German Fried Chicken with Rice (Gebakenes-Hänchen)
3 servings
20 minutes
German fried chicken with rice, or gebackenes Hähnchen, is a fragrant and rich dish of German cuisine inspired by the combination of juicy chicken breast, crispy batter, and a tangy sauce with pineapple sweetness. The history of this recipe roots back to traditional German meat cooking methods where the balance of textures and flavors plays an important role. The chicken is fried to a golden crust and served with soft rice that perfectly absorbs the rich sauce. Adding sweet paprika, carrots, and leeks gives the dish freshness and a slight spiciness. This recipe is great for both cozy family dinners and festive gatherings, delighting with its contrast of flavors—from crispy chicken to tender fruity notes of pineapple juice.
1
Start with bell pepper and onion. Wash these ingredients and then cut them into small large pieces. You can take the pineapple in cubes right away. Do not pour out the pineapple juice; save it in a separate container. After that, take the carrot and garlic cloves, peel them, cut the carrot into thin short strips, and finely chop the garlic.
- Sweet paprika: 200 g
- Leek: 50 g
- Canned pineapple: 100 g
- Carrot: 100 g
- Garlic: 2 cloves
2
Next, prepare the batter for the chicken. Mix 125 g of flour, 1 tablespoon of starch, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 tablespoon of oil, and 150 ml of water into a homogeneous dough.
- Wheat flour: 125 g
- Starch: 1 tablespoon
- Baking powder: 2 teaspoons
- Sunflower oil: 250 ml
- Water: 1150 ml
3
Take the chicken breast. Rinse under water, remove the skin. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Chicken breast: 400 g
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
4
Prepare the sauce. Pour some oil into a deep pan. When it is hot enough, add pieces of pepper, garlic cubes, leeks, carrot strips, and pineapple pieces and sauté for 1.5–2 minutes. Then add 100 grams of sugar, 1 tablespoon of starch, 125 ml of wine vinegar, 2 cloves of garlic, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and 60 ml of pineapple juice. Mix everything well, cover with a lid and let it simmer for another 2 minutes.
- Sunflower oil: 250 ml
- Sweet paprika: 200 g
- Leek: 50 g
- Canned pineapple: 100 g
- Carrot: 100 g
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Sugar: 100 g
- Starch: 1 tablespoon
- Wine vinegar: 125 ml
- Tomato paste: 3 tablespoons
- Water: 1150 ml
5
Pour 200 ml of oil into a deep pan and wait for it to heat up. While the oil is heating, you can dip the chicken in the liquid batter. Once the oil is hot, lower the chicken into the oil. If the chicken is fully submerged in oil, fry for 8 minutes until golden brown. If not fully submerged, fry on both sides for 4 minutes each until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain excess fat.
- Sunflower oil: 250 ml
- Chicken breast: 400 g
6
Bring 1 liter of water to a boil in a pot. Add salt to make the water slightly salty. When the water boils, add 250 g of rice and cook on low heat for 10-12 minutes without a lid.
- Water: 1150 ml
- Salt: to taste
- Rice: 250 g
7
Pour rice into a plate, place the chicken breast on top, and slice it crosswise. Drizzle with sauce.