Salt-Baked Chicken

盐焗鸡

This Cantonese salt-baked chicken bakes in a hot salt crust until the meat is juicy and silky with fragrant, golden skin. A showpiece dinner in 90 minutes.

Ingredients

• whole chicken (1.2–1.4 kg), giblets removed
• coarse sea salt (not iodized)
• star anise
• fresh ginger, sliced 3 mm thick

Instructions

1. Rinse chicken inside and out; pat extremely dry. Rub cavity and skin with ginger slices and 2 star anise pods. Tie legs together with kitchen twine.
2. Wrap chicken tightly in two layers: first parchment paper, then heavy-duty aluminum foil. Seal seams completely.
3. In a large Dutch oven or heavy roasting pan, heat 1 kg salt over medium heat 5 minutes until warm (not hot). Add remaining salt, star anise, and ginger slices; stir to combine. (Salt looks dry and grainy, with no visible moisture or clumping)
4. Bury wrapped chicken completely in warm salt mixture. Cover pan tightly with lid or foil. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 60 minutes.
5. Carefully remove chicken from salt (wear oven mitts). Unwrap—steam will escape. Let rest 10 minutes before carving. Discard salt mixture.