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Salt Baked Chicken recipe (盐焗鸡) – The step-by-step guide

Traditional Hakka salt baked chicken 盐焗鸡 is prepared by encasing the bird in the salt crust, the culinary tradition that has stood the test of time until today since the Qing dynasty.

This surprisingly simple dish relies on the culinary magic inside the cocoon built with a bed of sea salt. The hot salt isolates the chicken from direct heat, ensures even cooking, and removes the possibility of burning or charring. The chicken is wrapped in a tight parcel, which retains all the moisture. It is steaming in its juice, concentrating all the essence and reabsorbing into the chicken.

Once you open the packet, you will get the juiciest chicken with the smoke flavor of the salt baked chicken. You know you are in for a treat.

盐焗鸡 with rice 1

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy for more info. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Fresh chicken is a must to make salt baked chicken, as only a handful of seasoning is used in this recipe. The seasoning is to accentuate the flavor of the chicken meat, not overshadow it. This treatment contrasts with cooking curry, which emphasizes the flavor’s complexity.

The simplicity of Hakka cuisine also means we have to prepare it carefully, as there are barely any herbs and spices to disguise any mistake in the making.

When you open up the parcel of treasure, you will be greeted with the tendrils of steam curling out and hypnotized by the aroma of the chicken with the smoke flavor of the sea salt.

1. The salt baked chicken – comparison between three methods

In developing this recipe, I have referred to some recipes to find the best way to prepare Chinese salt baked chicken.

I have decided to use chicken thigh because it is easier to cook and does not need a large pot or wok to cook the whole chicken. You can follow the exact method if you intend to bake the entire chicken.

Restaurants use a large (some specialty shops tailored made a vessel) wok for baking the chicken. However, we can do it at home using the standard size wok instead.

Before finalizing my recipe, I conducted three tests to discover some of the myths and outcomes.

a. Test one:  Bake in the oven versus in the wok.

The most important flavor of the salt baked chicken comes from two sources, the sand ginger and the smoke of the salt.

The smoky flavor of the salt baked chicken is significantly more intense for those chicken baked in the wok. The main reason is that the heat generated by the wok is higher than in the oven. I use 250°C for baking the chicken in the oven, but it still does not match the smoky aroma that permeates the kitchen when I use the wok over the lowest heat.

Result:  Using the wok to bake the chicken is hands-down.

b. Test two: To omit the sand ginger

Sand ginger is the primary ingredient for traditional Chinese salt-baked chicken. It is commonly available in Asia but is an exotic ingredient elsewhere. I know it is difficult to get these ingredients, so I am looking for a solution: the chicken still turns out juicy, tender, and evenly cooked without using sand ginger.

Result: The lack of sand ginger is surprisingly good. The five spices powder fills the void left by the absence of sand ginger. It is juicy and tender either using the wok or oven.

My conclusion: Sand ginger is an authentic ingredient but not essential to create a fantastic salt-baked chicken.

c. Test three: Switch up the recipe with Chinese herbs

The traditional way to prepare salted chicken requires only a few ingredients. Salt, sand ginger, ginger, wine, and five-spice powder are the only ingredients required. Some people prefer to add some Chinese medicinal herbs to enhance the flavor. This set of tests aims to compare one with herbs and one without.

I add two slices of Dong Quai (Angelica Sinensis), two slices of ginseng, and s teaspoons of wolfberries to each chicken thigh before wrapping it.

The result: The Chinese herbs have an aromatic flavor widely used by the Chinese in various cuisine. It is an individual preference regarding whether to include herbs or not. I like the aroma and flavor of the herbs, but I will leave them as the optional ingredient as not everyone can get the herbs.

2. The flavoring agent

a. Sand ginger

Sand ginger is commonly available in Asia but is an exotic ingredient in other parts of the world. If you can’t find the fresh one, use the sand ginger powder as part of the dry rub to marinate the chicken. I get fresh sand ginger in the local market. You can try to ask for it last the

Traditional Hakka salt baked chicken 盐焗鸡 is prepared by encasing the bird in the salt crust, the culinary tradition that has stood the test of time until today since the Qing dynasty.

This surprisingly simple dish relies on the culinary magic inside the cocoon built with a bed of sea salt. The hot salt isolates the chicken from direct heat, ensures even cooking, and removes the possibility of burning or charring. The chicken is wrapped in a tight parcel, which retains all the moisture. It is steaming in its juice, concentrating all the essence and reabsorbing into the chicken.

The result is incredibly succulent and tender. Once you open the packet of the juicy salt baked chicken, you know you are in for a treat.

salt baked chicken with rice 1

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy for more info. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Fresh chicken is a must to make salt baked chicken, as only a handful of seasoning is used in this recipe. The seasoning is to accentuate the flavor of the chicken meat, not overshadow it. This treatment contrasts with cooking curry, which emphasizes the flavor’s complexity.

The simplicity of Hakka cuisine also means we have to prepare it carefully, as there are barely any herbs and spices to disguise any mistake in the making.

When you open up the parcel of treasure, you will be greeted with the tendrils of steam curling out and hypnotized by the aroma of the chicken with the smoke flavor of the sea salt.

1. The salt baked chicken – comparison between three methods

In developing this recipe, I have referred to some recipes to find the best way to prepare Chinese salt baked chicken.

I have decided to use chicken thigh because it is easier to cook and does not need a large pot or wok to cook the whole chicken. You can follow the exact method if you intend to bake the entire chicken.

Restaurants use a large (some specialty shops tailored made a vessel) wok for baking the chicken. However, we can do it at home using the standard size wok instead.

Before finalizing my recipe, I conducted three tests to discover some of the myths and outcomes.

a. Test one:  Bake in the oven versus in the wok.

The most important flavor of the salt baked chicken comes from two sources, the sand ginger and the smoke of the salt.

The smoky flavor of the salt baked chicken is significantly more intense for those chicken baked in the wok. The main reason is that the heat generated by the wok is higher than in the oven. I use 250°C for baking the chicken in the oven, but it still does not match the smoky aroma that permeates the kitchen when I use the wok over the lowest heat.

Result:  Using the wok to bake the chicken is hands-down.

b. Test two: To omit the sand ginger

Sand ginger is the primary ingredient for traditional Chinese salt-baked chicken. It is commonly available in Asia but is an exotic ingredient elsewhere. I know it is difficult to get these ingredients, so I am looking for a solution: the chicken still turns out juicy, tender, and evenly cooked without using sand ginger.

Result: The lack of sand ginger is surprisingly good. The five spices powder fills the void left by the absence of sand ginger. It is juicy and tender either using the wok or oven.

My conclusion: Sand ginger is an authentic ingredient but not essential to create a fantastic salt-baked chicken.

c. Test three: Switch up the recipe with Chinese herbs

The traditional way to prepare salted chicken requires only a few ingredients. Salt, sand ginger, ginger, wine, and five-spice powder are the only ingredients required. Some people prefer to add some Chinese medicinal herbs to enhance the flavor. This set of tests aims to compare one with herbs and one without.

I add two slices of Dong Quai (Angelica Sinensis), two slices of ginseng, and s teaspoons of wolfberries to each chicken thigh before wrapping it.

The result: The Chinese herbs have an aromatic flavor widely used by the Chinese in various cuisine. It is an individual preference regarding whether to include herbs or not. I like the aroma and flavor of the herbs, but I will leave them as the optional ingredient as not everyone can get the herbs.

2. The flavoring agent

a. Sand ginger

Sand ginger is commonly available in Asia but is an exotic ingredient in other parts of the world. If you can’t find the fresh one, use the sand ginger powder as part of the dry rub to marinate the chicken. I get fresh sand ginger in the local market. You can try to get it at the local Asian market near you.

If you bake the whole chicken, you can stuff a few slices of sand ginger (and ginger) in the cavity. However, since I am baking chicken thighs, I apply the minced sand ginger all over the surface of the chicken.

b. Five-spice powder

A small amount of five-spice powder can make the flavor more wholesome. Some recipes add star anise to the coarse salt to bake the chicken, but I find that the effect is less intense than adding the spices to the chicken directly.

You may omit the Chinese five-spice powder and replace it with salt/peppercorn. The salt/peppercorn mix is used in other Chinese recipes, such as the Chinese roast chicken.

c. Coarse salt

Coarse salt serves two purposes:

  • The salt shields the chicken from the direct heat of the stove and provides an even temperature throughout the whole surface of the chicken.
  • The dried sea salt has a distinct smoke flavor, which infuses the chicken meat. This smoky flavor is unique to the Chinese salt baked chicken.

Here is how to prepare the coarse salt to bake the chicken:

  • First, put the salt in the wok. Then, pan-fry the salt over medium heat until the salt is hot and smoky.
  • Turn down the heat and continue to stir and flip the salt. You will hear the crackling sound from the salt starting to dry up.
  • Stir-fry until the salt is dehydrated or when it starts to turn light brown. The salt is now ready to use.

Use an old wok to fry the salt. The salt can damage the surface of a well-seasoned wok. If you do not have an old wok, season the wok again after frying the salt. It is not difficult to do so. Here is an excellent video about how to season a wok. Alternatively, you can use a dutch oven to replace the wok.

You can reuse the salt multiple times. Discard the dirty salt and keep the rest. This salt has been baked for a long time and is very dry. Therefore, you do not need to fry it the next time you use it. Once it is heated up, it is ready to use.

salt baked chicken
Use aluminum foil to protect the wok surface.

3. How to make salt baked chicken

Here are the steps on how to prepare salt baked chicken.

a. Marinate the chicken

The simple marinade gives the best result. After a gantlet of tests, the marinade consisting of ginger, sand ginger, wine, salt, and five-spice powder gives the best result. Forget about soy sauce and sesame oil.

How to marinade:

  • Mince the sand ginger and ginger finely (Or you can use the mortar and pestle)
  • Add all the ingredients to the chicken thighs. Rub the chicken with the seasonings for a minute or two until it is evenly coated the chicken.
  • Place the chicken on a wire mesh and cover it with cling film. Let the excess liquid drip into the bottom pan.
  • Marinate the chicken for 12 hours in the refrigerator. Marinated chicken taste much better.
Marinate the chicken: sand ginger, ginger, salt, Chinese wine, and five-spice powder.

b. Wrapping the chicken (with baking paper and aluminum foil)

I use a large piece of baking paper to wrap the chicken thigh. Then wrap again with another piece of paper. Next, I use a piece of aluminum foil to wrap the bottom and the side of the chicken parcel, leaving the baking paper to expose on top of the packet.

To wrap the chicken, you need two layers of parchment paper (or baking paper). The first layer of the baking paper keeps the juice of the chicken within. The second paper will keep the coarse salt outside of the chicken. It also keeps the first layer clean, which is to be unfolded in front of the diners.

The aluminum foil can protect the heat from the stove (I bake it over the gas stove, not in the oven) from overheating the paper, which can make it extremely brittle and may even char the paper.

salt baked chicken in wok
Salt baked chicken in a wok. Note that the heat should not be too high but should have some smoke escape from the wok.

c. Baking

The cooking process is straightforward. Place the wrapped chicken at room temperature over a bed of coarse salt so that the chicken will not touch the hot surface of the wok. Then, add a layer of salt to cover the chicken entirely. The amount of salt must be at least an inch of salt on top of the chicken.

Turn the heat low/medium and cover the wok with the lid. Bake the chicken in the wok with it cocooned inside the salt.

The salt does not penetrate the wrapping, although the smoky flavor does. We still need to include salt in the marinade to season the chicken. The coarse salt acts as an insulator, preventing direct heat from the stove from reaching the chicken. As a result, the chicken is evenly cooked, juicy and tender. It also provides the unmistakable smoky flavor for the salt-baked chicken.

slat baked chicken 3 pieces 1

As time goes by, you will start to notice smoke rising from the wok and be able to smell the smoky aroma of the salt.

Bake for thirty minutes, and then turn off the heat. Keep the lid on and let the latent heat of the coarse salt continue cooking the chicken for another twenty minutes. The total baking time for the chicken thighs is fifty minutes. Increase the baking duration (low/medium heat) if you want to bake the whole chicken uncut.

The Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

Yield: 2-3 pieces

The Salt baked Chicken Recipe

Salt baked chicken recipe

Traditional Hakka salt-baked chicken 盐焗鸡 is prepared by encasing the bird in the salt crust, the culinary tradition that stood the test of time until today since the Qing dynasty.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour 12 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 17 minutes

Ingredients

Marinade:

Instructions

  1. Wash the chicken thighs. Drained. Bone in, skin on.
  2. Mince the sand ginger and ginger finely.
  3. Rub the marinade onto the chicken. Place it on a wire rack and cover it with cling film. Keep refrigerated and marinate for at least twelve hours.
  4. Cut a large piece of baking paper. Place the chicken at the center and wrap it up. Get ready one more piece of paper and wrap it up again. Wrap the bottom part of the parcel with aluminum foil to prevent the paper from charring if you use the wok to bake.
  5. Put the coarse salt in a wok. Stir fry it over low to medium heat until the salt is dry. Continue stir-frying it until you can smell the smoky aroma of the salt. It will take about ten to fifteen minutes.
  6. Remove two third of the salt. Place the wrapped chicken on it. Use the remaining hot salt to cover the chicken entirely.
  7. Cover the wok. Bake the chicken over low heat for thirty minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the chicken bake for another twenty minutes.
  8. Remove the chicken from the salt. Discard the outer layer of the paper. Serve.

Notes

(Note: If you encounter any audio / visual problem of viewing this video, you can view it from YouTube by clicking this link , which will open in a new tab)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1697Total Fat: 103gSaturated Fat: 30gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 68gCholesterol: 839mgSodium: 3647mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 188g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 3/13/2019

If you bake the whole chicken, you can stuff a few slices of sand ginger (and ginger) in the cavity. However, since I am baking chicken thighs, I apply the minced sand ginger all over the surface of the chicken.

b. Five-spice powder

A small amount of five-spice powder can make the flavor more wholesome. Some recipes add star anise to the coarse salt to bake the chicken, but I find that the effect is less intense than adding the spices to the chicken directly.

You may omit the Chinese five-spice powder and replace it with salt/peppercorn. The salt/peppercorn mix is used in other Chinese recipes, such as the Chinese roast chicken.

c. Coarse salt

Coarse salt serves two purposes:

  • The salt shields the chicken from the direct heat of the stove and provides an even temperature throughout the whole surface of the chicken.
  • The dried sea salt has a distinct smoke flavor, which infuses the chicken meat. This smoky flavor is unique to the Chinese salt baked chicken.

Here is how to prepare the coarse salt to bake the chicken:

  • First, put the salt in a dry wok. Then, pan-fry the salt over medium heat until the salt is hot and smoky.
  • Turn down the heat and continue to stir and flip the salt. You will hear the crackling sound from the salt starting to dry up.
  • Stir-fry until the salt is dehydrated or when it starts to turn light brown. The salt is now ready to use.

Use an old wok to fry the salt. The salt can damage the surface of a well-seasoned wok. If you do not have an old wok, season the wok again after frying the salt. It is not difficult to do so. Here is an excellent video about how to season a wok. Alternatively, you can use a dutch oven to replace the wok.

You can reuse the salt multiple times. Discard the dirty salt and keep the rest. This salt has been baked for a long time and is very dry. Therefore, you do not need to fry it the next time you use it. Once it is heated up, it is ready to use.

salt baked chicken
Use aluminum foil to protect the wok surface.

3. How to make salt baked chicken

Here are the steps on how to prepare salt baked chicken.

a. Marinate the chicken

The simple marinade gives the best result. After a gantlet of tests, the marinade consisting of ginger, sand ginger, wine, salt, and five-spice powder gives the best result. Forget about soy sauce and sesame oil.

How to marinade:

  • Mince the sand ginger and ginger finely (Or you can use the mortar and pestle)
  • Add all the ingredients to the chicken thighs. Rub the chicken with the seasonings for a minute or two until it is evenly coated the chicken.
  • Place the chicken on a wire mesh and cover it with cling film. Let the excess liquid drip into the bottom pan.
  • Marinate the chicken for 12 hours in the refrigerator. Marinated chicken taste much better.
Marinate the chicken: sand ginger, ginger, salt, Chinese wine, and five-spice powder.

b. Wrapping the chicken (with baking paper and aluminum foil)

I use a large piece of baking paper to wrap the chicken thigh. Then wrap again with another piece of paper. Next, I use a piece of aluminum foil to wrap the bottom and the side of the chicken parcel, leaving the baking paper to expose on top of the packet.

To wrap the chicken, you need two layers of parchment paper (or baking paper). The first layer of the baking paper keeps the juice of the chicken within. The second paper will keep the coarse salt outside of the chicken. It also keeps the first layer clean, which is to be unfolded in front of the diners.

The aluminum foil can protect the heat from the stove (I bake it over the gas stove, not in the oven) from overheating the paper, which can make it extremely brittle and may even char the paper.

salt baked chicken in wok
Salt baked chicken in a wok. Note that the heat should not be too high but should have some smoke escape from the wok.

c. Baking

The cooking process is straightforward. Place the wrapped chicken at room temperature over a bed of coarse salt so that the chicken will not touch the hot surface of the wok. Then, add a layer of salt to cover the chicken entirely.

Turn the heat low/medium and cover the wok with the lid. Bake the chicken in the wok with it cocooned inside the salt.

The salt does not penetrate the wrapping, although the smoky flavor does. We still need to include salt in the marinade to season the chicken. The coarse salt acts as an insulator, preventing direct heat from the stove from reaching the chicken. As a result, the chicken is evenly cooked, juicy and tender. It also provides the unmistakable smoky flavor for the salt-baked chicken.

slat-baked chicken 3 pieces 1

As time goes by, you will start to notice smoke rising from the wok and be able to smell the smoky aroma of the salt.

Bake for thirty minutes, and then turn off the heat. Keep the lid on and let the latent heat of the coarse salt continue cooking the chicken for another twenty minutes. The total baking time for the chicken thighs is fifty minutes. Increase the baking duration (low/medium heat) if you want to bake the whole chicken uncut.

The Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

Yield: 2-3 pieces

The Salt baked Chicken Recipe

Salt baked chicken recipe

Traditional Hakka salt-baked chicken 盐焗鸡 is prepared by encasing the bird in the salt crust, the culinary tradition that stood the test of time until today since the Qing dynasty.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour 12 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 17 minutes

Ingredients

Marinade:

Instructions

  1. Wash the chicken thighs. Drained. Bone in, skin on.
  2. Mince the sand ginger and ginger finely.
  3. Rub the marinade onto the chicken. Place it on a wire rack and cover it with cling film. Keep refrigerated and marinate for at least twelve hours.
  4. Cut a large piece of baking paper. Place the chicken at the center and wrap it up. Get ready one more piece of paper and wrap it up again. Wrap the bottom part of the parcel with aluminum foil to prevent the paper from charring if you use the wok to bake.
  5. Put the coarse salt in a wok. Stir fry it over low to medium heat until the salt is dry. Continue stir-frying it until you can smell the smoky aroma of the salt. It will take about ten to fifteen minutes.
  6. Remove two third of the salt. Place the wrapped chicken on it. Use the remaining hot salt to cover the chicken entirely.
  7. Cover the wok. Bake the chicken over low heat for thirty minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the chicken bake for another twenty minutes.
  8. Remove the chicken from the salt. Discard the outer layer of the paper. Serve.

Notes

(Note: If you encounter any audio / visual problem of viewing this video, you can view it from YouTube by clicking this link , which will open in a new tab)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1697Total Fat: 103gSaturated Fat: 30gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 68gCholesterol: 839mgSodium: 3647mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 188g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 3/13/2019

YR

Monday 29th of January 2024

Hi, if I don't have sand ginger, do I replace it with more normal ginger? Or just omit completely and use original amount of ginger?

KP Kwan

Thursday 1st of February 2024

I would suggest you omit it altogether.

Terence cretekos

Thursday 9th of December 2021

Thanks for the video. I have a wok but I don’t have a top for it. I was planning to try and do this is a large les creuset Dutch over I have. Do you think that will work ok?

KP Kwan

Thursday 9th of December 2021

It should work. I suggest you line your Dutch oven with aluminum foil first, as salt may damage the oven's surface.

Emily

Monday 11th of October 2021

Hi, I have achieved the golden brown crispy skin, however, there is no overflowing juice coming out from the chicken although in itself is juicy. How do I achieve that? Did I cook it for too long? 30 mins over medium heat. Thanks in advance!

KP Kwan

Monday 11th of October 2021

Hi Emily, I am not entirely sure the reason, but here are some possible reasons. - Fresh chicken is juicier. Frozen chicken may not produce l lot of juice/gravy. - You may want to add a tbsp of water in addition to the wine. - You can use a kitchen thermometer to test one of the chicken pieces. Chicken is cooked at 70°C, so you can do it from preventing it from cooking too long. I hope this helps. KP Kwan

Harry

Wednesday 27th of May 2020

Hi, Can I use table salt instead of coarse salt to bake the chicken?

KP Kwan

Wednesday 27th of May 2020

Hi Harry, I never tried that before, but in theory, you can. The reason I used coarse salt is that it is not as compact as table salt and therefore needs lesser to cover the chicken. Also, the salt will potentially get dirty after baking and might not be suitable to use it again for cooking. KP Kwan

DL

Thursday 14th of May 2020

Thanks for posting the recipe and notes, which perfectly answered the question that has nagged me all week. I want to try cooking salt baked chicken this weekend and have been very reluctant to go out and find sand ginger powder, which is specified in most of the recipes I've seen online. I already have way too many spices and herbs! I saw a recipe in an old book that called for just five spice powder, salt, sherry and msg (i'm leaving out the msg). Was it going to be authentic enough, I wondered. I know the author was a Hakka lady but she also included adjustments in many of the recipes for the convenience of cooks outside Asia. Since you've confirmed that the dish can indeed be successfully prepared without sand ginger, I will proceed with confidence. Cheers from Sydney, Australia

KP Kwan

Friday 15th of May 2020

Hi DL, Sometimes we have to make changes to what is available. That is how food is being improvised in different parts f the world. Sand ginger is not available in most of the supermarket in Kuala Lumpur. Therefore, I need to get it from the wet market. Nevermind, it will still be a delightful dish without it. Cheers. KP Kwan

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