Equipment
Ingredients
Poultry
- 1500 g whole chicken, giblets removed
Marinade & Seasoning
- 45 ml olive oil
- 2 lemon, zested and juiced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 10 g fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 10 g fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 15 g coarse salt
- 5 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1032 kcal
- Protein
- 80 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 75 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 1754 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 20 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 896 mg
- Calcium
- 83 mg
- Iron
- 4.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 11 mg
- Phosphorus
- 17 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 184 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 22 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 8.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 22 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the chicken backbone to remove it. Turn the chicken breast-side up and press down firmly on the breastbone with the heel of your hand until you hear a crack and the bird lies flat. Pat the chicken thoroughly dry with paper towels. Wash hands and sanitize surfaces after handling raw meat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Rub this mixture entirely over the flattened chicken, ensuring it gets under the skin where possible. Cover and leave to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
Wipe excess garlic and herbs from the skin to prevent burning. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add a light splash of olive oil to coat the bottom. Place the chicken into the pan skin-side down.
Immediately place a piece of heavy-duty foil over the chicken, then place your foil-wrapped brick or heavy press directly on top. Cook undisturbed for 15 to 20 minutes to deeply render the fat and crisp the skin.
Carefully remove the weight and foil. Using tongs and a spatula, gently flip the chicken so it is skin-side up. Continue to cook for another 15 to 20 minutes without the weight, until the thickest part of the thigh registers an internal temperature of 74C/165F.
Transfer the chicken to a wooden cutting board, leaving it skin-side up. Allow it to rest uncovered for 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute before carving and serving.
Chef's Notes
- Patting the chicken perfectly dry before marinating helps the oil-based marinade adhere and prevents steam from forming under the skin when it hits the hot pan.
- For maximum crispness, you can spatchcock and salt the chicken the night before, leaving it uncovered in the fridge. This dry-brining process draws out moisture from the skin.
- Do not cover the pan with a lid during the resting phase. Trapped steam is the enemy of crispy skin.
- The rendered chicken fat left in the skillet is liquid gold. Toss in some parboiled baby potatoes and roast them in the residual fat for a perfect side dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store carved meat in an airtight container. The skin will soften in the fridge.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze cooked meat only. The skin will not survive the freezing and thawing process well.
Reheating: Place skin-side up in a 200C/400F oven for 10 to 12 minutes until heated through and the skin recrisps.
Troubleshooting
Skin tears and sticks to the skillet when flipping
Cause: Attempted to flip the bird before the fat fully rendered, or pan was too cold initially
Fix: Use a thin metal spatula to forcefully scrape underneath the skin, keeping it attached to the meat as best as possible.
Prevention: Ensure skillet is preheated. Do not force the flip; skin will naturally release from cast iron when it is perfectly seared.
Chicken is burnt on the outside but raw near the thigh joints
Cause: Heat was too high, or the chicken was not flattened evenly
Fix: Transfer the skillet to a 200C/400F oven and bake until the thigh joints are cooked through.
Prevention: Press firmly on the breastbone during prep to ensure the bird is totally flat. Maintain medium to medium-low heat during the weighted sear.
Garlic and herbs taste bitter
Cause: Aromatics on the outside of the skin burned under the intense heat and pressure
Fix: Cannot be fixed once burned; carefully scrape off the bitter black spots before serving.
Prevention: Thoroughly wipe off the exterior solid marinade pieces before placing the bird skin-side down.
Cultural Context
Cooking poultry under a heavy weight is a technique championed across Europe, notably known as 'Pollo al Mattone' in Italy and 'Poulet à la Crapaudine' in France. The French term playfully translates to 'toad-style', referencing the splayed, flattened shape of the bird. This utilitarian method solves the eternal problem of roasting whole birds: getting the dark meat fully cooked while keeping the white meat tender and ensuring every square inch of skin becomes shatteringly crisp.
