Chicken Under a Brick

Name: Chicken Under a Brick
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: One 3- to 4-pound chicken, trimmed of excess fat and split, backbone removed; 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, if available; 1 lemon, quartered

December 20, 2011

Chicken Al Mattone as it’s rightfully called, is the simplest and best method for producing crisp, delicious skin and wonderfully moist meat. All you need is a split chicken and two ovenproof skillets or a skillet and a couple of bricks or rocks. (The weight serves two purposes: it partially covers the chicken, which helps it retain moisture, and it ensures that the flesh of the chicken remains in contact with the skillet, which encourages browning.) Once covered, the chicken is transferred to a very hot oven to finish cooking. Handling the hot, heavy pan takes two hands—be careful.

Recipe notes

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