German Brathähnchen with Tomato Basil Glaze

About This Recipe

Brathähnchen, German roast chicken, is a beer-hall and market-stall classic -- a whole chicken seasoned simply with paprika, salt, and often a beer-can roasting method, roasted until the skin turns deeply crisp and mahogany-colored. This version adds a tomato-basil glaze brushed on during the final stretch of roasting, giving the classic crackling skin a sweet, herbal finish. The technique for proper Brathähnchen skin is drying the chicken thoroughly before roasting -- patted dry and, ideally, left uncovered in the fridge for a few hours -- combined with a hot oven that crisps the skin before the glaze has a chance to burn. The tomato-basil glaze is brushed on only in the last 15-20 minutes of roasting, since sugar-containing glazes burn quickly at high heat if applied too early. Served with roasted potatoes or a simple cabbage salad, this remains approachable, crowd-pleasing German cooking -- built on getting the roasting fundamentals right rather than a complicated recipe.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 1 wholechicken (about 1.5kg)
• 1 tbsppaprika
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 2 tbspoil
• 0.5 cupcrushed tomatoes
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 0.25 cupfresh basil(chopped)
• 1 tbsphoney
• 1 tbspolive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry and season the chicken

   Pat the chicken completely dry, inside and out. Rub with oil, then season all over with paprika, salt, and pepper. Let sit uncovered in the fridge at least 1 hour, ideally longer.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven

   Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).

3. 3

   Roast the chicken

   Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and roast 45 minutes.

4. 4

   Make the glaze

   While roasting, combine crushed tomatoes, garlic, basil, honey, and olive oil in a small saucepan. Simmer 8-10 minutes until thickened.

5. 5

   Glaze and finish roasting

   Brush the tomato-basil glaze over the chicken. Continue roasting 15-20 minutes, brushing once more, until the skin is deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with any remaining glaze on the side.

Variations

• •

  Skip the glaze for a more traditional plain paprika Brathähnchen.

• •

  Use a beer can roasting method (chicken set upright over an open beer can) for extra moisture and traditional presentation.

• •

  Add lemon halves to the cavity before roasting for extra aromatic depth.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven to help maintain some skin crispness rather than using a microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions