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blue-rimmed plate ful of sliced chicken pieces
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5 from 5 votes

Roasted Salt Crusted Chicken Recipe

This is the easiest, most delicious way to roast a chicken. And the result is unbelievably scrumptious.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken for family dinner, unique chicken recipes
Servings: 5 to 6
Calories: 468kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 approximately (5-pound) whole chicken
  • 4 cups kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Remove the insides of the chicken, rinse it lightly inside and out, pat dry with paper towels, and then truss it with butcher twine. Set aside.
  • Pour the salt into a large, heavy-bottomed pot and place it over medium-high heat. Stir frequently and "cook" the salt until it's very hot to the touch, about 5 minutes. (The pot should be large enough to fit the chicken with a couple of inches around it.
  • Pour or scoop out all but a few inches of the hot salt into a bowl and set aside. Move the salt around so one side is a bit higher than the other. Gently place the chicken on the salt, breast side down on the lower half of the salt. Add the remaining salt to the chicken, covering it as thoroughly as possible.
  • Without a lid, place the salt covered chicken in the preheated 400°F oven and roast until the internal temperature is 155°F to 160°F. (You can gently stick the thermometer directly through the salt crust.) The final internal temperature will be about 165 degrees, as the chicken will continue to cook for several minutes outside of the oven. The juices should run clear and the legs should move easily when it’s done. Cooking times might vary, but it should take about 1 hour.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven and use a piece of crumbled foil to place under the chicken, opposite the breast side, to ensure the juices are flowing down into the breasts. Loosely cover the chicken with foil to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
  • When you're ready to carve, simply crack the salt off the chicken and cut! The skin will easily just slide off. This is an exciting part -- you're unveiling your masterpiece!

Nutrition

Calories: 468kcal