Recipes / Mains / Central European Ingredients Servings
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Quantities for 4 servings
250 g plain flour, plus extra for rolling 1 tsp fine salt, plus extra for the cooking water 1 large egg 80 ml water 800 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm pieces 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tbsp sweet paprika 1 tbsp tomato purée 500 ml chicken stock, hot 150 g soured cream
Treat this list as a starting point rather than a shopping order. Swap what you haven't got, leave out what you dislike, add what you love — this is exactly the kind of dish that rewards poking around in the fridge.
Method 1 Mix the flour, salt, egg and water into a firm dough, then knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest it for 20 minutes so the gluten relaxes and the sheets roll out without springing back. 2 Heat the oven to 220°C and divide the dough into four pieces. Roll each one very thinly on a floured surface, then bake the sheets on a dry baking tray for 5–7 minutes, turning once, until dry and blistered in places but not deeply browned; this gives the mlinci their toasty flavour. 3 Break the baked sheets into rough pieces and set them aside. The uneven edges are useful here because they catch the sauce better than neat squares would. 4 Season the chicken with salt. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium-high heat and brown the pieces in batches for 3–4 minutes on each side, until golden; browning builds the savoury base, while crowding would make the chicken steam. 5 Lower the heat to medium and cook the onion for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until soft and sweet. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then take the pan off the heat before stirring in the paprika and tomato purée so the paprika warms without turning bitter. 6 Return the chicken and any juices to the pan, pour in the hot stock and bring it to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 25–30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce smells rounded rather than raw; uncover for the final 5 minutes if it needs thickening. 7 Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the mlinci for 2–3 minutes, until pliable but still slightly chewy. Drain well, reserving 100 ml of the cooking water in case the sauce needs loosening. 8 Take the paprikash off the heat and stir a few spoonfuls of its sauce into the soured cream, then stir that mixture back into the pan. This tempers the cream so it stays smooth; do not boil it afterwards, or it may split. 9 Toss the mlinci with the chicken and sauce, adding a splash of reserved cooking water if they look dry. Rest for 2 minutes before serving so the pasta absorbs some sauce without becoming soggy. Tap a step to cross it off. Your place is saved on this device.
Cook’s notes The mlinci can be baked a day or two ahead and kept airtight once completely cool. Break and boil them just before serving; they can also be frozen dry for up to a month.
Sweet paprika is the main seasoning here, so use a fresh, fragrant one rather than an old jar. Hot paprika can replace part of it if you want heat, but keep the total amount the same.
The finished dish keeps for 2 days in the fridge. Reheat gently with a splash of stock or water, as the mlinci will continue absorbing the sauce as they sit.
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