Chicken In A Brick Recipes

BRICK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Partially debone the chicken halves, removing the wing, backbone and thighbone. Rinse and pat dry. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 30 minutes to dry out the skin.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large nonstick skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat and add the oil and butter. Lay the chicken halves, skin-side down, in the skillet and scatter the thyme around them. Wrap a slightly smaller skillet with foil and place on top of the chicken. Set a large brick or 2 to 3 heavy cans in the skillet to weigh it down.
• Cook the chicken 3 to 5 minutes, then remove the top skillet and check the skin; adjust the heat and rotate the pan as needed so the skin browns evenly. Replace the top skillet and continue to cook until the skin is golden and crisp and the chicken is cooked about three-quarters of the way through, 20 to 25 more minutes. Remove the top skillet and carefully flip the chicken. Cook, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Cut each piece in half to serve.

CHEF JOHN'S CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Use kitchen shears to cut down both sides of the backbone. Remove backbone and discard. Cut through breastbone from the inside until chicken folds out like a book and lays flat.
• Season chicken all over with salt and black pepper, and sprinkle herbes de Provence on the inside. Let chicken sit for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature; pat dry with paper towels. Brush skin-side of chicken with oil and season again with salt and black pepper.
• Heat an oven-proof cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Place chicken, skin-side down, in hot skillet and place bricks evenly on top to weigh down chicken.
• Roast chicken in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove bricks, turn chicken over, and continue roasting until juices run clear and meat is no longer pink at the bone, 5 to 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Preheat the oven's broiler and broil the chicken until skin is crispy and golden, 1 to 3 minutes.

CHICKEN IN A BRICK

Steps:

• Place both halves of the chicken brick in a sink and cover completely with cold water and leave for at least 30 min.
• (This ensures that brick does not dry out and crack during cooking.) Preheat oven to 190 degree C, 15 min before roasting the chicken in a brick.
• Place lemon pieces, some bay leaves, tarragon sprigs into clean chicken cavity.
• Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Place half the prepared vegetables in the base of the drained chicken brick, then place chicken on top.
• Arrange remaining vegetables and the remaining bay leaves around the chicken.
• Pour the white wine and chicken stock over.
• Place lid of chicken brick on top to cover the chicken.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 1hr 30min or until the chicken is cooked.
• (Test by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the chicken thigh. The juices should run clear.) Remove chicken brick from oven.
• For the sauce-------------------.
• Pour off cooking liquor and reserve in a bowl.
• Keep chicken and vegetables hot, covered, in the oven, while preparing the sauce.
• Place liquor in a small pan and bring to boil.
• Cream fat and flour together to make a beurre manie, then drop small amounts into boling liquor, whisking continuosly.
• When sauce is thickened, smooth and glossy, draw off the heat, stir in the cream, then reheat gently and season to taste.
• Serve with chicken, vegetables and rice or potatoes.

CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK

Steps:

• Spatchcock the chicken: Use kitchen shears to cut out the backbone from the chicken. Lay the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board and use a large knife to cut through the breastbone. Push the chicken down to flatten it out. Cut the wings off at the third joint (at the wing tip). Now locate the thigh bone. Use a small and sharp knife to cut the flesh off away from the bone, working all the way down to the joint. Once you're at the joint, bend the thigh bone back until you hear it pop and use your knife again to help remove the thigh bone completely. Repeat with the remaining thigh bone.
• Turn the chicken over, blot it dry and refrigerate on a large plate or baking sheet, uncovered, overnight to dry out the skin (this will help make it extra crispy). If you have to skip this step, then dry the chicken as best you can with paper towels and refrigerate, uncovered, for as long as you can.
• Sprinkle the chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large 12-inch cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Lay the chicken, skin-side down, in the skillet. Add the garlic and herbs to the skillet. Now use either 2 bricks wrapped in foil or another heavy, slightly smaller skillet filled with large cans (tomato cans work nicely) directly on top of the chicken. Cook, leaving the chicken mostly undisturbed, checking every once in a while to make sure the skin is browning evenly and not getting too dark too quickly, and adjusting the heat as needed, until almost all of the meat is white (except for the very top of the breast) and the skin is a deep golden brown and crispy, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the bricks or weighted skillet and turn the chicken over using tongs and/or a spatula, being careful not to rip the skin. Continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes more.
• Remove the chicken and let rest for a few minutes before carving. Serve with lemon wedges.

CAMPFIRE CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK WITH LEMONS

Steps:

• Remove backbone from chicken using kitchen shears. Place chicken, breast side up, on a cutting board, with legs extended on both sides. Press firmly on breastbone to break it and flatten chicken. Rub all over with 2 tablespoons oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a cast-iron skillet set over a campfire or on a medium grill. Place chicken in skillet, breast side down, and place a clean brick or heavy skillet directly on top, pressing to flatten chicken. Grill until skin is golden and crisp, about 12 minutes.
• Remove brick, and flip chicken. Cover with foil, and grill for 20 minutes more. Flip chicken, and grill until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh reaches 165 degrees, about 5 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, grill lemon wedges directly on grates, flipping, until caramelized, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a platter. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with red-pepper flakes. Serve with lemons.

CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK

Steps:

• Place the chicken on a cutting board, skin side down, and using your hands, press down hard to make it as flat as possible. Mix together the rosemary leaves, salt, pepper, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and rub this all over the chicken. Tuck some of the mixture under the skin as well. If time permits, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for up to a day (even 20 minutes of marinating boosts the flavor).
• When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Preheat an ovenproof 12-inch skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Press rosemary sprigs, if using, into the skin side of the chicken. Put remaining olive oil in the pan and wait about 30 seconds for it to heat up.
• Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down, along with any remaining pieces of rosemary and garlic; weight it with another skillet or with one or two bricks or rocks, wrapped in aluminum foil. The idea is to flatten the chicken by applying weight evenly over its surface.
• Cook over medium-high to high heat for 5 minutes, then transfer to the oven. Roast for 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and remove the weights; turn the chicken over (it will now be skin side up) and roast 10 minutes more, or until done (large chickens may take an additional 5 minutes or so). Serve hot or at room temperature, with lemon wedges.

CHICKENS UNDER A BRICK

Steps:

• Rinse chickens inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Butterfly the chickens by removing the spine, flattening the birds with your hand and removing the breast bone with a small sharp knife or your fingers. Then firmly but gently pound them flat with the side of a cleaver or a small iron skillet. Remove and discard the wing tips and fold the wings back. Tuck the legs into the skin surrounding the vent by making neat slits at the point where the leg end can easily be inserted.
• Heat a stove-top grill large enough to cover two burners and brush the chickens very lightly with oil. Add salt and pepper. When the grill is hot, reduce the flame to medium and lay the chickens skin side down on the grill above each burner. Move the chickens gently with tongs until they begin to sear, to be sure they don't stick to the grill. Cover each with a heavy, flat-bottomed object large enough to cover the entire chicken. You can use 8-quart stockpots or their equivalent filled with water, 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillets or flat bricks (covered with foil).
• In about 5 or 6 minutes the chicken will begin to brown. If not, raise the flame. If the chickens have begun to burn, turn them over, replace the weights and reduce the flame. At this stage you will be making your own decision based on empirical data. The result should be a rich mahogany finish and an intense chicken flavor.

BRICK CHICKEN WITH VINEGAR PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with a rack in center. Season all sides of chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium; add butter and 1 tablespoon oil.
• When butter melts and foam subsides, add chicken, skin-side down. Place a piece of foil on top of chicken and top with a second heavy skillet to weigh down. Cook, undisturbed, until skin forms a golden-brown crust, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove top skillet and foil. Transfer chicken to a plate, skin-side up.
• Discard fat in skillet. Return to medium-high heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add peppers and onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned in places, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, vinegar, sugar, capers, and rosemary; season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then transfer to a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan or baking dish along with chicken, skin-side up, and any accumulated juices.
• Roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken reads 160°, about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and loosely tent with foil. Return vegetables to oven; cook until sauce has reduced slightly, about 10 minutes more. Season. Serve chicken with vegetables and polenta, spooning juices over top.

GRILLED CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK

Steps:

• Place the chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. Remove the backbone and 1 inch of the breast bone with kitchen shears. Remove the wing tips and any large pockets of fat near the tail. Flip the bird over and use the heal of your hand to flatten the chicken. Rub the skin with oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.
• Cut 2 pieces of heavy duty aluminum to roughly 20 inches long each. Wrap each brick with foil, shiny-side out. Lightly oil the grill and add the bricks.
• Lightly oil the grate of the grill and add the bricks. Preheat the grill to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and maintain the temperature until bricks are hot.
• Turn off the middle burner and place the chicken over that area, flesh side down, on indirect heat. Place the bricks on the chicken and close the lid of the grill.
• Grill for 40 minutes. Remove the bricks, turn the chicken, and continue grilling until the skin is crispy, 5 to 10 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove and let rest for 10 minutes.

CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK IN A HURRY

Steps:

• Set a large piece of foil and a heavy skillet aside for weighing down chicken. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Pour 1 Tbsp. oil into a medium cast-iron skillet. Arrange chicken thighs in pan skin side down (make sure they don't overlap) and set pan over medium-high. Place foil over chicken, then set skillet on top. Cook chicken, checking halfway through to make sure skin isn't taking on color too quickly and reducing heat to medium if needed, until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and flesh is almost completely cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine anchovy, garlic, parsley, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Mix in vinegar, mustard, red pepper flakes, and remaining 4 Tbsp. oil, then scallions. Taste and season pesto verde with more salt if needed.
• Remove top skillet and check chicken. There should be only a thin band of medium-rare flesh on the thickest part of thighs. Using a thin spatula, release chicken skin from pan and turn thighs over. Remove pan from heat and let chicken sit to finish cooking through, about 1 minute.
• Spoon some pesto verde onto a platter. Top with chicken, arranging skin side up, and spoon more pesto over (but don't cover up all that beautiful skin!).

CHICKEN UNDER A " BRICK" WITH ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• Technique: Butterfly a chicken by cutting along the length of one side of the backbone. Turn chicken and cut along the other side of backbone and remove it. Turn chicken breast side up and flatten chicken with the palm of your hand. Then pound it with the flat side of a mallet to a fairly even thickness. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat oven to 450°F.
• Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a heavy bottomed 12-inch ovenproof nonstick pan over med-high heat until it begins to smoke. Swirl oil to coat the pan. Place the chicken skin side down in the pan and reduce heat to med. Place the weight on the chicken and cook until evenly brown for about 25 minutes, checking every 5 minutes or so. The chicken should be fairly crisp and brown after 20 minutes, if not turn up to med-high heat and continue to cook until well-browned.
• Mix the remaining oil, garlic, 1 1/2 tsp thyme, rosemary, pepper flakes, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a small bowl.
• Using tongs, carefully transfer chicken to a plate with the skin side up.
• Pour off any fat from pan and add the potatoes, sprinkling them with 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper and the remaining thyme. Place the chicken skin side up on the potatoes and brush the skin with the thyme-lemon juice mixture.
• Transfer pan to oven and roast until the thickest part of the breast registers 160°F on a meat thermometer 10-15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
• Return the potatoes to the oven and roast until browned and cooked through about 10 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a large bowl leaving fat behind. Toss the potatoes with parsley. Cut the chicken in to pieces and serve with lemon wedges.

CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. In a bowl, mix all spice mixture ingredients. Dust chicken with spice mix (store extra in a glass jar); sprinkle with salt and pepper. Coat a cast-iron frying pan or ovenproof sauté pan with cooking spray. Heat pan over medium-high heat 1 minute. Place chicken skin side down in the pan. Rest a heavy weight such as a foil-wrapped brick on top. (Or use another heavy ovenproof skillet or pan to keep skin of chicken in contact with the hot pan.) Lower heat; cook 6 minutes. Put the pan, weight and all, in the oven and cook 8 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired, and asparagus or a seasonal green.