Chicken In Salt Crust Recipes

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.

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.

ROAST CHICKEN IN A BUTTER CRUST

Steps:

• Make the crust: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, salt and sugar and mix briefly to combine. Add butter pieces and mix until butter breaks into smaller pieces and is evenly mixed with flour. Add 1/2 cup cold water and mix until dough begins to come together in one lump.
• Turn off mixer, remove paddle and attach dough hook. Knead at low speed until a smooth mass forms, about 2 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand: push dough away from you with the heel of your hand, fold it over toward you, give it a quarter-turn, then repeat until dough feels elastic and moist. If dough feels sticky, knead in flour as you go, 1 tablespoon at a time. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
• Make the chicken: Cut off wing tips and discard (or save for stock). Pat bird dry and sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, loosely covered, while you make the stuffing (or longer, up to 2 days).
• Heat oil or butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add vegetables, herbs and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, at a gentle sizzle until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to prevent browning. Set aside to cool.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Stuff chicken with the vegetables. To secure stuffing and keep the bird in a compact shape, cross legs at the "ankles" and tie together with twine.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a rough circle that's large enough to enclose the chicken. Place stuffed chicken, breast side down, in the center. Wrap dough up and around the bird, encompassing it completely. Overlap the edges and pinch them closed to make a seam. Turn wrapped bird over and place seam side down on a baking sheet.
• Whisk egg white with 1 tablespoon water and brush all over dough. Sprinkle very lightly with salt. Bake until crust is golden brown and meat is cooked through (165 degrees; it is O.K. to puncture the crust with the thermometer), 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on size.
• Let cool 1 to 2 hours before serving. The meat will remain hot and the juices will be absorbed into the meat and the stuffing.
• To serve, use your hands to break off the top of the crust and place on the baking sheet. The breasts will be on top: peel off skin, discard, and carve the breast meat off the bone. Continue carving, without turning bird over. The juices will soak into the crust and pool on the baking sheet: this is exactly what you want. Cut the twine and use a spoon to remove stuffing and divide on serving plates. Add chicken and pieces of crust to each plate. Tilt pan and spoon up juices to pour over meat and vegetables. Serve immediately.

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

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.

WHOLE ROASTED CHICKEN IN SALT CRUST

Steps:

• Preparations.
• Brush chicken on all sides with balsamic vinegar. In small bowl, combine butter, chopped shallots, garlic/Morton® Kosher Salt mixture*, orange zest and pepper. Spread mixture over chicken. Lightly pat to evenly coat chicken. Place the chicken on oiled rack in foil lined roasting pan. Fill chicken cavity with sliced shallots and orange pieces. Sprinkle top of chicken with 1/4 cup Morton® Kosher Salt.
• Cooking.
• Roast uncovered at 425°F for 50 to 60 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through and . (**iInternal temperature reaches 170°F for /white meat and 180°F for /dark meat**). Let rest 10 minutes; remove and discard salt crust. Cut into serving pieces. Serve with roasted potatoes.
• Tips:
• *Sprinkle 1 teaspoon Morton Kosher Salt over garlic cloves. Chop garlic with Morton® Kosher Salt until minced. Proceed with remaining spices as above. ·.