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Chicken Under A Brick

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Chicken Under A Brick

Cuisine:World

Course:Dinner

20m prep 45m cook 1h 15m ready

4 servings Pressing chicken underneath a weight—whether a heavy skillet or a couple of foil-wrapped bricks—pushes the skin against the hot pan, which produces a beautifully burnished exterior. Smaller birds can be cooked this way. Keep in mind that they will cook faster, so have an instant-read thermometer at the ready to test for doneness.

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Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • One 4-pound chicken
  • 1
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon minced rosemary
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, thyme, sage, or a combination
    • (1 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Mix together in a small bowl: 4 garlic cloves, minced; Finely grated zest of 2 lemons; 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon minced rosemary; 1 teaspoon dried oregano, thyme, sage, or a combination; (1 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
    2. Carefully loosen the skin around the breast, thighs, and drumsticks with your fingers and spread the herb mixture under the skin.
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1
    • ½ cup minced onion or shallot
    • ⅔ cup dry white or red wine, hard cider, or chicken stock or broth
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or Cognac, or to taste
    • (4 teaspoons Dijon mustard)
    • (1 bay leaf)
    • Salt and black pepper to taste
    • (½ cup heavy cream)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons butter
    • 2 tablespoons minced herbs such as parsley, tarragon, thyme, or a combination
    • Minced fresh herbs
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. After pan-frying steaks, lamb chops, pork chops, or chicken pieces, transfer them to a platter and keep warm. Pour off most of the excess fat and set the pan over medium heat. Add: ½ cup minced onion or shallot
    2. Cook, stirring, until softened but not browned. Increase the heat to medium-high and add: ⅔ cup dry white or red wine, hard cider, or chicken stock or broth
    3. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen and dissolve any browned bits, then bring to a boil and add: 1 tablespoon lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or Cognac, or to taste; (4 teaspoons Dijon mustard); (1 bay leaf); Salt and black pepper to taste
    4. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. If desired, add and cook until reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes: (½ cup heavy cream)
    5. Take off the heat and swirl in bit by bit: 1 ½ teaspoons butter
    6. Remove the bay leaf, if used, or, for a perfectly smooth sauce, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. Stir in: 2 tablespoons minced herbs such as parsley, tarragon, thyme, or a combination
    7. Spoon the sauce over the meat and garnish with: Minced fresh herbs
  • (Thick slices of country bread)

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • One 4-pound chicken
  • 1 Garlic-Herb Rub for Poultry (reserve the lemons)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 (Herb Pan Sauce)
  • (Thick slices of country bread)

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Spatchcock: One 4-pound chicken

  2. Step 2.

    Loosen the skin around the breast and thighs and spread underneath: Garlic-Herb Rub for Poultry (reserve the lemons)

  3. Step 3.

    Sprinkle all over with: 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper

  4. Step 4.

    For crispier skin and thorough seasoning, place the chicken on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and let it sit overnight, uncovered, in the refrigerator. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

  5. Step 5.

    Set a 10- to 12-inch ovenproof (preferably cast iron) skillet over medium-high heat for several minutes. Add to the skillet, swirling to coat: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  6. Step 6.

    Place the chicken skin side down in the skillet, loosely cover with a small square of foil, and place a second heavy, ovenproof skillet or weight on top. Cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes, then transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Using sturdy oven mitts, remove the chicken from the oven and take the second skillet or weight off. Discard the foil and slide a spatula underneath the skin to make sure it is not sticking to the skillet. Carefully flip the chicken skin side up and return the skillet to the oven, uncovered. Roast until the skin is deeply browned and the internal temperature of the breast reaches 155°F, 20 to 25 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for 10 minutes. As the chicken rests, make, if desired: (Herb Pan Sauce)

  7. Step 7.

    Or place the skillet over medium-low heat and gently fry in the pan drippings: (Thick slices of country bread)

  8. Step 8.

    Cut the bread slices in half. Cut the chicken into pieces and serve over the bread, if using; if you have not made a pan sauce, sprinkle the chicken with the juice of one or both of the zested lemons left from making the rub before serving.

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