salt-crusted chicken

2015-01-25

This is one of those must-try-at-least-once recipes, if only for the fun of seeing the guest’s faces when you’re breaking the crust with hammer and chisel.

The good:

This smells really good while in the oven.
Despite using an entire pound of salt, the chicken is not salty at all.
It looks quite good coming out of the oven and the chicken inside is deliciously moist.
That chicken is not really roasted, more like steamed or braised. Still, it tastes delicious.

The bad:

I found it quite a hassle to prepare the dough to wrap the thing.
Best use a non-stick baking dish, although an overnight soak will cause a seeming miracle cleaning it up.

The ugly:

No, this chicken is not bruised. Those green spots under the skin are parsley.
The shell is completely wasted with this recipe. With that much salt in it, it's pure poison.

It is possible to make this with an edible bread crust.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 4+ servings:

1 chicken, 4-5 lbs.
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 lb. all-purpose flour
1 lb. coarse salt
3 tbsp. thyme, rosemary or oregano
egg whites from 4 large eggs

Pic1: salt-crusted chicken

Directions

Pic2: before cooking
Pic3: after cooking
Pic4: breaking free

Lightly oil a baking dish big enough to hold the chicken comfortably. Set aside.
Place the chicken on a work surface, on its back, with the neck side facing you.
Slip your hand under the skin, starting at the base of the neck.
Work your hand gently further in.
Lift the skin from the flesh over each breast, and down over each thigh, without tearing the skin.
Once the skin is loosened, slip in the chopped parsley and push it underneath the skin to cover the breasts and the thighs as evenly as you can. I wasn't very even. (Pic1)
Crush the garlic and rub the body cavity of the chicken with it.
Use a piece of chicken string to truss the chicken. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the salt and thyme.
Add the egg whites, and 2/3 cup fresh water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the liquids are absorbed.
Turn out onto a clean work surface, and knead briefly until the dough is supple and pleasant to work with, not sticky or crumbly. Add a little water or flour as needed to adjust the consistency.
Flour your work surface well, and roll out the salt dough into a large enough disc to wrap the chicken in it, about 20" diameter.
Place the chicken in the middle of the circle and fold the dough over the chicken to wrap it entirely. (Pic2)
Press gently to seal. Brush the seams with some water to ‘glue’ them shut.
Transfer the wrapped chicken to the baking dish.
Optional:
- Refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
Bake at 400 ºF for 90 minutes.
Optional:
- Turn off the oven and leave the chicken inside for up to 30 minutes more.
Remove the dish from the oven.
Break the salt crust open with a meat mallet or the handle of a chef knife.
Once cracked, the crust can be pulled open fairly easily.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to carve.
Discard the crust.
Serve the chicken with the cooking juices, potatoes, and vegetables.

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more and avemariasongs.org

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more
and avemariasongs.org