Paper-Wrapped Salt Baked Chicken

whole chicken dinner

Paper-Wrapped Salt Baked Chicken (Air Fryer)

Paper-wrapped chicken that makes its own soup.

Just chicken, a herbal seasoning mix and dang gui wrapped in baking paper and left to do its thing in the air fryer.

Paper-Wrapped Salt Baked Chicken (Air Fryer)

A whole chicken wrapped tightly in baking paper and left to do all the work itself.

As it cooks, the juices stay trapped inside the parcel, creating a rich chicken broth at the bottom. The result is tender, flavourful chicken and a bowl of soup waiting for you when you open it.

This is one of my favourite whole chicken dinners for busy weekdays. Minimal preparation, minimal washing up and a balanced meal in our books with a bowl of rice and some vegetables on the side.

Ingredients:

1kg whole chicken
1 packet salt baked chicken seasoning
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
3 slices ginger
5 slices dang gui
Baking paper

No salt baked chicken seasoning?

Mix together:

  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp sand ginger powder
  • ½ tsp chicken bouillon powder
  • ¼ tsp white pepper

Use in place of 1 packet of salt baked chicken seasoning.

Instructions :

1. Rub the chicken all over with the salt baked chicken seasoning and Chinese cooking wine.
2. Marinate for 30 mins - 1 hour for deeper flavour.
3. Place the ginger and dang gui inside the cavity of the chicken.
4. Lay out a large sheet of baking paper and wrap the chicken tightly, ensuring the parcel is well sealed.
5. Place the parcel into the air fryer basket. Ensure paper does not touch any heating elements
6. Air fry at 180°C for 40 minutes.
7. Carefully open the parcel. Be cautious of the hot steam.
8. Serve the chicken with the broth collected at the bottom of the parcel.

P.S Cooking time is based on a 1kg chicken. Larger chickens may require an additional 5–10 minutes

What I Used to Make This

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All in one

Salt bake chicken seasoning

All in one seasoning packet I use for my Paper-Wrapped Salt Baked Chicken.

Simply rub it over a whole chicken, add a little cooking wine and dang gui, wrap it in baking paper and let the air fryer do the rest.

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Non-toxic swap

Glass Air Fryer

I chose a glass air fryer to avoid non-stick coatings. It’s a cleaner, low-tox alternative that lets you actually see your food as it cooks. Perfect for quick dinners, toddler meals, or when I need to walk away and let something crisp quietly on its own

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