Salt-Crusted Chicken

Method

1. Whip the egg whites to very stiff peaks.
2. Add 2 kg of coarse salt to the whipped egg whites: first 1 kg mixing, then the second, until you get a bound mixture. If too dry, add 10 ml of water.
3. Cut the orange: half into cubes for the interior, the other half partially into cubes and one piece as a plug.
4. Insert inside the chicken: the cubes from the first half of orange, rosemary, sage, bay leaves, and the whole garlic clove in its skin.
5. With the other half of the orange, put the cubes in the top part of the chicken and use the last piece as a plug to close.
6. Tie the chicken legs with kitchen twine to prevent salt from getting inside.
7. Remove the glands above the chicken's tail with a small incision.
8. Cover the bottom of a baking dish with the third kg of salt (optional: add pepper or other spices).
9. Place the chicken in the dish and cover it completely with the remaining salt, to a thickness of about 2 cm.
10. Bake in a static oven preheated to 200°C for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
11. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
12. Break the salt crust with a knife and extract the chicken.
13. Remove the aromatics (rosemary, sage, garlic, orange) from inside the chicken before serving.