Chicken Salt

Chicken salt is the golden shake that makes hot chips taste like the takeaway down the road. It's an Aussie invention from the 1970s, and it still belongs on everything crispy, salty and hot. Here you'll find chicken salt from makers like Four Saucemen, Uncle Mungos, Misty Gully, Fancy Hanks and Atomic Chicken, from classic to chipotle and ghost pepper. Shake it on chips, roast chook, corn or popcorn. Flat $10 shipping Australia-wide.

What is chicken salt?

Chicken salt is a savoury seasoning salt, an Aussie invention from the 1970s, made to bring a roast-chook flavour to hot chips. Most blends mix salt with savoury seasonings and spices, and recipes differ from maker to maker. Despite the name, many don't contain any chicken at all, so always read the label.

How to use chicken salt

Chicken salt sticks to hot, slightly oily food straight out of the fryer or oven, while the surface is still tacky enough to grab the seasoning.

• Chips: shake it on the second they come out of the oil or air fryer. Toss in a bowl for even coverage.
• Roast chook: rub it over the skin before roasting for a golden, savoury crackle, or sprinkle over the carved meat.
• Corn on the cob: butter first, then a good shake over the charred cob.
• Eggs: a pinch over fried or scrambled eggs instead of plain salt.
• Popcorn: toss through freshly popped corn with a bit of melted butter.

Which chicken salt should you try?

Check each product page for its Hub Heat rating before you load up the chips.

Is chicken salt gluten free?

It depends on the blend. Some chicken salts use fillers or flavourings that can contain gluten, others don't. Read the ingredients on each product, and see our guide Is chicken salt gluten free? It depends what's in the shaker. You can also browse our gluten-free range.

Chicken salt vs other salts

Chicken salt is a seasoning salt, so it goes on during or straight after cooking for flavour. If you're after a crunchy salt to finish a sliced steak, head to our finishing salts and flavoured salts. Building a rub for the chook itself? See our chicken rubs and wing rubs, or go back to basics with SPG.

Planning a burger night? THE RUB HUB Bangin Burger Box sits in this range too, so the chips are covered as well.

Frequently asked questions

What is chicken salt made of?

Chicken salt is mostly salt blended with savoury seasonings and spices, though every maker uses their own recipe. Some contain chicken stock or flavouring, many don't. The only way to know what's in a particular shaker is to read its ingredient list on the product page or the pack itself.

Is chicken salt gluten free?

Some chicken salts are gluten free and some aren't; it depends on the fillers and flavourings each maker uses. Always check the ingredients and allergen statement on the label. Our journal guide on chicken salt and gluten walks through what to look for, and our gluten-free collection is a handy place to start.

Is chicken salt Australian?

Yes, chicken salt is an Aussie invention from the 1970s and it's still a fixture at fish and chip shops around the country. The chicken salts in this collection come from several makers, including Australian brands like Four Saucemen, Uncle Mungos and Misty Gully, each with their own take on the classic shake.

How do you use chicken salt on chips?

Shake chicken salt over chips the moment they come out of the fryer, oven or air fryer, while they're still hot and a little oily. Toss them in a bowl so every chip gets coated. Go light first and add more, since it's still salt and it's easy to overdo.

What else can you put chicken salt on?

Chicken salt works on roast chook skin, corn on the cob, fried or scrambled eggs, popcorn, roast potatoes and wedges. Treat it like a flavoured salt: add it in place of plain salt rather than on top of it, and season hot food so the shake sticks.