Around 300,000 Wiesnhendl are eaten at the Oktoberfest Wiesn every year, the world's largest fair or Volksfest in Munich, Germany. That makes this roasted chicken dish one of the most popular food items at the 2-week long Oktoberfest.
Oktoberfest chicken at home
I do not own a rotisserie-style grill, which is what's typically used to roast an Oktoberfest chicken, but I researched some ways to roast a Wiesnhendl in your home oven.
After I tried a few different German oven-baked Wiesnhendl recipes, I made some adjustments and ended up with a juicy, tender chicken with crispy, seasoned skin. Amazing!
A whole roasted chicken feeds 4, so if you're a smaller household, plan to have leftovers to use for some delicious Hühnerfrikassee (German stewed chicken).
The chicken is very simply seasoned with paprika powder, salt and pepper. It's then stuffed with a bunch of fresh parsley, and periodically brushed with a browned, seasoned butter to get that skin extra crisp and flavorful.
What to serve it with
Serve with some Bavarian potato salad and some authentic Brezeln (or Brezen if you're from Bavaria). For more Oktoberfest recipe ideas, check out my favorite Oktoberfest foods.
Ein Prosit and enjoy your homemade Wiesn-style roasted Oktoberfest chicken!
Video
Watch this short video showing you how to make a Wiesnhendl at home (without a rotisserie grill).
Oktoberfest Roasted Chicken (Wiesnhendl)
Equipment
- 1 instant-read thermometer cook your chicken to 165℉ (75℃).
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉ (160℃) and place a small baking rack on top of a baking sheet allowing the juices to run beneath it in the oven.
- Pat dry the chicken on the inside and outside and season the inside with paprika, salt, and pepper (about even proportions).1 whole chicken, paprika, salt, pepper
- Stuff inside with fresh parsley (remove any long stems).1 bunch fresh parsley
- Lightly brown the butter in a skillet or small pot and add paprika, salt, and pepper to season, brush some onto the outside of the chicken.60 grams butter
- Move chicken to the oven (middle rack) and cook for 60 minutes, brushing on more seasoned butter every 15 minutes.
- Raise temperature to 400℉ (200℃) and cook an additional 15 to 30 minutes or until skin is crispy on the outside. The internal temperature should read 165℉ (75℃) or higher, making sure the chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove from oven, cut in half (as shown in picture), and serve cut side down with a pretzel or some bread (and salads like my warm German potato salad, if desired). Guten Appetit!
Rachael LaCross
What type of paprika should I use? Sweet, smoked, or plain?
dirndlkitchen
I use plain paprika.
Patricia M. Dyer
I will be trying this Oktoberfest Chicken soon ! Only change that I will make is that I will put additional softened, salted butter "under" the skin for even more moistness and flavor.
Thank You ! I will look forward to other recipes. This recipe was a very nice surprise !!!
dirndlkitchen
I'm excited for you to try my Oktoberfest chicken!! Please report back when you do.
Ken Behrmann
Used this recipe to roast a duck and it turned out fantastisch! Just needed to adjust the cooking times.
Sophie Sadler
Sounds delicious! Thank you for the kind comment!
Vanessa
The chicken was tasty, but it didn’t have that crispy skin on the outside like at Oktoberfest. I’m tempted to add some olive oil, salt and baking powder during the last 15 minutes to see if it could get that yummy crispy skin I remember too well!
dirndlkitchen
Hi Vanessa, did you raise the temperature for the last portion of the baking and then baked it until crispy, as described in the instructions?