For years I’ve been buying rock salt (otherwise known as ice cream salt) in bulk. To make ice cream, you ask? Ha! My kids wish. Nope. To make roast chicken! Seriously. Stick with me here.
This recipe was passed on to me by my Aunt Marilyn who got it from a friend of hers who happens to be an amazing Italian cook. You might think that roasting a whole chicken on a bed of rock salt would be asking for a big, salty problem. But you would be wrong, no offense. Instead, the rock salt base locks in the moisture and flavor to create the most juicy, tender, tastiest chicken. Ever.
When you consider the thousands upon thousands of recipes that call for cooked, shredded chicken, I wouldn’t blame you if you are skimming the rest of this long-winded post so you can get in the kitchen and make this pronto. Plus, you can save the bones (I prefer not to say carcass because I just don’t like that word and dang it, you just made me say it) and make your own chicken stock to freeze for later use.
I make this recipe frequently for Sunday dinner and serve it with cheesy potatoes, rolls, a green salad and steamed veggie. However, if I’m being completely honest, 5.5 times out of 10 when I make this, I scrap the whole nice-dinner theme and we load the tender chicken onto rolls with mustard and sharp cheddar cheese and stuff our faces that way. Embrace the rock salt and make this chicken. No matter how you use it, you are bound to fall in love.
P.S. In an effort to avoid cleaning my toilets, organizing the chaos that exists underneath all our beds and folding the clothes in the dryer, I reorganized my Pinterest food boards instead. For a long time I’ve only had one food board (shocking, I know) but I have caved and reorganized it into several different boards to make my menu planning life easier (and subsequently deleted the old board). I still have my Made It…Loved It board (some of those get posted, some don’t) and my favorite Mel’s Kitchen Cafe Favorites, too. Happy pinning!
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Note: You can freeze the cooked and cooled chicken in resealable freezer bags for 1-2 months. Here is a great list of recipes that use cooked, shredded chicken - or just enjoy this chicken on it's own with a few delicious sides.
Ingredients
- 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
Directions
- 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).
Looks delicious! At what oven temperature did you roast the chicken? I wonder if I could use this method in roasting a turkey breast?
This looks wonderful! I’ve never heard of roasting chicken on a bed of salt and I’m really interested in trying it! And yes, what temperature do you roast the chicken? This one is definitely going on the meal plan for next week~thanks again for another great one!
Do you recommend starting the chicken breast side down then flipping it to back side down so the breast skin gets crispy? Looking forward to trying this.
Can you resuse the salt or is it covered in juice?
My family loves chicken, and I would love to try this recipe! After you correct the recipe with the cooking temperature I will print it out and give it a try! I imagine the salt also seasons the chicken as it cooks? I don’t think I have ever seen rock salt in my local grocery store. I will have to look for it!
I am guessing you roasted this at 350-375? And breast side down first then flip?
I can’t wait to try this! What temperature should the oven be set at? Thanks
I have the same question what temp. do you put the oven on.
Thank you
Love the look of this. I’m eagerly awaiting your answers to the questions your other readers have already posed.
I have no relatives who either have amazing recipe ideas like this or have friends who have recipe ideas like this. And definitely not a one of them is an amazing Italian cook. Lucky you! My youngest loves roast chicken with the intensity she usually reserves for bread, so I might just have to buy my baby some rock salt.
xo Nicole
I can’t believe you need exact oven temps! Picky, picky. (Ok, of course you know I’m just teasing…) Sorry for the missing critical info. Recipe has been updated. 400 degrees F.
Alicia, I usually start it breast side up but I really don’t think it matters.
In the printable directions w/ picture, it says:
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Celeste – no, I wouldn’t recommend reusing the salt.
Alicia – just a quick clarification – the reason I start it breast side up is so that it finishes breast side down and all the juices concentrate there to make it extra juicy; however, a few times when Brian has put it in the oven, he’s done it the reverse – and it is delicious that way, too.
How many pounds is the chicken?
Heather – most whole chickens I’ve seen range from about 3-5 pounds. The recipe isn’t specific (that’s why there is a range in cooking time and using a thermometer to test for the perfect temperature). Just adjust cooking time based on how big/small your chicken is.
OK, thanks. I did an 8 lb chicken last christmas and haven’t roasted one since, so I wanted to double check because I know the smaller sizes are more common.
Sounds delicious!
I’m going to try a breast-only version, using a salt, lemon-pepper, and garlic powder mixture for the “generous” seasoning….
Could this recipe be used for roasting a turkey?
I have never heard of such a thing! I am very intriged and can’t wait to try this!
My husband HAS to have gravy with the drippings any time we do a chicken, do you think it would be too salty to use for gravy?
I have to admit I’m intrigued because this sounds like it is so amazing and it seems like such a simple change–I will be trying it after Christmas!
Amanda – for all that is good and righteous, don’t use the drippings for gravy. You will have a salt lick on your hands. The juices from the chicken run into the rock salt and would be salvageable. Sorry!
I can not wait to try – especially if it is one of your Aunt Marilyn’s
And wow girl to organize your pinterest I am so impressed…maybe I should do that to avoid the 3 loads of laundry I have yet to put away 
Thanks for sharing! I love to roast chicken as well…but I always use Kosher salt. I’ve never tried a ‘bed’ of rock salt. I’ll have to give it a try and see if it is much different from just smothering the skin in kosher salt. Also–I always roast two chickens at once..and freeze the rest of the chicken for another day. I’ll second your suggestion for making chicken broth out of the carcass. I do the same and the broth freezes wonderfully!
Mel, I also want to know if you think this method would work for a turkey? (Although it would be tricky to flip over, that’s for sure!)
Where do you buy the rock salt?
OH, heck yes! Pinning it. And I’m totally going to reorganize my boards as well
This is my thoughts on doing a turkey, i don’t see why you could not do it. Might need 2 boxes of salt, to make up for the size difference. Like @christine said it just might be a bit tricky to flip it over. And just cook it like you would any other turkey.
Alli – I’ve always found it in the baking aisle on the bottom shelf (usually) by the other kinds of salt – like table salt, kosher salt, etc. I’ve found it everywhere from my local grocery store to Walmart.
Christine (and others) – I have never used this method on a turkey but since it is so similar to chicken, I think it would work just fine. You’ll need to use a larger pan, if necessary, and probably more rock salt if the pan size increases. And obviously, if the turkey is larger than a 3-5 pound whole chicken then you’ll need to adjust cooking time. Good luck if anyone tries it! By the way, a big handful of paper towels and a large, flat spatula work great to flip the chicken (or turkey, perhaps) – grabbing onto a leg with the paper towels and using the large spatula to give it a flip.
Mel…this looks so interesting! I want to try it! Have you ever heard of cooking on a salt block? It’s just a big slab of salt (like this: http://www.amazon.com/Himalayan-Salt-Block-9x9x2-Cookware/dp/B00135TYSK), and the one I have is pink. My brother sent it to me for my birthday, and I haven’t used it yet. But, I’m wondering if it would have the same effect as this rock salt. He said that it gives food a wonderful salt flavor. Hmmmm…now you’ve got me thinking…and I’m excited to try this!
I’m a little puzzled by what point the bed of salt serves. The chicken just sits on top of it? Anyway, Mel, I’m a big fan of your website. P.S.: My general experience with chicken roasting is that if you roast it at 350 for 30 minutes per pound, it’ll be done but not overdone. I start breast side up and then turn it over a little more than halfway through.
I was also wondering the same question as Patrick. What does the rock salt do? Does it add some flavor to the chicken?
Patrick and Karen – I haven’t done any scientific studies but from the numerous times I’ve made this, my general feeling is that the salt helps lock in moisture and then creates a delicious, salty (but not overly) flavor to the outside skin and meat of the chicken. It’s kind of one of those “you have to try it to become a believer” because it took me trying it before I realized it really does make the best roast chicken. The real key to making sure chicken is cooked but not overcooked is to use a thermometer to test for internal temperature. Each oven varies in temperature (sometimes quite significantly) and chicken can become very dry if overcooked by even a few degrees. That’s why there is a range for the cooking time in the recipe. Cooking it to 165 degrees F will ensure perfectly moist chicken.
Aubri – I’ve never tried a salt block like that but I’m guessing it’s the same idea!
Okay, I really need to try this. I can imagine that the flavor and moisture factor is awesome.
By the way, I often get distracted from housework by messing with Pinterest. In fact, I think I need to ignore my pile of laundry and do some board re-organization myself.
I have yet to have my go to roast chicken recipe, so I need to try this a.s.a.p. I did some reading online and found out that water softener salt is basically the same as rock salt. I was able to pick up a big 20lb. Bag at my grocery store for $5. Now I just gotta wait for my chicken to thaw!
Okay, I just made this and I think I might eat the whole 5 pound chicken before my family gets any! I’m 35 weeks pregnant and was really looking forward to this and it did not disappoint. I did have to cook mine longer than you did but, it was a little over 5 lbs. and my oven runs a little cold. Anyway, thanks for the recipe it was awesome.
I was planning on roasting a chicken for dinner tonight and when I read this, I figured I might as well try it. It sounded a lot easier than the maple glaze I have done in the past. It definitely was. I have a lemon tree, but it was muddy outside, so I just used an orange that I had inside and some dried parsley. And this was amazing. I am so glad you posted this today. I will probably roast my chickens this way from now on. My six year old son seriously was picking the bones. He told me I needed to make two next time. Also, I had kept my husband’s portion in the warmer, as he was getting home late tonight and was afraid it would be a little dried out. But it was still nice and moist for him. He loved it, too. Thank you so much!!
I want to make the whole combo you making for Sunday dinner including the rolls and cheesy potatoes. How do you tune everything with your ovens to serve all of that? Do you have more than 1 oven?
I want to make the whole combo that you typically you make for Sunday dinner including the rolls and cheesy potatoes. How do you time everything with your ovens to serve all of that? Do you have more than 1 oven?
I bought a box of ice cream salt to try this, but on the box it says ‘Not intended for consumption’, so my husband doesn’t want to use it.
Lindy – no, I only have one oven. I always make my rolls in advance and bake them before the chicken needs to go in. For the potatoes, I turn the chicken pan and the potato pan (both 9X13′s) sideways so they fit in the oven side by side and bake together. Once the chicken is done, I cover it and let it rest while I crank the heat up in the oven and cook the potatoes so they brown and bubble.
I would think those luscious juices that drain from the chicken would be extremely salty.
What a great idea! I never thought of using rock salt to do this! Since you do not actually eat the rock salt,the warning on the box does not apply. Of course, baking meat or fish in a salt *crust* (that is, encasing meat or fish in salt) is a well-known cooking technique that has been around since ancient times, actually originating in China. Here is a great article that explains the history of salt cooking, and it will likely answer some questions people may have:
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/07/garden/getting-the-most-out-of-meat-by-cooking-in-salt-bed-or-pastry.html
Hi, This recipe sounds devine. Do you use the whole box of salt in the pyrex dish? Hope you and your family had a Wonderful Christmas. Thanks for so many delicious recipes and blog.
Connie – yes, use the entire box of rock salt.
I tried this reciepe for Christmas Eve Dinner….It was a huge hit!! We absolutely loved it. I had a whole chicken and chicken thighs that we added. Super yummy. I did however substitute parsley for Italian Seasonings.
Hi Mel. I have to tell you… my husband was extremely skeptical about this rock salt chicken idea tonight. I followed your directions to the T, only I started breast side down b/c I wanted the crispy skin on top of the breast meat when it finished cooking. THIS CHICKEN WAS AMAZING!! My entire family devoured it. I fixed cheesy potatoes and grilled zucchini and mushrooms to go with it and it will go down as one of the best Sunday night dinners we’ve had in a long, long time. I will definitely roast a chicken this way again soon! Oh, and this is my first comment on your site ever… this is FAR from the first time I’ve fixed one of your recipes (the fam loves the sweet and sour chicken).
This was the BOMB!..
Will never bake another chicken the dried out way again. My Mom declared this was the best chicken she had ever had:) even after all her research on rock salt. Since the only kind I could find was labeled “melting salt” sidewalks, driveways etc( it was pure rock salt).
Do you think I could add the glaze you use for your honey roast chicken recipe to this? I want to try this one, but i am already in love with the honey roasted chicken.
Also, if I wanted to feed a crowd, could I do two smaller chickens on the same bed of rock salt? Thanks so much Mel!
I would caution you all NOT to use a Pyrex dish for this. there have been instances of them exploding and I can see that this might easily set up the kind of elements that lead to that. use a metal or corningware pan.
That said I really need to try out this recipe. I like the idea of doing a couple of chickens at a time. That salt isn’t cheap.
I wonder how cornish hens or game birds might do with this. I was thinking about duck even, but I need to see this first.
Another thing I am thinking about is using a Silpat pad or two for turning a chicken or turkey over. I haven’t tried it yet. If anyone does soon, let me know how it worked. Make usr you wash it immediately because they absorb odors.
Samantha – you could definitely do 2 chickens as long as they fit in the pan (with some space between – you don’t want them smashed up against each other). As for the glaze, I haven’t tried it but you could experiment and see how it works out. Good luck!
G Andolina – I haven’t heard of pyrex dishes exploding in the oven but I always use my aluminum 9X13-inch pan for this and it works great.
I did this last night, and it was a huge hit… we’ll be happily picking off the leftovers for a while. We used about half the amount of salt, and used sea salt (had to use what we had on hand!) and it still turned out great. And the kids loved helping with it. I blogged a bit more about it today!
Just the best!!! Like a brined chicken. An incredible PLUS…..your home will smell amazing, even the next morning. I’ve never seen a recipe like this but will definitely be doing it again. The lemon adds great flavor, and the salt (HOW?) makes it all so moist….white and dark meat. My husband was iffy also…..found a piece of the salt in the Farro Salad I made as a side dish and thought it was glass!!!! Fantastic recipe…..THANK YOU!
Maybe someone has already asked this question but I was just wondering if you could use a Himalayn Salt Block (which you can buy cooking grade ones) instead of the rock salt. I hate the thought of wasting rock salt each time. I’ve made the chicken and it is delicious and would love to make it more.
Thanks so much Mel
This seriously is basically the best roasted chicken ever! Wow. LOVED it. Thank you!!
Karen -yes, I think you could (I’m pretty sure it’s the same philosophy) but I haven’t actually tried it so I can’t guarantee the results.
A friend recommended your site to me, which I gladly have been reading & trying recipes from. By far this is one of my favorite recipes so far! It was the first time EVER that I roasted a chicken and WOW was it delicious! It had such good flavor and was so juicy, not to mention super simple to do. Thank you!
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Wow! This was the best chicken ever! I was skeptical but it was so delicious. My husband and I absolutely loved it. Thank you for sharing this recipe. We will definitely be making this again!
The most delicious roast chicken I have ever had!! The whole family LOVED it! Thank you!!!
I have never made a whole chicken before so I was a little nervous. The grocery store only had a 6.35 lb chicken so I was also worried about adjusting the cooking time. However, this was amazing!!!!!!! I was dying. It was delicious. I did make a lemon, garlic, cream sauce and served it on the side and I think it made it even more delish. Thanks for the recipe! It’s incredible!
There’s rock salt (Brown) and rock salt (white) – white is fine for consumption.
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I tried this for the first time today, and it won’t be my last! The chicken was juicy and flavorful. (I used Kosher salt rather than rock salt.)
Thanks, Mel!