Recipe Background
This German roasted chicken is spiced with caraway and paprika, ideal for a cozy meal.
The first time I made this German roasted chicken, I had just uprooted my life and moved into my very first sky-high apartment, relishing the sweeping views and the sheer exhilarating solitude of my new space. That night, feeling daring and inspired, I wanted to make something that felt both sophisticated and familiar. A chicken roasted with caraway seeds and a generous touch of smoky paprika seemed indulgently perfect. I remembered the robust spices from my childhood, reminded of afternoons spent at my grandmother’s, where caraway often snuck into our Sunday meals. Roasting chicken was a nod to those memories, and that first meal in my new space truly tasted like assured independence.
As I ground the coriander seeds and dried rosemary with my trusty old mortar and pestle, I realized how grounding and essential cooking could be in claiming a space as one's own. The scent enveloped my little kitchen, transforming it into a haven of savory warmth. A quick tip: ensuring the chicken is thoroughly patted dry before applying the spice mix helps the skin become deliciously crisp. I lovingly tucked the wing tips beneath, a quirky, almost ceremonial act I’ve come to enjoy with poultry prepping.
After an hour, the chicken emerged with an invitingly crisp skin, its aroma an irresistible mix of herbs and garlic. I let it rest briefly, a practice that ensures those precious juices settle back into the meat, enhancing every bite. As I finally sat down at my window-side table, the city lights twinkling below, I appreciated how comforting it felt to recreate a piece of tradition in my new chapter.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 (4-pound) broiler-fryer chicken cut in half lengthwise
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle, add the salt, the caraway seed, the sage, the fennel, the coriander seeds, and the rosemary and grind until a coarse powder forms.
- Transfer the spice mixture to a bowl.
- Stir the paprika, the garlic powder, the flour, and the onion powder into the spice mixture.
- Mix the vegetable oil into the spice mixture until a smooth paste forms.
- Pat the chicken halves dry with paper towels and tuck the wing tips behind the back.
- Brush the spice paste onto the chicken halves, coating all the sides and seasoning under the wings and the legs.
- Place the chicken halves, skin-side up, in a baking dish or roasting pan; leaving space so the halves aren't touching.
- Roast the chicken halves until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the chicken is no longer pink at the bone, about 1 hour.
- Transfer from the oven and let the chicken halves rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve.
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