Roasted Chicken (German Bavarian Brathendl)

There is no Oktoberfest without a German Roasted Chicken, or in Bavarian it is called "Brathendl". It is a typical meal that you can order on the famous Oktoberfest ground called "Wies'n'. For sure it tastes delicious for any occasion. The good news is, you can make it at home. The secret of this recipe is that the chicken skin needs to be crunchy and the meat juicy. It's all about the roasting process. Enjoy the dish with a glass of German beer, French fries and a mixed salad.

1 whole chicken (1.2 kg)
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
ground paprika
10-15 sprigs parsley
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
heavy cream (200 mL)

Wash the chicken thoroughly and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Remove any parts from the inside.

Spice with salt, pepper and paprika, inside and outside (or use the Edora chicken seasoning to taste).

Wash parsley and place it in the belly of the chicken.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C/200°C fan, Gas Mark 7).

Melt the butter and with a cooking brush spread it all over the chicken.

Place the chicken on the grid or the fire proof pan with the breast down.

When the back of the chicken has showing some brownish colour, turn it around and again spread some butter on it several times. It should never dry out. You also can use the stock that has been generated in the pan.

After about 50 minutes it should be done (cooking time entirely depends on the weight of the chicken).

Pour the stock through a sieve into a pan, add cornstarch that had been dissolved in some cold water, heavy cream and mix well and bring to a brief boil. It should have thickened. If not add some more dissolved corn starch. Remove from heat, spice with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the parsley from the inside, then cut the chicken into its parts.

Serve the chicken with pasta, fried potatoes, French fries, mixed salad and seasonal vegetable. For an Oktoberfest serve with cabbage salad and French Fries.