AI-generated image
Backhendl
Crumbed fried chicken
Wiener Backhendl: crumbed fried chicken with lemon and Styrian potato salad
Backhendl, crumbed fried chicken, was the treat of 19th-century Viennese Sunday outings to the Prater and the wine villages, and it is still the star of Styrian taverns, served with lemon and a lukewarm potato salad glossy with pumpkin seed oil. Chicken pieces on the bone are seasoned with lemon, coated in flour, egg and fine breadcrumbs and fried slowly so the crust puffs and stays crisp while the meat cooks through. Chef's tip: fry at a moderate heat, not a fierce one; bone-in pieces need time for the centre to reach a safe temperature before the crumbs burn.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removedabout 8 pieces
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 ⅞ oz plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 5 ½ oz fine dry breadcrumbs
- 4 ¼ cups vegetable oil or lard for frying
- 8 curly parsley sprigs (optional)dried well
For the potato salad
- 1 ½ lb waxy potatoes, boiled in skins and peeled while warmsliced
- 1 small onionfinely chopped
- ¾ cup hot vegetable stock
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seed oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (8)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toss the 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed with the 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 ½ tsp salt in a bowl, cover and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Make the salad: pour the ¾ cup hot vegetable stock and 3 tbsp cider vinegar over the warm 1 ½ lb waxy potatoes, boiled in skins and peeled while warm with the 1 small onion and ½ tsp salt, mix gently and leave 20 minutes to soak up. Stir in the 2 tbsp pumpkin seed oil and 2 tbsp chopped chives just before serving.
5 minStep 3: Set out three plates: 2 ⅞ oz plain flour; the 2 eggs beaten with the 2 tbsp milk; the 5 ½ oz fine dry breadcrumbs. Pat the chicken dry, then coat each piece in flour, egg and crumbs, pressing lightly. Do not press hard; a loose coat puffs up as it fries.
10 minStep 4: Heat the 4 ¼ cups vegetable oil or lard for frying in a deep, heavy pan to 325°F. Fry the chicken in 2–3 batches, turning, for 12–15 minutes, until deep golden. Common mistake: oil that is too hot, which browns the crumbs while the meat by the bone is still pink.
30 minStep 5: Check the thickest piece next to the bone: it must reach 165°F, with clear juices. Drain on a rack, not paper, so the base stays crisp.
2 minStep 6: If using 8 curly parsley sprigs, drop the sprigs into the hot oil for 10 seconds (stand back, it spits) until crisp. Serve the chicken with 4 lemon wedges, the parsley and the potato salad.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does backhendl take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Arroz con pitu de caleyaSoupy rice with chicken
A pitu de caleya is a cockerel raised free in the lanes, or caleyas, of rural Asturias; its firm, flavourful meat needs long stewing, and families around Villaviciosa and Grado still cook it for feast days. The stew is often finished as a soupy rice, so the deep chicken juices go into every grain. Use the best free-range chicken you can find. The braise includes dry white wine; replace it with extra stock and a squeeze of lemon if you want it alcohol-free. Chef's tip: brown the chicken slowly and deeply; that colour is where the flavour of the whole pot comes from.
Spanish
Chicken kdra with almonds
Kdra takes its name from the tall copper pot it was cooked in, and in Fez it is a festive dish for weddings and family gatherings rather than an everyday tagine. The sauce is the point: kilos of onion melted down with smen, saffron, white pepper and cinnamon until it turns pale gold and creamy, with no tomato or paprika at all. Soft chickpeas and almonds simmered until tender go into it, and the whole thing is scooped up with bread. Expect a mellow, perfumed, buttery richness rather than heat. Chef's tip: soak and simmer the blanched almonds with the chicken; they lose their crunch and become creamy like the chickpeas, which is how Fassi cooks like them.
Moroccan
Chicken tikka masala
Marinating the chicken in spiced yoghurt keeps it tender, and a few minutes under a hot grill gives it the smoky char of a tandoor. The sauce is rich but not heavy, finished with a little cream and dried fenugreek leaves.
Indian