Salt Crust Chicken Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S SALT ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Dry the outside of chicken with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips underneath the chicken and place into a large oven-safe skillet. Use scissors to snip off the tail, if desired.
• Generously sprinkle kosher salt into the cavity and over the back and sides of chicken. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen twine. Sprinkle salt generously over the breasts, coating them thoroughly. Wipe excess salt out of skillet with paper towels.
• Bake chicken in the preheated oven until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into a thigh, not touching bone, reads 160 degrees C (70 degrees C), 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from skillet to a serving platter and let rest 5 to 10 minutes.
• Blot about 90 percent of the chicken fat from the skillet with a paper towel held with tongs, leaving the browned bits of food in the skillet. Place skillet over medium-high heat and add thyme leaves. Cook and stir until thyme is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour lemon juice, chicken broth, and water into skillet, stirring until the browned bits dissolve and the sauce has reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low, add cold butter, and stir until butter has begun to melt. Add any accumulated juices from the chicken to sauce and continue to stir until butter is incorporated and sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken to serve.

SALT-CRUST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat an horno or home oven (with the rack positioned in the lower third of the oven) to approximately 500°F.
• Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Put the thyme, garlic, and bay leaves in the cavity and truss with kitchen twine.
• Empty the salt into the sink (or a large basin or bucket if working outdoors). Pour 2 cups of water over the salt and, using your hands, toss to combine. Add more water as needed, a cup or two at a time, tossing until the mixture has the consistency of damp snow.
• Make a 1-inch-deep bed of salt in a roasting pan and tamp it down. Place the chicken in the center. Stick the probe of a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Cover the chicken completely with the remaining salt, tamping it down so that it is completely encased.
• Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes; the internal temperature of the thigh should read 175°F. Spread newspapers on the counter next to the sink. Remove the pan from the oven, place on the newspaper, and let rest for 10 minutes (the internal temperature will rise to about 185°F).
• Crack the salt crust with a rolling pin or mallet, lift off the pieces, and discard them. With a pastry brush, brush the remaining salt away from the chicken. Carefully pull off the skin from the breasts and legs. Slice off the breasts from the bone and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Slice the meat from the legs and thighs.
• Arrange the meat on a warm platter and spoon the salsa over the chicken.

TOPSY TURVY CRISPY ROAST CHICKEN WITH SALT CRUST SEASONING

Steps:

• Mix all the seasoning mix ingredients together and store in a jar until needed.
• Remove all the wrapping from the chicken and snip the elasticated string that ties the chicken together. Wipe the chicken all over with kitchen paper to dry the skin. Sprinkle a good amount of rock salt over, making sure that you cover all the chicken. Now chill overnight or for at least 8 hours so the salt can draw out any excess moisture.
• Preheat the oven to 190C, 375F or gas mark 5.
• Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, brush and shake off the excess rock salt.
• Place the chicken in the roasting tin and season inside the cavity. Push the lemon and onion inside with the herbs. These will produce steam and flavour, to keep the chicken moist. Brush the chicken all over with melted butter or olive oil, then season liberally with the rest of the seasoning mix. (The salt makes the skin crispy and the butter will keep the chicken moist.).
• Roast the chicken, breast side up, in the centre of the oven for 1 hour, then carefully remove the chicken, and with two roasting forks to aid you, turn the chicken over, so the breast is underneath now. Continue to cook for a further 30 minutes. Then take the chicken out and turn it over once more, with the breast side up now, and continue to roast for a further 15 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
• To check that it is cooked, pierce the fattest part of the thigh with a fine skewer. If the juices are pink or show traces of blood, cook the chicken a further 10-15 minutes, then check again. If the juices are pale golden, the chicken is cooked.
• Using two forks, lift the chicken from the roasting tin onto a large plate and reserve the cooking juices. Leave for 10 minutes before carving. This allows the juices, which have risen to the surface during cooking, to be reabsorbed into the meat to give a moist texture.
• Cook's tips.
• How to make Gravy.
• Drain all but 3 tbsp of the juices from the roasting tin. Set the roasting tin on a hob and reheat the juices. Sprinkle in 2 tsp of plain flour and stir well with a wooden spoon. Gradually stir in 300ml chicken stock. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened and smooth. Season well. If the gravy is bland, add a little mustard and a splash of soy sauce. For a special gravy, some of the stock can be replaced with red or white wine.
• Carving the Chicken.
• Hold the chicken steady with a fork, then insert a large sharp knife between the body and leg. Cut off the leg. Divide the leg in half at the joint to give a drumstick and thigh portion. Cut away the wing on the same side. Carve down the breast in thick slices. Repeat on the other side of the chicken.

SALT CRUSTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the salt and water and stir until you have "wet sand." Set aside.
• Using a sharp pair of kitchen shears, cut the backbone out of the chicken. (This is called "Spatchcocking" and allows the chicken to cook more evenly.)
• Spread a small amount (1-2 handfuls) out on the parchment paper, and place the chicken on top, laying flat.
• Pile the rest of the salt mixture on top. Pat it down like you're building a sandcastle, making sure it's completely coated, there are no holes, and no spots of skin peeking through. You're trying to achieve an even coating.
• Bake in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven, and using a knife or mallet, break open the 'crust' the salt has formed over the chicken and discard. Use a pastry brush to brush off any loose salt.
• Peel the skin off the chicken to reveal the juicy, tender, and perfectly cooked meat underneath. The skin will be very salty, but the meat underneath will not be.
• Serve immediately.

CARDAMOM CHICKEN WITH SALT AND PEPPER CRUST

Steps:

• Place the garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey and cardamom in a resealable plastic bag. Place chicken thighs in the bag, and squeeze to coat. Press out most of the air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Remove the chicken from the marinade, and discard the marinade. Place chicken on a broiling pan or baking sheet. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, or until chicken is browned and crisp, and cooked through.

SALT CRUST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the olives, capers, thyme, garlic, bell peppers, onion, orange zest, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. The salsa can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• Heat an horno (similar to an outdoor bread oven) or home oven (with the rack positioned in the lower third of the oven) to approximately 500°F (260°C).
• Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Put the thyme, garlic, and bay leaves in the cavity and truss with kitchen twine.
• Empty the salt into the sink (or a large basin or bucket if working outdoors). Pour 2 cups of water over the salt and, using your hands, toss to combine. Add more water as needed, a cup or two at a time, tossing until the mixture has the consistency of damp snow.
• Make a 1-inch-deep bed of salt in a roasting pan and tamp it down. Place the chicken in the center. Stick the probe of a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Cover the chicken completely with the remaining salt, tamping it down to make a salt crust so that it is completely encased.
• Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes; the internal temperature of the thigh should read 175°F (79°C). Spread newspapers on the counter next to the sink. Remove the pan from the oven, place on the newspaper, and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. The internal temperature will rise to about 185°F (85°C).
• Crack the salt crust with a rolling pin or mallet, lift off the pieces, and discard them. With a pastry brush, brush the remaining salt away from the chicken. Carefully pull off the skin from the breasts and legs. Slice off the chicken breasts from the bone and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Slice the meat from the legs and thighs.
• Arrange the meat on a warm platter and spoon the salsa over the chicken.

SALTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 C or 400 degrees F.
• Put all the salt into a bowl with the fennel seeds, eggs, lemon juice (save the juiced lemon skins), peppercorns and a wineglass of water and mix together.
• Crush the thyme in a pestle and mortar and add a couple good glugs of olive oil.
• Rub this flavoured oil all over your chicken, pushing any extra inside the cavity along with the parsley, garlic and squeezed lemon halves.
• You want the cavity so full that no salt will be able to get in.
• Get four long pieces of tinfoil and put them on top of each other to make a sheet around a metre square.
• Lay on a third of the salt, spreading until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
• Put your chicken on top, then pack the rest of the salt around it, making sure not to pierce the skin.
• Carefully fold up the sides of the tinfoil and scrunch it at the top.
• You can rip off any extra tinfoil.
• Place the chicken in the preheated oven and cook for two hours.
• Remove and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
• Take it to the table, rip open the tinfoil and crack the salt crust.
• It will fall apart easily and you will have a juicy chicken ready to serve.
• A nice side dish is some horseradish, mixed with creme fraiche or some homemade mayonnaise and basil.

SALT CRUST DOUGH

Steps:

• Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and knead in the bowl until completely mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• When ready to use, dust a large piece of parchment paper with flour. Place a portion of the dough on the paper and cover with a second piece of parchment. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove the top piece of parchment. Invert the dough over the food to be covered and remove the other sheet of parchment. Adjust the shape of the dough and remove any excess as needed

CHICKEN IN SALT CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet large enough to hold the two chickens
• Stuff each chicken with 3 garlic cloves, 2 sprigs, rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed peppercorns. Truss the chickens with kitchen twine. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, chopped thyme, chopped tarragon, and parsley. Using a pastry brush, brush the mustard mixture all over the chickens. Place the chickens, breast sides up, on the prepared baking sheet.
• Divide the dough in half. According to the directions in the Salt Crust Dough recipe, roll out each portion as thinly as possible. Wrap each chicken completely with dough.
• Bake until the dough is browned and rock-hard, about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Using a hammer or the back of a heavy knife, crack open the crust and remove the chicken, brushing off any clinging crust with a clean kitchen towel. Cut each chicken in half lengthwise. Serve immediately on warmed plates