Brick Chicken with Apricot Couscous

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Show: Tyler's UltimateEpisode: Ultimate Brick Chicken

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (33)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(33)

Cook Time:
1 hr 0 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
4 to 6 servings

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 4 hr 0 min
Cook: 1 hr 0 min
Total:: 5 hr 15 min

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons cumin seed
2 tablespoons whole coriander
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 whole free-range chicken (3 pounds), split (see directions below or have butcher split chicken for you)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Mint Yogurt Dressing. recipe follows
Apricot Couscous, recipe follows

Directions

Toast cumin, coriander and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over low heat until fragrant. In a clean spice grinder or coffee grinder, blend spices until fine. Add the toasted spices to a bowl with paprika and cayenne. Season with kosher salt. Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice.

Prepare chicken by splitting it down the back and removing the backbone, breast bone and rib cage. Lay the chicken out flat and rub the blended spices all over. Marinate for up to 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat a large cast iron skillet (or other heavy oven-proof pan) over medium-high heat. When hot, add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil and place the chicken skin side down in the pan. Cover it with a second cast iron pan (you could also use a more traditional foil-wrapped brick) immediately so the skin doesn't have time to contract. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until chicken is golden brown and has a nice crust. Finish cooking in the oven for a further 20 to 25 minutes. Internal temperature between the leg and thigh should register 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, when cooked through. Serve with Mint Yogurt Dressing and Apricot Couscous.

Mint Yogurt Dressing:

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 bunch fresh mint leaves
2 green onions, green parts only
2 tablespoons honey
1 lemon, juiced
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

While chicken is cooking, combine yogurt, cilantro, mint, green onions, honey, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a blender. Blend until mixture is fully combined and has a smooth consistency.

Apricot Couscous:

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, small dice
1/4 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup whole almonds toasted, coarsely chopped
1 cup couscous
1 1/2 cups chicken stock, warm
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 scallions green parts only
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped plus leaves for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the red onion, apricots and almonds and saute gently over low heat until translucent and slightly fragrant. Add the couscous then dump in the warm chicken broth. Stir with a fork to combine, add lemon zest and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes, then uncover and add the scallions, mint, and cilantro. Fluff again with a fork. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.

Serve family-style on a large platter and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Brick Chicken with Apricot Couscous
Brian Glendale, CA 11-21-2009
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Best chicken ever! Worth the trip to the ER
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Yes, I burned my hand on the panhandle when I was returning the pan to the oven. The dish was so delicious, I sat there with... my hand in a bucket of cold water while shoveling chicken, couscous, and yogurt dressing away! My GF and I are officially calling this "ER Chicken," because we had to drive to the emergency room to have my burns examined. The flavor that came out of that pan was amazing! The crust that formed on the bottom was just superb. It carried the right amount of heat and spice. I'm going to find other ways to implement this spice mix, but the chicken seems best so far. Maybe next time, I can try grilling the chicken. My brick insulated the chicken on top from fully cooking too. Next time, I'm putting the brick in the oven to preheat first, or just leaving it out altogether.Read more
recipe Brick Chicken with Apricot Couscous
Lynne Littleton, CO 11-12-2009
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One of our favorites!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

We have made this recipe several times, following the recipe as written, and it has never failed us. Have served to family... and friends and they love it as well. Always looking for a new way to serve chciken and this one is a keeper. Full of flavor and the chicken is always moist......thanks Tyler for another good recipe. Read more
recipe Brick Chicken with Apricot Couscous
Peter Vancouver, CA 09-21-2009
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Very good but misleading.
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

We saw this episode the other day and decided we had to try it. The chicken was fantastic, moist and flavorful and my... girlfriend never liked couscous until now! Nice work. The sauce was a nice addition and as others have mentioned there is plenty left over that we were able to use with meals the following nights. My only complaint is the amount of spices recommended on the web page versus what he used in the episode. It didn?t look anywhere close to 2 TBSP of coriander or cumin in the episode. I would say 2 tsp tops. We decided to cut the spices in half and still had plenty to cover the chicken. Thanks TFRead more
recipe Brick Chicken with Apricot Couscous
Cheryl Gold River, CA 09-15-2009
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Elegant & delicious!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made a few changes to this recipe and served it tonight. We loved it! To save time I used pre-ground spices and just... whisked them into a paste. I had to add a bit more olive oil (1/2 cup) to get good coverage on the chicken. For the Mint Yogurt Dressing, I skipped the cilantro (not a flavor we enjoy) and skipped the honey. It was wonderful! I might even use that sauce on some other items this week. It makes WAY more than you need. You could easily half that recipe and have enough for a drizzle. The presentation is definitely elegant enough for company. Enjoy!Read more
recipe Brick Chicken with Apricot Couscous
yvethe hallandale beach, FL 09-11-2009
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It has become my signature recipe!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I saw this recipe with my husband on a weekend morning and I thought it looked easy so I decided to make it that same day.. I... was a HUGE success and it took me 1 hr from start to glorious finish. I have made it over and over and dazzled everyone everytime I do. Try it out: it is the most delicious recipe and easy to make tooRead more
recipe Brick Chicken with Apricot Couscous
Kayc Alpharetta, GA 09-11-2009
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Wonderful Meal
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My cast iron skillet was not large enough to hold the chicken so I cooked the chicken in a large nonstick skillet. This made... the most moist chicken I have ever cooked and the combination of flavors was amazing. Loved the couscous which is full of bursting flavors. So GOOD!Read more