Best Salted Chicken Recipes

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ROSEMARY, CHICKPEAS AND SALTED LEMON

Steps:

• If using whole chicken legs, cut the joint just enough to bend the leg, and make a deep, 2-inch-long cut on the meat without cutting all the way through.
• Cut one half of the lemon crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick half moons. Transfer them to a medium bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and use a fork to lightly crush the slices and release the juice. Cut the other lemon half into wedges for serving.
• Pat the chicken pieces dry and season both sides with salt. In a large lidded skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken pieces skin-side down, cover, and cook until the skin is golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Flip, cover and cook for another minute or two, then transfer chicken to a plate. If working in batches, add 2 more tablespoons oil to the skillet, sear the remaining chicken legs then transfer them to the plate.
• Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add the onions and sauté until just softened, about 2 minutes, then add the garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the white wine, then add the tomatoes with their juices, crushing the tomatoes with your hands as you go. Rinse the tomato can with 1 cup water. Add the water and the chickpeas to the pan. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
• Bring to a boil, return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Uncover the pot and transfer the chicken to bowls or a large rimmed serving platter. Add the sliced lemon plus any accumulated juices to the pot, increase the heat to medium-high and allow to thicken slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Discard the rosemary stem, then stir in the hearty greens, remove from heat and season with additional salt if needed.
• To serve, spoon the stew over the chicken legs, top with a handful of the herbs, yogurt and fresh lemon wedges for squeezing. Drizzle with olive oil, if desired, and serve with steamed couscous or slices of crusty bread for dipping.

THAI FRIED CHICKEN WINGS WITH HOT-AND-SOUR SAUCE AND SALTED MANGO

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine soy sauce, lime juice, nam pla, garlic, chiles, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Let cool completely.
• Place drumsticks in a shallow baking dish. Pour over soy sauce mixture and toss until chicken is well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss mango slices with salt. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Add enough oil to a deep, heavy-bottomed pot to reach a depth of 3 inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry.
• In a shallow dish, mix together cornstarch and rice flour. Working in batches, dredge chicken in cornstarch mixture and carefully add to hot oil. Cook until crisp, browned, and cooked through, about 10 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain temperature.
• Transfer chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Place hot-and-sour sauce in a large bowl; add chicken and toss to coat. Serve immediately with salted mango and mint leaves.

FULLY SALTED ROAST CHICKEN

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.

SALTED BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Fill a medium heavy-bottomed pot halfway with oil. Heat until a deep-fat thermometer reaches 340 degrees.
• Meanwhile, stir together buttermilk, eggs, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together flour, coarse salt, and cayenne in another bowl. Working in batches, dip each chicken piece into buttermilk mixture, coating completely (do not shake off any excess). Dredge in flour mixture, patting onto chicken to coat completely. Transfer to a plate.
• Working in batches (do not crowd pot), carefully place chicken in oil, and fry until deep golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes for wings, 9 to 10 minutes for other pieces. (While chicken is cooking, adjust heat as needed to maintain an oil temperature of 325 degrees. Return oil to 340 degrees before starting each new batch.)
• Transfer fried chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon; sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

JAPANESE SALTED CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Combine chicken wings, sake, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, dashi, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to marinate, at least 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place cornstarch in a shallow bowl. Dip marinated chicken wings in cornstarch and coat both sides.
• Fry chicken wings until crispy brown and crunchy on the outside and no longer pink at the bone, 10 to 15 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt and black pepper before serving.

SALTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 C or 400 degrees F.
• Put all the salt into a bowl with the fennel seeds, eggs, lemon juice (save the juiced lemon skins), peppercorns and a wineglass of water and mix together.
• Crush the thyme in a pestle and mortar and add a couple good glugs of olive oil.
• Rub this flavoured oil all over your chicken, pushing any extra inside the cavity along with the parsley, garlic and squeezed lemon halves.
• You want the cavity so full that no salt will be able to get in.
• Get four long pieces of tinfoil and put them on top of each other to make a sheet around a metre square.
• Lay on a third of the salt, spreading until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
• Put your chicken on top, then pack the rest of the salt around it, making sure not to pierce the skin.
• Carefully fold up the sides of the tinfoil and scrunch it at the top.
• You can rip off any extra tinfoil.
• Place the chicken in the preheated oven and cook for two hours.
• Remove and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
• Take it to the table, rip open the tinfoil and crack the salt crust.
• It will fall apart easily and you will have a juicy chicken ready to serve.
• A nice side dish is some horseradish, mixed with creme fraiche or some homemade mayonnaise and basil.

SALTED FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make the brine: Bring water, coarse salt, and honey to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until salt and honey dissolve. Remove from heat, and let cool. Place chicken in a bowl, and pour cooled brine over top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (up to 3 hours). Remove chicken from brine, and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Prepare to fry the chicken: Fill a medium heavy pot halfway with oil (enough to cover chicken). Heat until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 340 degrees.
• Meanwhile, make the coating: Stir together buttermilk, eggs, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together flour, coarse salt, and cayenne in another bowl. Working in batches, dip each chicken piece into buttermilk mixture, coating completely (do not shake off any excess). Dredge in flour mixture, patting onto chicken to coat completely. Transfer to a plate.
• Working in batches, carefully place chicken in oil, and fry until deep golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes for small pieces, 9 to 10 minutes for large pieces. (As chicken is cooking, adjust heat as needed to maintain an oil temperature of 325 degrees. Return oil to 340 degrees before starting each new batch.)
• Serve the chicken: Transfer chicken to paper-towel-lined plates, and let drain. Season with sea salt, and serve with honey for drizzling or dipping.

FULLY SALTED ROAST CHICKEN

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°. Roast chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken thigh registers 165°, 40-55 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before carving.

TEBA SHIO (SALTED CHICKEN WINGS)

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Line the bottom of a broiler pan with aluminum foil and place the broiler rack on top. (I use use our gas grill, so I skip this step and just pre-heat the grill, then I cook them over in-direct heat for about 10 minutes then I move them over direct heat for crisping up the skins.)
• Soak the chicken wings in the sake for 10-15 minutes (Flip at least once).
• Pat dry each wing with a paper towel and place the wing, skin side up, on the broiler rack.
• Sprinkle a GENEROUS amount of salt and pepper, and flip the wings to sprinkle the other side. Keep the skin side down.
• Turn the broiler on high and place the broiler pan in the oven about 6" (15 cm) away from the heat element. Cook for 15 minutes and flip to cook the other side (skin side) for 10 minutes. We like to grill them rather then using the broiler, so use what works best for you.
• Serve with shichimi togarashi and lemon wedges on the side.