Salt-Crusted Chicken

I suggest an Italian recipe with a delicate variation called “Salt-Crusted Chicken”. The salt crust is a Mediterranean cooking technique that keeps the chicken incredibly juicy, as the salt seals all the moisture inside. Here’s how to prepare the salt-crusted chicken:

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 1.2-1.5 kg), eviscerated and cleaned
• 3 kg coarse salt
• 2 egg whites
• Aromatics to taste (e.g., rosemary, sage, bay leaf, thyme)
• 2 lemons
• Black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Fill the chicken cavity with the aromatics to taste and the lemons cut in half. These will flavor the meat during cooking.
3. In a large bowl, mix the coarse salt with the egg whites until you achieve a consistency that allows you to mold the salt, without it being too wet.
4. On a baking tray lined with parchment paper, spread a first layer of salt and place the chicken on top. Cover the chicken completely with the remaining salt, pressing well to form a compact crust.
5. Bake in the oven for about 70-90 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken.
6. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then break the salt crust with a small hammer or the handle of a sturdy knife and remove the excess salt.
7. Remove the chicken from the crust, discard the skin (now salty) and serve the meat, which will be tender and juicy.

Fun Fact

This technique is ancient and was used when modern cooking methods did not exist to keep the meat soft and succulent. The salt crust also creates a fun spectacle at the table when it is broken in front of the guests! Remember that the chicken skin will be very salty and therefore it is not advisable to eat it, but the meat inside will be perfect.