Best 5 Rock Salt Roast Chicken Recipes

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Indulge in the delectable flavors of a succulent and tender roast chicken, expertly prepared with the time-honored technique of rock salt roasting. This culinary masterpiece delivers a crispy, golden-brown skin and moist, juicy meat that will tantalize your taste buds. The secret lies in the unique cooking method, where a bed of rock salt acts as a natural heat conductor, ensuring even cooking and locking in the chicken's natural juices. This comprehensive guide presents three distinct recipes, each offering a unique twist on this classic dish. Choose from a traditional rock salt roast chicken recipe, a mouthwatering lemon and herb-infused variation, or an exciting peri-peri-spiced version that packs a flavorful punch. Whichever recipe you select, you're in for a delightful culinary experience that will leave you craving more.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

CHEF JOHN'S SALT ROASTED CHICKEN



Chef John's Salt Roasted Chicken image

This is one of those rare recipes where the name is the same as the ingredient list. You're going to be so shocked at how flavorful, juicy, and amazing this roast chicken comes out.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Whole Chicken Recipes

Time 1h15m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 (3 1/2) pound whole chicken at room temperature
3 tablespoons kosher salt, or as needed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 lemon, juiced
⅓ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon water, or as needed
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into four pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 553.6 calories, Carbohydrate 1.2 g, Cholesterol 185.4 mg, Fat 35.7 g, Fiber 0.1 g, Protein 53.7 g, SaturatedFat 12 g, Sodium 4604.2 mg, Sugar 0.4 g

SALT-AND-PEPPER ROAST CHICKEN



Salt-and-Pepper Roast Chicken image

Calling for just four ingredients - chicken, salt, pepper and whatever herbs you have around - this is a recipe for roast chicken at its simplest and best. The method is fairly straightforward. You season the bird, then roast it at high heat until the skin is bronzed and crisp and the flesh juicy. If you have time to season the chicken ahead, you should; it makes a difference in flavor. And bear in mind, if you have the kind of oven that starts smoking at high heat, you can cook your bird at 400 degrees instead of 450, though you'll need an extra 5 to 20 minutes to get it done.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     easy, weeknight, main course

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 (3 1/2-pound) whole chicken, patted dry
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
Small bunch mixed herbs, such as rosemary, thyme and sage

Steps:

  • Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. If you have time, refrigerate the chicken, uncovered, for an hour, or overnight.
  • Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan or large ovenproof skillet. Stuff cavity with herbs and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. (If you don't have twine, leave the legs as they are.)
  • Roast 50 minutes, then baste chicken with pan juices. Continue roasting until chicken's juices run clear when skin is pierced with a knife, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 587, UnsaturatedFat 26 grams, Carbohydrate 2 grams, Fat 41 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 51 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 933 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams

ROCK SALT ROAST CHICKEN {BASICALLY THE BEST ROAST CHICKEN EVER} RECIPE - (4.3/5)



Rock Salt Roast Chicken {Basically The Best Roast Chicken Ever} Recipe - (4.3/5) image

Provided by carvalhohm

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 whole chicken
4 pound box rock salt (also called ice cream salt)
1 lemon
3-4 sprigs parsley
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch pan with foil for easy cleanup and pour the rock salt into the pan, evening it into a thick, smooth layer. Remove and discard anything (like neck, gizzards, etc.) from inside the chicken, if included, and rinse the chicken inside and out, draining thoroughly. Generously salt and pepper the inside and outside of the chicken. With a fork, poke holes all over the lemon. Put the lemon, parsley and garlic into the cavity of the chicken. Secure the chicken closed with a toothpick or two. Place the chicken on the bed of salt. Bake for 40 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken over and bake for another 40-50 minutes until cooked through (the chicken should register 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part of the chicken breast).

FULLY SALTED ROAST CHICKEN



Fully Salted Roast Chicken image

This two-ingredient chicken relies on nothing but kosher salt-lots of it-to yield crisp skin and juicy meat.

Provided by Claire Saffitz

Categories     Bon Appétit     Dinner     Chicken     Roast

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 2

1 (3 1/2-4-lb.) chicken
Kosher salt

Steps:

  • Pat dry chicken with paper towels. Holding a 5-finger pinch of salt and positioning your hand at least 10" above chicken, evenly rain salt down over chicken. Repeat with several more pinches of salt until both inside and outside of chicken are covered with salt (be generous and make sure to get inside all the nooks and crannies). Place chicken on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and chill uncovered at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
  • Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Roast chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken thigh registers 165°F, 40-55 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before carving.

ROCK SALT ROAST



Rock Salt Roast image

I'm told this is one of those recipes that looks awful but tastes great. Despite the coating, the beef will not be salty. Instead you will have a ery juicy roast, because the moisture is kept inside by the coating.

Provided by Sackville

Categories     Meat

Time 2h20m

Yield 1 roast

Number Of Ingredients 4

6 -7 lbs rib roast (or your favourite beef roast)
fresh ground black pepper
6 -7 cups rock salt
3 cups prepared hot mustard

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Season the meat with pepper.
  • Insert a meat thermometer into the middle of the thickest part of the lean muscle.
  • Slather the meat in mustard, until it is entirely covered.
  • Cover a roasting pan in foil and then put a thick layer of rock salt on the bottom of the pan, about the size of the bottom of the roast.
  • Set the bottom of the roast on the salt, and press down to embed the salt into the mustard.
  • Completely cover the remainder of the roast with rock salt, pressing it into the mustard.
  • A lot of salt will fall off into the pan, but that doesn't hurt.
  • Roast eighteen minutes per pound for rare beef, twenty-two minutes for medium, and twenty-five minutes for well done.
  • After the first fifteen minutes of roasting time, check the roast to make sure that the coating is still intact.
  • Repair any cracks or holes, using any left over salt and mustard.
  • Double check the degree of doneness on the meat thermometer near the end of the roasting time.
  • Let stand 15 minutes.
  • The roast will be encased in a'shell'.
  • Hit the shell sharply with the back of a knife, and it will crack open and start to fall off.
  • Remove the shell, and place the roast on a cutting board.
  • Slice, and serve with horseradish sauce.
  • Note: The roast will continue to cook if the hard shell is left on after roast is removed from the oven.
  • One six-and-one-half-pound roast removed after roasting for fifteen minutes per pound reached a rare degree of doneness in twenty-five minutes with the coating left on.

Tips:

  • Choose the right chicken: For the best results, use a whole chicken that is between 3 and 4 pounds. A larger chicken will take longer to cook and may not cook evenly.
  • Pat the chicken dry: Before seasoning the chicken, pat it dry with paper towels. This will help the salt and spices adhere to the skin.
  • Season the chicken generously: Don't be afraid to use a lot of salt and pepper. The salt will help to draw out the chicken's natural flavors and the pepper will add a nice kick.
  • Let the chicken rest before carving: Once the chicken is cooked, let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. This will help the juices redistribute throughout the chicken, making it more moist and flavorful.
  • Serve the chicken with your favorite sides: Rock salt roast chicken is a versatile dish that can be served with a variety of sides. Some popular options include roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

Conclusion:

Rock salt roast chicken is a simple but delicious dish that is perfect for any occasion. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a flavorful and juicy chicken that will impress your family and friends. So next time you're looking for an easy and delicious chicken recipe, give rock salt roast chicken a try. You won't be disappointed!

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