Brick Chicken

🛒 Ingredients

• Whole chicken 400 g · 660 kcal
• Olive oil 7 g · 63 kcal

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Spatchcock the chicken by cutting along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears and removing it, then flip and press firmly to flatten.
2. Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels, then rub generously with olive oil, salt, and black pepper, adding optional herbs like rosemary or thyme.
3. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat with a little olive oil until shimmering.
4. Place the spatchcocked chicken skin-side down in the hot skillet, then immediately place a heavy object (like foil-wrapped bricks or a smaller cast-iron pan) on top to press it down.
5. Cook for 20-25 minutes, maintaining medium heat to render fat and crisp the skin without burning, then remove the weight and flip the chicken.
6. Continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes, or until an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C).
7. Remove the chicken from the skillet and let it rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes before carving and serving.