German Baked Chicken Legs (Hähnchenschenkel) Recipe
Simple baked chicken legs in an herb marinade that in Germany often end up on the table as a quick weekday dinner. The flavor is a bit like roast chicken from a French bistro, but with more herbs than garlic. It’s a “put it in the oven and forget it for a while” kind of dish, giving you time to cook potatoes or make a salad.
These chicken legs deliver lots of flavor with very little effort: a quick herb marinade, then straight into the oven. The skin turns crispy while the meat stays juicy, making it a reliable everyday recipe.
Chef's tips
For best results, make sure the chicken skin is really dry before marinating so it crisps up nicely. If you have time, marinate the legs longer in the fridge and bring them back to room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking.
How to serve
Serve with potatoes (boiled, mashed or roasted), a green salad or a simple cucumber salad. A side of German-style sauerkraut salad or coleslaw also works very well.
Ingredients
- chicken leg - 8 piece
- vegetable oil - 3 tablespoons
- garlic - 3 piece
- sweet paprika - 2 teaspoons
- thyme, dried - 1 teaspoon
- marjoram, dried - 1 teaspoon
- lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
- salt
- black pepper
Preparation
- Rinse the chicken legs under cold water and pat them completely dry with paper towels. If there are any remaining feather stubs on the skin, remove them with tweezers or a small knife.
- Peel the garlic and finely chop it or press it through a garlic press.
- In a bowl, mix the oil, lemon juice, sweet paprika, thyme, marjoram, garlic, salt and pepper. You should get a thick, aromatic paste.
- Rub each chicken leg thoroughly with the marinade, trying to work some of it under the skin so the meat absorbs more flavor.
- Place the legs skin-side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper or in an ovenproof dish. Leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours in the fridge if you have time.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Put the tray with the chicken legs into the hot oven.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the skin is well browned and crispy and clear juices run out when you pierce the thickest part of a leg.
- If you want even crispier skin, switch on the grill function for the last 5 minutes or increase the temperature to 220°C, watching carefully so the meat doesn’t burn.
- After taking the legs out of the oven, let them rest for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute in the meat, then serve.
Storage
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2–3 days. The meat is great cold in sandwiches, salads or wraps, or reheated and added to pasta or rice dishes.
