Inspired by Alice Waters' Pollo al Mattone from The Art of Simple Food, this quick-cook method for chicken-under-a-brick yields exceptionally crispy skin! Use any number of our spice blends to make this chicken suit whatever meal you're making. This is a no measurements recipe - quick, easy, and fit for company.
INGREDIENTS
1 bone in, skin-on chicken breast or thigh per serving
Olive oil of choice: House Blend, Olio Santo, Lisbon Lemon, Blood Orange, Garlic, Rosemary, etc.
Spice blend of choice: Chipotle Honey, Jalapeno Lime, Harissa, Zhug, OMG, Napa Valley Blend, Herbs de Provence or others!
Maldon Sea Salt, for finishing
Pre-heat oven to 300.
Make a paste with olive oil and spice blend and season chicken under the skin. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes to 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge. Lightly oil a seasoned cast-iron skillet and place over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, place the chicken breasts skin-side down. The original recipe calls for a foil wrapped brick but we use a lid that doesn't quite fit to press the chicken down, being careful for splatters. The aim is to thoroughly brown and crisp the skin and render some of the fat without burning the skin or overcooking the meat. You can place another heavy pan on top of the lid. Lift weight and check skin after a few minutes. If it’s darkening quickly, lower the heat. If the skin is still pale, raise the heat. Should take 8-10 minutes to crisp. when crispy, remove the weight, turn chicken over, and pop the pan in the oven. In 15 minutes, check done-ness (165) with thermometer. If the chicken is not yet done, and you're ready, crank up the heat to 350 and check again in 5. If you need more time, lower the heat to 200-250, depending upon how much time you need. This recipe is VERY forgiving. We've let it sit in the oven for an hour at 200 and it was still great. Serve over a bed of rice or couscous with Stonehouse Everything Herb Sauce (our spin on chimichurri) and a sprinkle of crunchy Maldon Sea Salt!
