An ammonia recovery system and method for removing ammonia from a gas stream is provided. The system includes an ammonia recovery vessel for contacting a solution, having a dissolved acidic salt, with the gas stream, having ammonia. The dissolved acidic salt solution absorbs the ammonia in the gas stream to provide an ammonia-lean gas stream and an ammonia-rich solution. The ammonia-rich solution is heated within an ammonia stripper to release the ammonia from the ammonia-rich solution to thereby generate an ammonia-rich gas stream and the solution having dissolved acidic salt. A heat exchanger heats the dissolved acidic salt from the ammonia stripper prior to the solution being provided to the ammonia recovery system. The acidic salt has a low thermal decomposition.