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4.84 from 6 votes

Salt baked chicken is a traditional Cantonese and Hakka dish. The chicken is wrapped in parchment paper and slow-baked in heated coarse salt. This unique cooking method imparts a light smokey flavour; it cooks the chicken evenly while retaining all its flavours thus yielding a very tender and juicy salt baked chicken.

This chicken recipe uses just salt and the Chinese herb Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis), a simple dish with a very unique aromatic fragrance.

Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

Tips:

  • This is a rather simple recipe with very minimal ingredients, free-range chicken is recommended because they have better flavor and texture compared to commercial farm-raised chicken.
  • Commercial farm-raised chicken is tender while free-range chicken has more flavor with a slightly chewy texture, choose according to your preference.
  • You may use whole chicken if you own a large enough cooking wok.
  • Do not use non-stick cookware for this recipe; this cooking method will damage the non-stick coating.

CHINESE VERSION: 当归盐焗鸡

 

Chinese Salt Baked Chicken Recipe | MyKitchen101en

Yield: 2 whole chicken legs

Ingredients:

  • 2 Whole chicken legs (free-range chicken quarters, about 600g)
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 6 g slices of Angelica Sinensis
  • 2 kg coarse salt
  • 3 pieces parchment paper (15 x 20 inch)

Instructions:

1 Wash and clean whole chicken legs (quarters), pull out any pin feathers that still cling to the skin, pat dry with a paper towel.

Salt Baked Chicken Recipe
 

2 Season with about ¾ tsp of salt and place few slices of Angelica Sinensis (herbs) on each chicken leg.

Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

3 Wrap the chicken with 3 layers of parchment paper(15 x 20 inch).

Salt Baked Chicken Recipe
 

4 Marinate for at least 1½ hours, keep refrigerated.

Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

5 Heat about 2kg of coarse salt in a wok for about 6-8 minutes and stir occasionally.

Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

6 Place in the wrapped chicken, cover them with salt and bake on medium heat for 1 hour, turn over and bake for another 30 minutes or until fully cooked. Tips: Place more salt on the bottom to prevent charring the parchment paper. Do not use non-stick cookware.

Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

7 Remove parchment paper and serve salt baked chicken warm. Can be kept frozen for 1-3 months or refrigerated for 3-5 days, reheat with microwave or steam them before serving.

Salt Baked Chicken Recipe
Salt Baked Chicken Recipe
Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

Chinese Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

Salt baked chicken is a traditional Cantonese and Hakka dish. The chicken is wrapped in parchment paper and slow-baked in heated coarse salt.

Rate

4.84 from 6 votes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese, Traditional
Servings 2 large pieces
Calories 309 kcal

Equipment

  • 3 parchment papers 15 x 20 inch
  • 2 kg coarse salt

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 whole chicken legs free-range chicken quarters, about 600g
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 6 g slices of Angelica Sinensis

Instructions
 

  • Wash and clean whole chicken legs (quarters), pull out any pin feathers that still cling to the skin, pat dry with a paper towel.
    Salt Baked Chicken Recipe
  • Season with about ¾ tsp of salt and place few slices of Angelica Sinensis (herbs) on each chicken leg.
    Salt Baked Chicken Recipe
  • Wrap the chicken with 3 layers of parchment paper(15 x 20 inch). Marinate for at least 1½ hours, keep refrigerated.
    Salt Baked Chicken Recipe
  • Heat about 2 kg of coarse salt in a wok for about 6-8 minutes and stir occasionally.
    Salt Baked Chicken Recipe
  • Place in the wrapped chicken, cover them with salt and bake on medium heat for 1 hour, turn over and bake for another 30 minutes or until fully cooked. Tips: Place more salt on the bottom to prevent charring the parchment paper. Do not use non-stick cookware.
    Salt Baked Chicken Recipe
  • Remove parchment paper and serve salt baked chicken warm. Can be kept frozen for 1-3 months or refrigerated for 3-5 days, reheat with microwave or steam them before serving.
    Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

Video

Notes

This recipe yields 2 whole chicken legs. 
The nutritional value for reference is for 1 whole chicken leg. 

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 309kcalProtein: 49gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 234mgSodium: 1119mgPotassium: 613mgVitamin A: 82IUCalcium: 26mgIron: 2mg
Keyword chinese salt baked chicken, salt baked chicken
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