Chicken Under a Brick
Pollo al mattone means Chicken Under a Brick, and it's the best method for quickly cooking a whole chicken in a skillet with extra crispy skin
Equipment
- Oven proof skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb (675 g) whole chicken
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ½ lb (675 g) baby potatoes halved
- 1 red onion quartered
- Fresh parsley for garnish
- Lemon wedges for serving
For the Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Spatchcock the chicken: remove the backbone, crack the breast bone, and flatten the chicken. Tuck in thhewings and season both sides generously with kosher salt and pepper.
- Heat an oven-safe, non-stick pan (or well-seasoned cast iron pan) over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil.
- Once the pan is hot, place the chicken breast-side-down and weigh it down with a heavy object like a foil-wrapped brick or a dutch oven. This ensures even contact with the pan for proper browning.
- Cook the chicken on the stovetop for 15 minutes, checking and adjusting the heat every 5 minutes to prevent burning.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the marinade by combining the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, thyme leaves, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a sheet pan. Turn off the heat, and drain the excess fat from the skillet.
- Add the halved baby potatoes to the pan, cut side down. Add the quartered red onion.
- Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, breast-side-up. Pour the prepared marinade evenly over the chicken.
- Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F (74°C).
- Remove the chicken from the pan with tongs, taking care not to tear the skin. Return the pan to the oven and continue to cook the potatoes for another 10 minutes. Let the chicken rest while the potatoes finish cooking.
- To serve, plate the chicken with the potatoes, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Make sure that your skillet is large enough to hold the entire spatchcocked chicken, and is safe to be put in the oven. I’m using a non-stick pan, but a well-seasoned cast iron skillet will work equally well.
- 30 minutes before roasting the chicken, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature. This step will help the chicken cook more quickly and evenly.
- Allow the chicken to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving into it. This will let the juices from the meat redistribute, keeping the chicken from drying out.
- The marinade for this recipe isn't used like a traditional marinade. We add it to the chicken after the initial weighted searing is complete. This way, the aromatics don't burn in the skillet and their flavors will soak into the meat as it roasts in the oven.
- Leftover brick chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 1012mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 206IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/chicken-under-a-brick/