It’s easy to learn how to spatchcock a chicken and make chicken under a brick! This recipe is packed with fresh, smoky and tangy flavors, and the cooking method makes it the most succulent, delicious chicken of all time! 
I was at a local restaurant the first time I had chicken under a brick. I'd never heard of it before and had to have it. It was amazing!
The restaurant was Local Kitchen in Santa Monica, which is excellent, by the way.
I was so curious about how to make chicken under a brick so I researched it when I got home.
The skin is crisped to perfection and its interior is wonderfully juicy. And this my friends, is what chicken under a brick is all about.
How to Make Chicken Under a Brick
- Before anything else happens, the backbone is removed from the chicken and it's then spread open. This is called spatchcock chicken.
How to Spatchcock Chicken
- Working from the cavity opening up to the neck, cut down each side of the back bone with kitchen scissors or a boning knife.
- Discard the backbone.
- Then open the chicken, like a book, exposing the cavity of the bird. The breast bones might crack a bit and that's okay.
(More detailed instructions are below.)
With my Meyer lemon tree heavy with lemons and my herbs ready to be picked, I made the most delicious butter to add to the chicken.
I mean, c'mon, look at that skin! It's gorgeous. This chicken is over-the-top, my friends!
This is not difficult -- a bit of a culinary project, but an easy, fun one. It's perfect for weekend cooking and the whole family will love it!
Everyone you serve this Spatchcock Brick Chicken to, will ask you how to make it once they have their first bite.
How to Serve Chicken Under a Brick
I love serving this for dinner with sautéed potatoes and spinach. Here's what you do . . . .
Once you follow the recipe below, add your favorite variety of diced potatoes to the same pan where the chicken was and sauté until they're fork tender, about 15 minutes.
Add some spinach in the last couple minutes and cook just until it's wilted. Yum!
Enjoy every last bite of this incredibly succulent and scrumptious Spatchcock Chicken Under a Brick.
And please don't be daunted by the notion of cooking with a brick or two on top of your chicken in the oven. You can do it.
Spatchcock Chicken Under a Brick
Spatchcock Chicken Under a Brick is packed with fresh, smoky and tangy flavors. The cooking method makes the skin crispy and the flesh super succulent.
* If you don't have bricks, you can also use heavy rocks or a cast iron is best.
- 2 standard-sized bricks
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, (softened to room temperature)
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, (washed and dried, finely chopped, divided)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon verbena, (washed and dried, finely chopped - see notes)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, (divided)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon garlic, (minced, divided)
- zest of 1 small lemon
- 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, (plus more for seasoning)
- 1 (approximately 4 pound) whole chicken
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
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Set oven and prepare bricks. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Cover the brick with foil and set aside. (One brick will do, but two is even better.)
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Make the butter. In a small bowl, combine the butter, 1 tablespoon of the thyme, lemon verbena, oregano, 1 tablespoon of the paprika, 1 tablespoon of the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix to blend and set aside.
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Spatchcock. Spatchcock the chicken: Place the chicken on a clean, dry surface, breast-side-down. Working from the cavity opening up to the neck, cut down each side of the back bone with kitchen scissors or a boning knife. Discard the backbone. Then, with care, open the chicken like a book, exposing the cavity of the bird. The breast bones might crack a bit and that's okay. Now turn the chicken over, breast side up.
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Baste. Use your fingers to gently separate the skin from the flesh of the chicken and evenly rub the butter under it, covering as much of the chicken as possible, and keeping the skin as intact as possible. Set aside.
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Prepare pan. Add the olive oil, remaining 1 tablespoon of thyme, remaining ½ teaspoon of paprika, and remaining ½ teaspoon of the garlic, to an approximately 12 inch, oven proof, deep skillet (cast iron is perfect). Swirl the skillet around to combine all of the ingredients, and place it over high heat.
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Sear. Once the skillet is very hot, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Carefully turn the chicken over and place it, breast side down, in the pan. Then season the cavity with salt and pepper. (You should hear a sizzling sound when you add it to the skillet -- if you don't, it's not hot enough yet.)
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Add brick(s). Place the foil-covered brick(s) on top. If you only have one, be sure it's over the breasts. Turn the heat to medium-high and let the chicken sear for about 5 minutes.
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Begin roasting. Then place the skillet -- still with the brick(s) -- in the preheated 500°F oven and let it cook for 7 minutes. You will hear it sizzling away.
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Continue roasting. Remove the skillet and lower the oven heat to 375°F. Once the temperature has lowered, return the skillet to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes. Then remove the skillet from the oven again and take off the brick(s). Using kitchen tongs to help you, turn the chicken over and place the brick -- just one if you're using two -- on top of the breasts.
Place the skillet back in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
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Rest chicken. Remove the skillet from the oven for the last time, take the brick off and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
If you can't find lemon verbena, you can just use more of the other herbs.
Calorie count is only an estimate.
Deb|EastofEdenCooking
Oh wow! What a fabulous chicken recipe, perfect for the new season of autumn!
valentina
Thank you, Deb! I love when we enter the cooler weather cooking season -- or at least try to here in LA. 😉 xo
Diana Fox
Can I substitute olive oil for the butter? My household is dairy free.
valentina
Hi Diana, yes you can. I would use more like 2 T instead of 3. Hope you love it! 🙂
Brian Jones
Such wonderful flavours, I have been meaning to try this 'compression' method for a while but never got round to it.
valentina
Brian, you must try it! Thanks for visiting. 🙂
Krysten
This looks so good ?
All of those flavors interact perfectly
Thanks for the recipe!
valentina
Thank you, for checking out my recipe. 🙂
Just Jo
Oh that does look crisp and juicy. And I love the combo of spices.
valentina
Thank you! 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
That looks perfectly cooked! Chicken with paprika and lemon is such a delicious combo!
valentina
Agreed! Thanks! 🙂
Platter Talk
That looks like some delicious chicken. I could almost put my hands in picture and grab a thigh! Time to get the cast iron pan out and try this method! Just beautiful.
valentina
Thank you so much! Hope you try and enjoy. 🙂
David
Love this method of cooking chicken - learned it in Italy many years ago. Glad to have your delectable herbed recipe!
valentina
Thank you David! It's definitely my new favorite method for cooking chicken! I'm loving my herb garden! It's coming in quite handy. 😉
Eha Carr
Like for David, this has been a favourite way to cook chicken for many years . . . actually any heavy weight 'does the trick' ! I also love your herb and spice selection, especially the use of lemon verbena always growing next to my kitchen door . . . must put the recipe down for the week to come . . .
valentina
Hi Eha. You're so lucky to have lemon verbena growing at home. I have a tiny plant, but I usually think it's too small to use -- because I might use it all up at once. 🙂 Enjoy and thank you. 🙂 ~Valentina