Chicken In A Brick Food

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.

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.

BRICK OVEN-STYLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, thyme and lemon zest. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with all but 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture. Place the chicken skin-side up in a large (5-quart) braiser or cast-iron skillet. Nestle the tomato halves and fennel wedges around the chicken; season the vegetables with the remaining salt mixture. Drizzle the chicken and vegetables with the olive oil.
• Cover the pan and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and return to the oven for about another 20 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 160 degrees F. Let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
• Serve the chicken alongside the vegetables, drizzled with pan juices and sprinkled with the basil.

CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK (MARK BITTMAN)

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°F 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). To check for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; it should read 155-165°F Serve hot or at room temperature, with lemon wedges.

BRICKED ROSEMARY CHICKEN WITH LEMON - BOBBY FLAY

Steps:

• Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the zest, 6 cloves of the garlic, and 3 tablespoons of the rosemary in a large baking dish. Add the chickens and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
• Combine the parsley with the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
• Heat your grill to medium. Wrap 4 bricks in aluminum foil and set aside.Remove the chickens from the marinade, shaking off the excess, and season both sides with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place the chickens breast side down on the grill and place 2 bricks on top of each chicken. Grill the chickens for 8 to 10 minutes, turn the chickens over, and replace the bricks. Close the cover and continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through (160 to 170 degrees F).
• Transfer the chickens to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut into quarters and sprinkle with the fresh lemon mixture. Serve with grilled lemon wedges.
• *To Butterfly Chicken:.
• Place the chicken breast side down on a cutting board and cut along each side of the backbone using kitchen shears or a sharp knife. Remove the backbone and discard. Turn the chicken breast side up and pull out each side where the backbone was removed. Using the heel of your hand to press down on the breast, break the breastbone to flatten the chicken.

CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat dry. Rinse and dry the chicken halves again. Combine the thyme, rosemary, garlic, and olive oil in a large zip-top bag or mixing bowl. Add the chicken halves. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 4 hours).
• Heat the oven to 450°F Wrap two bricks in a couple of layers of foil. (If you don't have bricks, use heavy rocks, 2-lb. weights, or another heavy pan weighed down with cans.) Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, let the excess marinade drain off, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set a large cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add just enough oil to lightly film the pan. Put the chicken halves, skin side down, in the pan and immediately put a brick on top of each half. Turn the heat to medium and cook (without moving the chicken) until the skin is a deep golden brown (check with a spatula) and the chicken is cooked about halfway through, 20 to 25 minute Remove the bricks, turn the chicken halves over, and put the pan in the hot oven to finish roasting the chicken until a thermometer registers at least 165°F, another 20 to 25 minute.

CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the cumin, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, garlic, oregano and lemon zest and juice. Drizzle in olive oil until the mixture becomes a paste. Place one half of the chicken into a large bowl (reserve the other half chicken for another use) and massage with the spice mixture. Let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature (or up to 12 hours in the fridge; if refrigerating the chicken, remove it from the refrigerator 45 minutes to 1 hour before cooking to let the chicken come to room temperature).
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay the marinated chicken in the pan, skin-side down. Oil the bottom of another large saute pan, lay it on top of the chicken and place bricks or weights in the second saute pan. Cook the chicken until the skin starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the oven and cook for about 20 minutes.
• Remove the pans from the oven and remove the weights and top pan. At this point the skin should be lovely and dark brown. Check the chicken for doneness; it should be cooked through but still succulent and juicy. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter.
• Remove the excess fat from the pan and add the white wine. Cook over high heat until the wine has reduced by more than half. Add the chicken stock, season with salt and reduce by half.
• Spoon the juices over the chicken and sprinkle with chives.

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.