This dish is made with a salt crust which gives it a nice even cooking and increases the flavours of the aromatics inside and seasons the chicken as you cook it. The key to this cooking method is the long rest period before opening that salt crust. For the pairing I suggest the Jongieux Blanc Vin de Savoie which goes well with the cheese in the aligot and the chicken. If you’re looking to impress, get a bottle of Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru les Rebichets for an excellent pairing. If you prefer a red go with a Hautes Côtes de Nuit or other dry Pinot Noir. I added chicken livers because I think the flavour is something most people don’t realize they like. The other thing about livers is that they’re high in nutrients. Get a good quality chicken. Using livers from industrial chickens aren’t going to give you the same result. –Roger
| whole | chicken, ½ lbs/person |
| sprig | rosemary, bay leaves, sprig of thyme |
| 3-4 | chicken livers, per bird |
| 4 oz | butter |
| 1 oz | Cognac or Armagnac |
Salt Crust
| 1 kg | flour |
| 500 g | coarse grey salt |
| 500 ml | cold water |
Remove your chicken from the bag and dry off well with some paper towel, then place it in your refrigerator uncovered on a rack. Pre-heat oven to 465ºF. In the meantime, mix flour, salt and cold water. Make a dough that comes together (it won’t feel like bread since the salt is cutting the gluten strands).
Take your chicken livers and dry very well. Heat a pan on maximum and right before you add the livers put a little bit of oil in the pan. Cook for maybe 30 seconds on the first side just to colour. Remove and dry again. Reheat pan and repeat on the other side. Very quickly, just to colour and no more. Dry again. Take your livers and blend well with butter and season with pepper.
Remove chicken from fridge and rub the interior with salt, pepper and chicken liver butter. Pour the spirit and the remaining chicken liver butter over the bird and coat well.
Cut the dough into two pieces and roll one piece to cover the bottom of a baking pan big enough to fit the chicken, with some extra sticking out.
Place the chicken on the bottom piece and roll the second dough ball out and cover completely. The trick is to seal the chicken so you are steaming it properly. Check for holes to be sure. Place chicken in the oven and cook for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for 40 minutes in the salt crust in a warm spot. Cut a hole in the salt crust and remove chicken.