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    HOME » Recipes » Poultry

    Published: Jan 28, 2023 · Modified: May 1, 2023· This website generates income via ads · by Mary

    Chicken Under a Brick Recipe for Two

    Jump to Recipe

    Pollo al mattone or chicken under a brick is an Italian method for making a roasted or grilled chicken that has the crispiest skin ever, and cooks very fast! My Chicken Under a Brick Recipe for Two uses the thigh and leg piece yielding just two servings. Olive oil, garlic, lemon, and crushed red pepper impart beautiful flavor to the chicken.

    Large deep skillet with two thigh/drumstick pieces of golden brown chicken.

    The technique of cooking chicken weighted between a hot pan and a brick originated in Tuscany as pollo al mattone and has since become popular in many other countries. In the United States, it is often referred to as brick chicken. I have been using this technique for 20 years. We love the flavor and the crispy skin.

    I have another version of this dish on my blog, Meyer Lemon Chicken Under a Brick, that utilizes a whole spatchcocked chicken. I cook for two now, and a whole roast chicken is rarely needed. I bought a whole chicken for this recipe and from that one chicken, I made this dish, poached two chicken breasts for salads, and made 6 pints of chicken stock! The total cost for the chicken was $7.03 making this very budget-friendly.

    Jump to:
    • INGREDIENTS
    • STEP-BY-STEP PHOTO INSTRUCTIONS
    • EQUIPMENT
    • RELATED RECIPES
    • Chicken Under a Brick Recipe for Two
    • Comments

    INGREDIENTS

    All the ingredients for chicken under a brick for two.
    • Chicken - I use the thigh meat with the thigh bone and leg bone intact. It is a perfect serving size for two.
    • Lemons - I love using Meyer lemons for this dish when available. I have used tangy lemons like Eureka lemons as well.
    • Garlic - I buy a big bulb of garlic with large cloves and thinly slice them for this recipe.

    See the recipe card for ingredient quantities.

    STEP-BY-STEP PHOTO INSTRUCTIONS

    Two pieces of chicken on a plate with salt and pepper sprinkled on.

    Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

    Large non-stick skillet with oil, butter, lemon juice.

    Add the olive oil, butter, and lemon juice to a heavy skillet with deep sides.

    Thigh/drumstick chicken pieces skin side down in the skillet.

    Place chicken skin side down in the pan. It can be touching but not overlapping.

    Brick wrapped in foil placed on the flesh side of the chicken pieces in the skillet.

    Place brick wrapped in foil over the top of chicken over medium-high heat.

    Brick removed to show chicken flipped skin aide up and golden brown. lemon chunks and garlic added to skillet.

    Add garlic and lemon wedges. Reduce to medium heat and cook until the skin is golden brown. Check after 6-8 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cover the skin side with the brick.

    Fully cooked chicken pieces in the skillet with cooked down lemons and golden brown garlic slices.

    Cook until the instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. Serve in the pan with the garlic, lemon wedges, and juices poured over the chicken.

    EQUIPMENT

    • Cutting Board
    • Boning knife or poultry shears
    • Paper towels
    • Medium cast-iron skillet or cast iron skillet, oven-proof skillet, Dutch oven, braiser pan,
    • Instant read thermometer
    • Heavy bricks
    • Aluminum foil

    RELATED RECIPES

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

    • Cooked chicken on a plate.
      Chipotle Chicken Recipe Copycat
    • Spewers of Chinese spiced chicken.
      Chinese Chicken on a Stick Recipe
    • Bowl of lemon chicken soup.
      Recipe for Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup for Two
    • Braiser with golden brown chicken.
      Grandmother's Chicken
    Cooked, golden brown chicken pieces in a cast iron skillet.

    Chicken Under a Brick Recipe for Two

    Easy recipe for Chicken Under a Brick where the weight of the brick cooks the chicken fast and assures the crispiest skin ever!
    5 from 57 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course
    Main Course
    Servings 2
    Budget
    Frugal

    Equipment

    • Cutting Board
    • Boning knife or poultry shears
    • Paper towels
    • Medium cast-iron skillet or cast iron skillet, oven-proof skillet, Dutch oven, braiser pan,
    • Instant read thermometer
    • Heavy bricks
    • Aluminum foil

    Ingredients
      

    • cooking spray
    • 2 chicken thighs with drumsticks attached or 4 chicken thighs
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon butter melted
    • lemon juice from one lemon
    • lemon zest from one lemon
    • lemon wedges from ½ lemon
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
    • 1 clove garlic sliced

    Instructions
     

    • Thoroughly clean a new brick, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and lightly spray one side with cooking spray. Set aside.
    • Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
    • Add the olive oil, butter, and lemon juice to a heavy skillet with deep sides.
    • Place chicken skin side down in the pan. It can be touching but not overlapping.
    • Place brick wrapped in foil over the top of the chicken over medium-high heat.
    • Add garlic and lemon wedges. Reduce to medium heat and cook until the skin is golden brown. Check after 6-8 minutes.
    • Flip the chicken over and cover the skin side with the brick for approximately 30-35 minutes.
    • Cook until the instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.
    • Serve in the pan with the garlic, lemon wedges, and juices poured over the chicken.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 495kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 24gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 157mgSodium: 746mgPotassium: 317mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 437IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg

    Approximate nutrition information is provided as a convenience and courtesy only. You are encouraged to do your own calculations if precise data is required.

    We take every effort to ensure that the estimated meal cost per serving is accurate. We use a meal cost analysis application that estimates the cost of a recipe based on groceries purchased at a Walmart store in my geographical area, northern California.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Poultry

    • A plate of chicken and rice with sauce.
      Easy One-Pot Marry Me Chicken Casserole Recipe
    • Chicken wings, and cucumbers, tomatoes on a cutting board.
      Best Crispy Chicken Wings In a PowerXL Air Fryer
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      Healthy Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
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      Bacon Wrapped Chicken in the Air Fryer

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Emily says

      March 23, 2023 at 9:41 pm

      5 stars
      We really enjoyed this recipe! It was so easy to follow!

      Reply
    2. Dee says

      March 23, 2023 at 7:57 pm

      5 stars
      Chicken under a brick is one of my favorite dishes to make! I never I have a brick available so I just use a couple of cast iron skillets. Works like a charm!

      Reply
    3. Nora says

      March 22, 2023 at 12:07 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and easy to make! A perfect combination! Thanks for this yummy recipe!

      Reply
    4. Andréa Janssen says

      March 22, 2023 at 5:58 am

      5 stars
      This is something I'm going to try soon. I've heard so much about the great results, so it's definitely a must-try!

      Reply

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    I am Mary, the blogger behind "Oh That's Good!" I live with my husband, Michael and our little mutt, Lucky in a lovely retirement community in northern California. We are cooking for two, without breaking the bank!

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