisine. Some historians say the recipe comes from Hungary, while others cite the influence of the Austro-Hungarian empire and France. Who's right? Perhaps both: One origin story notes the meeting of French chef and culinary icon Auguste Escoffier being presented with dried peppers by Hungarian counterpart Károly Gundel.

Legend has it that Escoffier didn't know what to do with the peppers and invented a dish called poulet au paprika an upmarket version of the Hungarian paprikás csirke or paprika chicken for the Grand Hotel in Monte Carlo. Escoffier seared the meat and stewed it fricassée-style in a sauce of butter, cream, and paprika which gave the dish its appetizing color and soft texture. The dish also helped the French claim that the dish was as much theirs as it was the Hungarians –though Escoffier recorded the recipe as poulet sauté à la hongroise.

Paprika chicken is like any other classic – the steps are always the same, the seasoning depends on the chef, and how you serve it is typically a matter of tradition. The main rule of thumb for all variants is to use quality ingredients and take your time. This short and easy modern version comes from the chefs at Bufet restaurant.

Bufet uses chicken wings that are grilled separately over fire, which is why the chefs focus all the more on locking in a flavorful sauce based on sweet, caramelized onions and Hungarian paprika, which is partly smoked and gives the sauce its unique taste and aroma. They also make their broth in-house.

"Wings give the sauce umami, that 'delicious' taste," Petr Benda, head chef at Bufet advises. "We leave them in until the meat is soft and does not fall apart. This is an indication that the wings will have already given the necessary flavor and need to be taken out. Otherwise, calcium would be released from the bones and the sauce wouldn't taste as good.”