Noble House Salt-Baked Chicken

This Chines New Year recipe is from a local Chinese restaurant. The whole roasted chicken is thought to ensure good luck for the new year while the crispy golden skin represents wealth.

• Ready In: 3 hrs
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups boiling water
• 1  tangerine peel, dried (approx. 1x2-inches)
• 1 (5 lb)  roasting chickens
• 5 1⁄2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, divided
• 1⁄4 cup shallot, minced
• 2  tablespoons ginger, minced
• 2  tablespoons  shaoxing wine or 2  tablespoons dry sherry
• 1  tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  sesame oil
• 1  teaspoon honey
• 2  green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
•  garlic chives (garnish)

Directions

1. Combine boiling water and tangerine peel in a bowl. Cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid and peel.
2. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.
3. Rub 1 tablespoon salt under skin and let stand 5 minutes. Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Place chicken on the rack of a roasting pan and let stand 1 hour at room temperature, covered with saran wrap.
5. Preheat oven to 425°F.
6. Remove saran wrap and transfer chicken to a work surface. Combine remaining salt, shallots, ginger, wine, soy sauce, oil, and honey in a small bowl. Rub 3 tablespoons shallot mixture inside cavity of chicken. Place onions and tangerine peel inside cavity. Rub remaining shallot mixture under loosened skin.
7. Place chicken, breast side up, on the rack of a roasting pan which has been coated with cooking spray. Pour reserved tangerine soaking liquid into a shallow roasting pan and place rack in same pan. Bake at 425F for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer registers 165F and skin has turned a dark golden brown color. Let stand 15 minutes.
8. You may discard skin or not. Slice and serve. Garlic chives make a wonderful garnish.