Filed Under: Ages & Stages 1-2, Ages & Stages 13-16, Ages & Stages 3-5, Ages & Stages 6-8, Ages & Stages 9-12, Chicken, Dinner, Family Gathering, Pregnancy, Under 10 Mins

Chicken Under a Brick

So why under a brick? Whole chickens take time. But when you remove the backbone and lay it flat (also known as spatchcocking) and squish it with the brick, it's done in half the time. BONUS The brick ensures even cooking so the bird stays moist.

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September 24th, 2009

By LeeAnne Wright

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“We can never get too much garlic in this house! My youngest asked “Do we have to eat the brick?!”Natasha Clark, mom of Ava, 6,
and Ellie, 3, Lacombe, Alta.

Servings
4-6
Prep Time
Prep time: 10 minutes, On the table: 40 minutes plus marinating time
Ingredients
  • 1 3-lb chicken
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lime, juice + zest
  • 1 orange, juice + zest
  • 1 lemon, juice + zest
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • vegetable oil
  • 2 foil-wrapped bricks
    • Directions
  • 1.

    Cut backbone away from chicken and press flat, positioning the heel of your hand between the two breasts.

  • 2.

    Mix together olive oil, oregano, garlic, salt, juices and zest in a large sealable bag. Add chicken to marinade and turn to coat. Chill at least 2 hours, turning occasionally. Even better, marinate overnight.

  • 3.

    Heat the oven to 450-deg. F. If you don't have bricks, use a smaller pan weighed down with something ovenproof.

  • 4.

    Remove the chicken from the refrigerator; let the excess marinade drain off, pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

  • 5.

    Set a large cast-iron or other ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with a thin layer of oil. Put the chicken, skin side down, into the pan, topping with both bricks. Reduce the heat to medium and cook (without moving the chicken) until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked about halfway through, approximately 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over, spray the bricks lightly with oil so skin doesn't stick to them, and transfer pan to the oven to finish roasting. Roast for another 15 minutes, removing bricks in last 5 minutes of cooking. The thigh should reach 165-deg. F. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, covered in foil.

  • 6.

    Skillet meatless shepherd's pie with crispy hash brown crust

  • 7.

    Pork loin with a rosemary garlic smear wrapped in pancetta

  • 8.

    Mac & cheese with a french toast topping

  • 9.

    Crunchy oven-fried catfish with sweet potato fries

    • Nutrients Per Serving
    NUTRIENTS PER SERVING (¼ CHICKEN): 435 calories, 26 g fat, 32 mg calcium, 961 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrates, 0 g fibre, 45 g protein. Excellent source of niacin and zinc; good source of iron.
    Chicken Under a Brick
    Photography by James Tse
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