Rock Salt Roast Chicken {Basically The Best Roast Chicken Ever}
This rock salt chicken is the best roast chicken ever; the rock salt base locks in the moisture and flavor to create juicy, tender chicken.
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.
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.
What to Serve With This
I make this recipe frequently for Sunday dinner and serve it with cheesy potatoes, rolls, a green salad and steamed veggie.
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Rock Salt Roast Chicken {Basically The Best Roast Chicken Ever}
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
Instructions
- 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).
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from my Aunt Marilyn by way of her friend, Rosanna P.
Is the Morton rock salt/ ice cream salt the right one even though the box says not for human consumption?
Yes, that’s what I use.
My son made this for the first time for Mother’s Day. It barely made it to the table he was “taste testing” so much! We cooked 2 chickens on a half sheet pan and it was enough for 9 with leftovers.
Oh my word, Mel. Just when I think I’ve made what has to be the best recipe you ever posted, you do it again. I realize this has been up for almost a decade, but it is our new favorite. My children devoured it! And I must say, so did I! Well done, my internet friend, well done!
My sister lives in Italy and baked a whole fish on a bed of rock salt. We were amazed it wasn’t salty. Look forward to trying your chicken version!
Can you do this with cut up chicken instead of whole chicken?
I haven’t tried but you could experiment!
We love this recipe– great flavor for the chicken, etc. But another nice side benefit is that the rock salt soaks up excess grease, preventing spatters and mess in my oven. We just got a new oven, and it’s still nice and clean after roasting a chicken with this method. Huge plus!