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Hungarian Chicken and Rice

Hearty Fall and Winter Family Favorite. Hidden veggies kids can't pick out! This recipe was developed by my Grandmother who is first generation American. Her parents immigrated from Macedonia and Hungary to Hungary Hollow (Lincoln Place) in Granite City Illinois. This recipe combines traditional Hungarian ingredients with the Waste Not mindset of the Great Depression.
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Ingredients
  

  • 10-12 skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/2  tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 large onion diced finely
  • 1  celery stalk- ribs cut into 3 sections
  • 1 1/2 tbsp HUNGARIAN Paprika (DO NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR SMOKED- Soulard Market or Amazon carry. Your grocery store likely won't)
  • 1 28oz  can crushed tomatoes (may use fresh Roma tomatoes but add a bit more salt to taste. Be sure to de-seed)
  • 6 cup chicken broth or stock- may substitute for 6 cups water and 9 bullion cubes
  • 1 green pepper cut into quarters, remove stem and seeds
  • 2 cup shredded zucchini (do not peel)

Thicken: 3 tbsp corn starch

3 Cups Rice- Cook to taste

For a mild added flavor, add 1 chicken bullion cube and 1 bay leaf to the rice while cooking

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, add chicken, veggies, and spices
  • Simmer for 2 hours
  • Remove and cool the chicken, celery, and peppers (the zucchini will have completely liquified)
  • Shred the chicken into small pieces
  • Blend peppers and celery with either a submersion blender or conventional blender (traditional method is to lightly mash the pulp of the vegetable and remove it from the skin- I burned my fingers too many times and this takes forever, I use a blender)
  • Return to the pot
  • Get your rice started
  • Final step to thicken: remove 1 cup of hot liquid from the pot and combine with 3tbsp corn starch. Use a fork to quickly and completely blend. Take care not to leave lumps.
  • Add to the pot and let simmer until it begins to thicken. Reduce heat and let simmer for another 10-15 minutes.