Recipe courtesy of Gabriele Bertaccini
Recipe courtesy of Gabriele Bertaccini
Watch how to make this recipe.
Chicken al Mattone
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- Level: Easy
- Total: 3 hr 30 min (includes marinating time)
- Active: 25 min
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 765
- Total Fat
- 77 g
- Saturated Fat
- 21 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Protein
- 86 g
- Cholesterol
- 340 mg
- Sodium
- 1299 mg
There’s something deeply satisfying about a perfectly roasted chicken, especially when the skin is so deliciously crispy. This Italian technique of cooking chicken under a weight creates incredibly crisp skin while keeping the meat juicy and tender. A fragrant salt rub infused with rosemary, sage, garlic, lemon and fennel seasons the bird all the way through and fills the kitchen with an irresistible aroma as it roasts. The best part? The herb salt can be made ahead and stored, making future roast chickens even easier. Finished with a quick lemon pan sauce and plenty of fresh lemon wedges, this is the kind of simple, rustic dinner that feels both comforting and special.
- Level: Easy
- Total: 3 hr 30 min (includes marinating time)
- Active: 25 min
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 765
- Total Fat
- 77 g
- Saturated Fat
- 21 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Protein
- 86 g
- Cholesterol
- 340 mg
- Sodium
- 1299 mg
Ingredients
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Directions
- Lay the chicken skin-side up on a cutting board. Using the palms of your hands, press the chicken firmly on the breastbone to flatten it. Transfer to a baking dish large enough to hold it flat but snugly.
- Add the salt, rosemary needles, sage leaves, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, garlic and lemon peel to a food processor and process until it resembles sand. Spread one-fourth of the salt mixture all over the chicken. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Transfer the remaining spice mixture to an airtight container and reserve for seasoning another 3 or 4 whole chickens. It will last for about 1 month in the refrigerator.
- About 30 minutes before ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add a thin film of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the rosemary and sage sprigs, then add the chicken skin-side down, pressing so as much of the skin as possible is in contact with the skillet. Cook for just a couple of minutes. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil so the weight doesn’t stick to it, then weigh the chicken with another heavy skillet or a brick wrapped in foil. Transfer to the oven.
- Roast until the underside skin is deep golden brown and crispy, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the top skillet, flip the chicken and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Cut the zested lemons in half. Squeeze the juice from 2 lemon halves into the skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and whisk to combine. Cut the remaining lemon halves into wedges.
- Carve the chicken into serving pieces. Serve on a platter with the pan juices poured over it and lemon wedges for squeezing.
