Go Back
–+ servings
Salt Baked Chicken

Salt Baked Chicken

A Hakka classic - a whole chicken cooked inside a bed of hot salt, resulting in exceptionally moist, deeply seasoned meat.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Chicken, Hakka, Roasted
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 412kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken about 1.5kg
  • 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1 thumb fresh ginger sliced
  • 3 scallions
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 3 kg coarse sea salt
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

  • Rub the chicken inside and out with Shaoxing wine and white pepper. Stuff the cavity with ginger and scallions. Let sit 20 minutes.
  • Wrap the chicken tightly in parchment paper, then in a layer of foil.
  • Heat the coarse salt with star anise and cinnamon in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until very hot, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
  • Bury the wrapped chicken in the hot salt, cover the pot, and cook over low heat for 55-60 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the chicken from the salt, unwrap, and rest 10 minutes before carving.

Notes

Chef's Tip: Wrapping the chicken tightly is essential - it protects the meat from the salt while still letting the heat penetrate for that signature moist texture. Keto Swaps: none needed - salt-baked chicken is naturally keto as written.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal | Protein: 38g | Fat: 26g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!