Backhendl

Backhendl is a young chicken cut into pieces, breaded and deep-fried until deep gold. It is Vienna's fried chicken, and it was a fixture of Austrian tables long before the American version became the more famous name for the idea.

What it really is

A young chicken is cut into serving pieces on the bone, dredged in flour, dipped in beaten egg and coated in fine breadcrumbs, the same three-step breading used for a schnitzel. Rather than pan-frying in a shallow film of fat, the pieces go into a deep pot of hot oil, which cooks the meat through evenly on the bone while the crust puffs and darkens on every side rather than only the two flat faces a pan would brown.

Fried parsley is not a garnish here — it is on the plate for a reason. A sprig dropped briefly into the same hot oil crisps in seconds and is served alongside the chicken, meant to be eaten rather than pushed aside.

How it is served

• On the bone, pieces stacked or fanned on the plate.
• With a wedge of lemon and fried parsley, the standard finish.
• Alongside a simple potato or cucumber salad rather than a heavy side.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag gluten, egg and dairy; the three-step breading carries all three.
• Say it is chicken on the bone, not a boneless fillet, since the cut is part of what makes it Backhendl rather than a generic fried chicken piece.
• Note that it is cooked to order in hot oil; a version held warm after frying loses the crust it is built around.

The ingredients, allergens and dietary notes listed here describe a typical recipe. They are not a binding declaration for any particular restaurant: recipes, portion sizes and the products used can differ.