Perfect Salt-Steamed Chicken Recipe: Flavorful and Tender

Salt-steamed chicken is a traditional dish with a distinctive flavor, simple to prepare yet nutritious. With the recipe below, you can easily create a delicious salt-steamed chicken with crispy golden skin and tender, naturally sweet meat.

Choose Quality Ingredients for the Perfect Salt-Steamed Chicken

To make a delicious salt-steamed chicken, choosing the right ingredients is crucial. Here are some tips for selecting your chicken:

• Appropriate Weight: Opt for a free-range chicken weighing between 1.2kg and 1.5kg. Chickens that are too small are often young, while those too large may be tough or injected with water.
• Fresh Color: The chicken meat should have a natural pink color, not grayish. The skin should be a uniform pale yellow, without any bruises or blood spots.

Choose fresh free-range chicken for the perfect salt-steamed chicken

Effectively Remove the Foul Smell from Chicken

To ensure your chicken doesn’t smell after steaming, follow these steps:

• Wash the chicken with a diluted salt solution or vinegar for about 5 minutes.
• If you don’t have vinegar, you can use lemon juice instead.
• Another tip is to use crushed fresh ginger mixed with white wine, rub it all over the chicken, and marinate for 30-40 minutes before cooking.

Remove foul smell to enhance the flavor of salt-steamed chicken

Remove foul smell to enhance the flavor of salt-steamed chicken

Lemongrass Salt-Steamed Chicken Recipe

Ingredients Needed

• Free-range chicken: 1 bird (about 1.2-1.5kg)
• Coarse salt: 600g
• Lemongrass: 10 stalks
• Ginger: 2 roots
• Chili: 3 peppers
• Kaffir lime leaves: 100g
• Seasonings: Seasoning powder, pepper, chili powder

Steps to Follow

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

• Clean the chicken with a mixture of salt, ginger, and white wine. Rinse again with clean water and let it drain.
• Crush the lemongrass and mince part of it. Slice the ginger thinly and mince it. Cut the kaffir lime leaves in half.

Prepare basic ingredients for lemongrass salt-steamed chicken

Prepare basic ingredients for lemongrass salt-steamed chicken

Step 2: Marinate the Chicken

• Mix the minced lemongrass, ginger, chili, chopped kaffir lime leaves, seasoning powder, and pepper to taste.
• Rub the seasoning mixture all over the chicken and marinate for 20 minutes.
• Stuff the crushed lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and a few slices of ginger into the chicken’s cavity to enhance the flavor.

Marinate chicken with seasonings for even flavor after steaming

Marinate chicken with seasonings for even flavor after steaming

Step 3: Steam the Chicken

• Line the sides of a cast iron or clay pot with aluminum foil. Spread the coarse salt to cover the bottom of the pot.
• Place a layer of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves on top of the salt, then position the chicken so it does not touch the salt directly.
• Cover tightly, steam the chicken over high heat for the first 5 minutes, then reduce to low heat and steam for another 20-30 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and let the pot sit for an additional 10 minutes before removing the chicken.

Place chicken on lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves to avoid direct salt contact

Place chicken on lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves to avoid direct salt contact

Final Product and Enjoyment

The finished salt-steamed chicken boasts a glossy golden skin, crispy texture, tender and naturally sweet meat, and a delightful aroma of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. This dish pairs perfectly with white rice or as a snack with drinks.

Delicious and flavorful salt-steamed chicken dish

Delicious and flavorful salt-steamed chicken dish

We hope this detailed guide has helped you master the perfect salt-steamed chicken recipe. Give it a try and share your results with us!