Crispy Austrian Backhendl With Pumpkin Seed Oil Salad

Name: Crispy Austrian Backhendl With Pumpkin Seed Oil Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 8 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 900 g total, trimmed of excess fat; 1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt, 7.5 g; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, approximately 1 g; 100 g all-purpose flour; 3 large eggs; 2 tablespoons water, 30 ml; 180 g fine, plain dry breadcrumbs, preferably Kaiser roll crumbs or another unseasoned white-bread crumb; 1.5 liters sunflower or canola oil, for frying; use enough to reach a depth of approximately 3 cm in your pot; 180 g butter lettuce, leaves separated and torn into bite-size pieces; 200 g cucumber, thinly sliced; 100 g radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seed oil, 30 ml, preferably Styrian; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 30 ml; 1 tablespoon water, 15 ml; 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 g; 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, 1.5 g; 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, approximately 0.25 g; 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges; 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, approximately 8 g

Imperial October 25, 2026October 25, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Backhendl with Pumpkin Seed Oil Salad: Austrian-style breaded chicken with a crisp, golden coating and juicy meat, served with lemon wedges and a fresh green salad. This home-friendly version uses boneless chicken thighs for easy frying.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Quick Ingredients

Chicken: 8 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 900 g total; 1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
Breading: 100 g all-purpose flour, 3 large eggs, 2 tablespoons water, and 180 g fine, plain dry breadcrumbs.
For frying: 1.5 liters neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola oil.
Salad: 180 g butter lettuce, 200 g cucumber, and 100 g radishes.
Dressing: 2 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seed oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper.
To serve: 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges, and 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley.

Do This

1. Wash and thoroughly dry the lettuce, slice the cucumber and radishes, and keep everything chilled.
2. Pat the chicken dry, open out the thighs, and gently pound thick areas to an even 1.5 cm thickness. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Coat each thigh in flour, beaten eggs mixed with water, and breadcrumbs, in that order. Do not press the crumbs down firmly.
4. Heat the frying oil to 175°C (350°F) in a deep, heavy pot. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and warm the oven to 100°C (212°F).
5. Fry 2 thighs at a time for 7–8 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and at least 74°C (165°F) inside.
6. Drain on the rack and keep warm, uncovered, while frying the remaining batches.
7. Whisk together the dressing, toss with the salad just before serving, and plate alongside the chicken. Finish with parsley and lemon wedges.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Crisp outside, juicy inside: A light coating of fine breadcrumbs gives the chicken its signature delicate crunch.
Approachable for home cooks: Boneless thighs are easier to fry evenly than traditional bone-in pieces.
A distinctly Austrian pairing: Roasted pumpkin seed oil brings a deep, nutty flavor to the refreshing salad.
No complicated marinade: Simple seasoning, careful breading, and the right oil temperature do the work.

Grocery List

Meat: 900 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ideally 8 small thighs.
Produce: 180 g butter lettuce, 200 g cucumber, 100 g radishes, 1 lemon, and a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley.
Dairy & Eggs: 3 large eggs; no dairy is needed.
Pantry: All-purpose flour, fine plain dry breadcrumbs, sunflower or canola oil, roasted pumpkin seed oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, fine salt, and ground black pepper.

Full Ingredients

For the Chicken

8 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 900 g total, trimmed of excess fat
1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt, 7.5 g
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, approximately 1 g

For the Breading and Frying

100 g all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons water, 30 ml
180 g fine, plain dry breadcrumbs, preferably Kaiser roll crumbs or another unseasoned white-bread crumb
1.5 liters sunflower or canola oil, for frying; use enough to reach a depth of approximately 3 cm in your pot

For the Green Salad

180 g butter lettuce, leaves separated and torn into bite-size pieces
200 g cucumber, thinly sliced
100 g radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced

For the Pumpkin Seed Oil Dressing

2 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seed oil, 30 ml, preferably Styrian
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 30 ml
1 tablespoon water, 15 ml
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 g
1/4 teaspoon fine salt, 1.5 g
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, approximately 0.25 g

To Serve

1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, approximately 8 g

Crispy Austrian Backhendl With Pumpkin Seed Oil Salad – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the salad vegetables

Wash the lettuce and dry it thoroughly in a salad spinner or with clean kitchen towels. Slice the cucumber and radishes thinly, about 2–3 mm thick. Place the vegetables in a large bowl and refrigerate, undressed, while you prepare the chicken. Dry leaves help the pumpkin seed oil dressing cling instead of becoming watery.

Step 2: Trim and season the chicken

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and trim away any large pockets of fat. Open each thigh out flat. Place between two sheets of parchment paper and gently pound only the thick areas until the meat is an even 1.5 cm thick. You want compact pieces, not paper-thin schnitzels.

Season both sides evenly with the 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Wash your hands and clean any surfaces that have touched raw chicken before handling the salad or serving ingredients.

Step 3: Set up the breading station

Put the flour in one shallow dish. In a second dish, beat the eggs with 2 tablespoons water until no streaks remain. Place the breadcrumbs in a third dish. Set a clean tray beside the dishes for the breaded chicken.

Working with one thigh at a time, coat it lightly in flour and shake off the excess. Dip it into the egg mixture, let the excess drip away, then turn it gently in the breadcrumbs. Make sure every surface is covered, but do not pack or firmly press the crumbs onto the meat. Transfer to the tray in a single layer and repeat.

Step 4: Heat the oil and prepare a draining rack

Heat the oven to 100°C (212°F), conventional. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet so the cooked chicken can drain without sitting in oil.

Pour the frying oil into a deep, heavy pot approximately 24 cm wide and at least 5 liters in capacity. Aim for an oil depth of about 3 cm, and never fill the pot more than halfway. Heat over medium-high heat to 175°C (350°F), checking with a frying thermometer. Allow approximately 8 minutes for heating, although your stove may take a little longer.

Step 5: Fry the chicken in small batches

Carefully lower 2 breaded thighs into the hot oil, placing them away from you to reduce splashing. Fry for 7–8 minutes total, turning once after about 4 minutes, until the coating is evenly golden brown. Keep the oil between 165°C and 175°C (330°F and 350°F), adjusting the heat as needed.

Check the thickest part of each thigh with an instant-read thermometer; it must reach at least 74°C (165°F). Color alone is not a reliable guide. If necessary, continue cooking in 1-minute increments. Let the oil return to 175°C (350°F) before adding the next batch.

Step 6: Drain and keep the coating crisp

Lift the chicken out with tongs, let excess oil drip back into the pot, and place it on the wire rack. Keep the cooked pieces uncovered in the warm oven while you fry the remaining chicken in 3 more batches. Try to keep the holding time under 25 minutes for the best texture.

Skim out loose, dark breadcrumbs between batches with a fine-mesh metal skimmer. Avoid stacking the chicken or covering it with foil, which traps steam and softens the crust.

Step 7: Mix the pumpkin seed oil dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, sugar, salt, and pepper until the sugar and salt dissolve. Whisk in the roasted pumpkin seed oil. The dressing will be dark green-brown with a rich, toasted aroma; that is exactly what you want.

Pour over the chilled lettuce, cucumber, and radishes immediately before serving. Toss gently until the leaves are lightly coated.

Step 8: Plate and serve right away

Serve 2 chicken thighs per person with a generous portion of salad. Sprinkle the chicken with chopped parsley and add a lemon wedge to each plate. Keep the salad beside the chicken rather than underneath it so the dressing does not soak into the crisp breading. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken at the table.

Pro Tips

Use fine, plain breadcrumbs: They create the classic, relatively delicate Backhendl crust. Panko gives a noticeably different, coarser finish.
Keep the breading light: Shake off excess flour and let excess egg drip away. Thick layers can turn heavy or separate from the chicken.
Let the oil temperature guide you: Oil that is too cool makes greasy breading; oil that is too hot browns the coating before the center is cooked.
Choose roasted pumpkin seed oil: Styrian-style oil has the deep color and nutty flavor that make this simple salad special. Use it in the dressing, not for frying.
Have the table ready: Backhendl is at its best straight from the rack, with the salad freshly dressed.

Variations

Chicken breast version: Replace the thighs with 900 g chicken breast, cut into 8 pieces and pounded to 1.5 cm thick. Begin checking after 5 minutes of frying and cook until every piece reaches 74°C (165°F).
More traditional bone-in version: Use small bone-in chicken portions and maintain the oil at 165°C (330°F). Allow approximately 12–18 minutes, depending on the cut, and verify at least 74°C (165°F) in the thickest meat without touching bone. Total cooking time will increase.
Even simpler salad: Omit the cucumber and radishes and use 300 g butter lettuce or lamb’s lettuce instead. Add the dressing gradually, tossing until lightly coated.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Make ahead: Wash and dry the salad vegetables up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate in a covered container with a dry paper towel. Mix the dressing up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate separately; bring it to room temperature and whisk before serving. For the crispest chicken, bread immediately before frying. If needed, refrigerate breaded raw chicken in a single layer for up to 2 hours before cooking.

Leftovers: Refrigerate cooked chicken within 2 hours and store in a shallow, covered container for up to 3–4 days. Reheat on a wire rack over a baking sheet in a 190°C (375°F) oven for 12–18 minutes, until the center reaches 74°C (165°F). Avoid microwaving if you want to preserve the crunch. Store undressed salad separately for up to 2 days; dressed salad is best eaten immediately.

Frying oil: Let the oil cool completely before handling. If it has not scorched, strain it into a clean container and refrigerate for reuse. Discard oil that smells rancid, becomes unusually dark, or foams excessively. Never pour oil down the drain.

Nutrition (per serving)

Estimated for 2 chicken thighs with one-quarter of the salad and dressing. Values account for an estimated amount of breading and frying oil retained; actual amounts will vary.