Tuscan Chicken under a Brick - Rustic Roast Chicken
This incredible Tuscan Chicken under a brick combines a spatchcocked chicken that's marinated and roasted under a brick yielding the crispiest skin and juiciest meat ever. This rustic meal exemplifies the delicious simplicity of Tuscan cuisine.
Servings: 4
Equipment
Ingredients
Base ingredients
- 1 young chicken about 4-5 pounds
- 1/4 cup olive oil for pan frying
For the marinade
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 10 sage leaves minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients.
- With kitchen shears, cut the backbone out of the chicken and either discard or save for chicken stock. Use your hands to press on the chicken to flatten it.
- Place the chicken into a large baking dish and use your hands to spread the marinade all over the chicken on both sides. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight, flipping the chicken at the halfway point to ensure even marination.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge. Place the chicken on a wire rack or baking sheet, saving the marinade, and let sit for 1 hour before roasting.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and set the rack to the middle level.
- Pat the chicken skin dry of accumulated moisture.
- Heat a cast iron or stainless steel pan to medium-high heat with a 1/4 cup of olive oil. Once shimmering, pat the chicken skin dry one more time then carefully place skin-side down into the oil. Place a foil wrapped smaller cast iron pan or foil wrapped bricks onto the chicken to press it down into the oil. Fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes or until nicely browned then place into the oven. The pans will be very heavy.
- After 20 minutes remove from the oven and flip the chicken. Pour the saved marinade on top of the chicken and place the pan back on top of the chicken. Roast for another 15-20 minutes or until the center of the breast reaches 160°F internal temp when checked with am instant-read thermometer.
- After removing from the oven, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving so that it reabsorbs some of the pan juices. The pan sauce is great over rice or with a loaf of crusty bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pan size. I recommend a 14-inch cast-iron pan, but a 12-inch will just fit too. Stainless steel pans work great as well.
- Pan or brick. Any heavy oven safe object will work. Wrapping both bricks and a pan in foil is important to help prevent the chicken skin from sticking and pulling off.
- Cook on grill instead. 375°F-400F grill heat is recommended along with indirect heat (cool spot or unheated area). Grill the chicken on both sides, while covering with foil wrapped pan or bricks until well charred (about 6 minutes per side) then move the chicken to the cool spot and cover. Cook the chicken to 160°F internal temp.
- Storing and Leftovers. Tuscan chicken under a brick can be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven until warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 886kcal | Protein: 73.3g | Fat: 58.7g | Saturated Fat: 15.3g | Cholesterol: 234mg | Sodium: 1320mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 4mg
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