Name: Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken Under a Brick
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), halved, back and breast bones removed (leave the rib bones); 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt; 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 tablespoon ground allspice; 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish; Lemon wedges for serving

This chicken is incredibly crispy and intensely flavorful, making it an exciting alternative to milder roast chicken recipes. Weighting the chicken ensures that each piece is of the same thickness, so they cook quickly and evenly. The weight also causes the fat under the skin to render, melting out and leaving the skin deliciously crisp.

When you buy the chicken for this recipe, ask your butcher to remove the back and breast bones and halve the bird so that there is a drumstick and wing on each side.

Recipe notes

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