The trick to the brick chick is getting the whole bird flat so the skin comes out crispy all over (but then if you put sauce all over it, so much for crispy skin). The chicken is first butterflied or “spatchcocked”, which is where the backbone is removed. Do not even try to do this if you don’t have some sharp poultry shears. You can still use this recipe with all the chicken parts (breasts, thighs, legs, and wings). Choose a smaller chicken, about 3 1/2 to 4 pounds, because the chicken will have to fit in a cast iron skillet (typically 11 to 12 inch diameter). There a couple of variations given here for the sauce, either with white wine, a little chicken stock, and lime or with butter, garlic, capers, and lemon. The ingredients that are just for the former one are given {in braces like this} and ingredients just for the latter one are given [in brackets like this].
Ingredients
whole chicken, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds, with everything removed from the body cavity.
kosher salt and black pepper pepper
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, minced
[6 cloves of garlic, crushed]
{Juice of 1 lemon} [Juice of 1 lime]
[3 Tbsp capers]
[6 Tbsp unsalted butter]
{1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped}
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
{1/4 cup (4 Oz) white wine}
{1 Oz chicken stock}
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Side dish which merely has to be reheated such as potatoes or rice
Directions
Preheat oven to 500 F.
With the breast side down, use poultry shears to cut on either side of the backbone the entire length of the chicken.
Press down very firmly. Remove the backbone and dispose of.
Pat the chicken completely dry.
Rub the entire chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, once side at a time.
Let it rest for 10 minutes. Cover two extremely clean (preferably new - there are cheap) bricks completely with tin foil.
Heat a cast iron skillet medium high heat for about 3 minutes, then add a tablespoon of olive oil. Let that heat for 2 minutes.
Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, and press down very firmly, then cover with the bricks.
Sear for 5 minutes, then turn the stove off. If you have a temperature probe, insert it deep in the chicken’s breast.
Place skillet with chicken covered by bricks in oven for 15 minutes.
Remove bricks using gloves, flip chicken, cover with bricks again, and cook for another 10 minutes.
Check for an internal temperature of 165 F. When done, turn off stove and move the pan to the stove top. Remove temperature probe, if you used one.
Remove bricks and set aside (they will be hot and remain so for a while). Move chicken to a serving platter to rest, skin side up.
Start reheating the side dish.
Heat the skillet on medium heat (it is already hot). Add minced shallots to the pan and heat until softened (about 3 minutes). [Add the crushed garlic, 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, and capers and stir for 3 more minutes.]
Reduce heat to low and add all the liquid {white wine, chicken stock, and lime juice} [lemon juice] for the sauce.
After 1 minute, add the 2 Tbsp butter and all the herbs and stir for about a minute. Turn burner off when done.
Cover the cooked chicken with the sauce and serve with a side dish.
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