Chicken Cooked Under a Brick

Makes 4 servings

1 free-range chicken
1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 ½  tablespoons garlic
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
¼ cup vegetable oil
Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Cover a household brick with aluminum foil.

Butterfly, or ‘spatchcock’ the chicken. Taking a pair of scissors, turn the chicken breast side down on a cutting board, and cut down from neck to tail on either side of the backbone. Remove the backbone, and turn the chicken over. Spread the chicken out on the cutting board and press down on the breasts with the heel of your hand to flatten out the chicken.

Combine hot red pepper flakes, lemon zest, garlic, fennel seeds in a large bowl.  Rub the chicken on the skin side with the marinade.  Refrigerate overnight. 

Season the chicken generously with salt.  Heat a large oven-proof frying pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.  Place the chicken in the hot pan, skin side down, and place the brick on top to help the chicken make good contact with the frying pan. Sear until the skin is nicely browned. Turn the chicken, and place in the preheated oven. Cook until the done, when the juices run clear and the internal temperature is 160°.  The skin should be crispy and golden brown. 

Alternately, preheat a grill to 325°F.  Brush the chicken with a very light layer of vegetable oil. Cook the chicken, skin side up, flattened with the brick, until cooked halfway of the way through, about 20 minutes.  Flip the chicken and cook until done, about another 20 minutes.  The skin should be crispy and golden brown. 

You can also dispense with the brick altogether, and roast in the oven, skin side up, until done. The flattened chicken will cook more evenly that a whole chicken.