Chicken Under A Brick

I've long been intrigued by the idea of cooking chicken "under a brick". I was never inspired to try my hand at it, however, until I realized last night that it was 6:30pm, we were both starving, and roasting that Rocky Jr. in the fridge wouldn't get us to the table until at least 8pm.

Necessity being the mother of invention and all that, I proceeded to rummage around the kitchen and deck looking for a weight heavy enough to pull this off. The two pieces from my Le Creuset Multi-Pot, nestled inside my 4.5 quart Dutch oven, worked nicely.

As I was pulling the chicken out of the oven (40 minutes, people, 40 minutes!), the doorbell rang, and my awesome, wonderful neighbor J was standing there with a bowl full of tomatoes and peaches she'd picked earlier in Brentwood. As the bird rested, I threw together what turned out to be an incredibly delicious salad -- wedges of peach and heirloom tomato, chopped basil, good sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, drizzled lightly with olive oil.

Summer never tasted so good.

Chicken Under a Brick

• 1 3lb bird, the fresher the better, and free-range is best
• 4T + 2T olive oil
• 1 medium onion, slivered
• 1 clove garlic, minced fine
• 1t sweet paprika
• Several sprigs fresh rosemary, half of them de-stemmed & chopped fine
• Several springs fresh thyme, half of them de-stemmed & chopped fine
• Salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees*.
2. Butterfly the bird by removing the backbone, and pressing flat. Cut off the first two joints of the wings, and the last joint of both drumsticks to prevent burning.
3. In a large, flat pan, heat the first 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and add the onion. Allow to cook a few minutes as you season the chicken.
4. Make a paste of the remaining olive oil, garlic, paprika, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, and salt & pepper.
5. Rub all over the bird, on both sides, coating well.
6. Tuck the remaining sprigs of rosemary and thyme under the skin, being careful not to tear it.
7. Turn the stove up to medium-high, and when good and hot, set the chicken, breast-down, in the pan. Set a heavy weight atop the chicken to press it flat.
8. Cook for 10-12 minutes -- you'll know when it's ready because the smell from the kitchen will cause your husband to begin drooling.
9. Move the pan (with weights) to the lower rack of the oven, and allow to cook for another 15 or so minutes.
10. Carefully remove the weights from the chicken, and gently turn it over.
11. Continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 160 degrees. Alternately, look for the juices to run completely clear. The skin at this point should be a gorgeous golden-brown, and exceedingly crispy.
12. Remove chicken from the oven, tent with foil for 5 minutes, and cut into quarters (this will be very easy to do).
13. Serve with salad or roasted potatoes, as you choose.

Tags: Recipes, Chicken, Summer, Food, Food & Drink, Salad, Oakland, San Francisco

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Comments

[susan]

Ttying this recipe tonight with a free range bird I bought locally...funny you should mention free range. I think I should warn all those who want to eat healthier, such as free range birds and pasture raised beef, about the USDA program that will just about put the kabosh on healthy local grown foods. Have you heard of NAIS? (national animal id system)

NAIS can best be explained like this; though touted as a plan to track/protect us from animal disease, NAIS is a business plan designed by and for corporate ag and chip makers with the false mantra “to show the world what a safe food supply we have”. NAIS plans are to keep track of every livestock animal in the US EXCEPT the ones on the factory farms but those who own even one chicken or horse or llama or pig or other critters have to register their premises, microchip and file reports to the govt on every move those animals make BUT Big Ag gets ones lot number for their groups of animals and does not have to tag/track every critter...the cost will put local ag out of business and everytime YOU buy a locally raised bird or beef that animal will be reported to the govt.
Yet, NAIS tracibility ends at the moment the animal goes to slaughter, which is when most food safety issues occur. See nonais.org for more info.

Livestock owners will be under closer surveillance than illegals, drug dealers, convicted six offenders/child molesters. Currently in the USA, only convicted six offenders/child molesters have to register their premises and file movement reports.