Hungarian Tarhonyás Hús – Chicken with Toasted Egg Barley
Servings: 4–6
Tarhonyás hús is one of those classic Hungarian meals that immediately takes me back to the simple, comforting food I grew up with. 🇭🇺❤️ Nothing fancy — just tender meat, toasted tarhonya, onions, paprika and a few basic seasonings cooked together into a hearty, satisfying meal.
For this version, I used chicken, but tarhonyás hús can be made with different meats depending on what you have at home and what your family prefers. That's one of the reasons I love dishes like this: they're simple, budget-friendly and perfect for feeding the whole family.
And don't forget the pickles! 😃 A few slices of Hungarian pickles, kovászos uborka or csalamádé on the side make this meal complete.
This is everyday Hungarian home cooking at its best — uncomplicated, filling and made from ingredients that don't cost a fortune. Exactly the kind of food that proves you don't need anything fancy to put something delicious on the table. ❤️🇭🇺
Servings: 4–6
Ingredients
600 g (1.3 lb) chicken, cut into bite-sized cubes
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 heaping tbsp oil
1 heaping tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground caraway
1½ tsp salt, or to taste
70 g tomato paste
2½ cups (about 400 g) tarhonya – Hungarian egg barley
1 tbsp oil, for toasting the tarhonya
Approximately 4½–5 cups water or broth, as needed
Pickles, for serving
Method
Start the meat: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook briefly.
Add the chicken: Add the cubed chicken and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the outside of the meat has changed color.
Season: Reduce the heat and add the Hungarian paprika, black pepper, ground caraway and salt. Stir well, making sure the paprika doesn't burn.
Add the tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste, then add enough water or broth to partially cover the chicken. Cover and simmer gently until the chicken is almost tender.
Toast the tarhonya: Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a separate pot or deep pan. Add the tarhonya and toast over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it becomes beautifully golden brown. This step gives tarhonya its characteristic nutty flavor.
Combine: Add the toasted tarhonya to the chicken and paprika base. Stir everything together, then add enough hot water or broth for the tarhonya to cook and absorb the liquid.
Cook: Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tarhonya is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, approximately 15–20 minutes. Add a little more hot water if needed during cooking.
Rest: Remove from the heat and let the tarhonyás hús rest, covered, for about 5–10 minutes. Fluff gently before serving.
Serve: Serve hot with Hungarian pickles, kovászos uborka or csalamádé on the side. 🇭🇺❤️
Tip: Tarhonyás hús doesn't have to be made with chicken. You can use your preferred meat and simply adjust the cooking time accordingly.