Everyone has heard of it, but how many have tried brick-built chicken?

Chicken brick is a simple second course where the chicken is cooked with a weight, so that a beautiful crust can form.

Chicken cooked in a brick has an ancient touch. In fact, it was mainly the grandmothers who prepared it , taking advantage of the color of the pot or an embers and placing a weight just above the chicken. Originally it was a real brick while today on the market there are special pots for its preparation. If, on the other hand, you are a purist and want to follow the original procedure, once you have obtained a brick, cover it with a double layer of aluminum foil before using it.

What makes the brick chicken so unique is the crust that forms during cooking. The weight placed on the chicken, cooked open, increases the contact surfaces, favors the escape of liquids and consequently guarantees perfect cooking. As it is chicken seasoned with a few herbs , it remains a light recipe, perfect even for those on a diet but do not want to give up something good.

How to prepare brick-built chicken with grandma’s recipe

1. First, get yourself a clean whole chicken . You can also ask the butcher to do this for you.
2. Then cut it in half between the two breasts and open it like a book.
3. Prepare a marinade by mixing the chopped oil , garlic and rosemary and pour it over the meat. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper .
4. Leave to marinate in an airtight container for 3-4 hours, turning it from time to time.
5. Then drain the liquid from the chicken, place it in a pan and place the brick (or the heavy lid supplied with the special pot on top).
6. Cook the chicken for 20 minutes , turn it over and continue cooking for another 10 minutes . We advise you not to try cooking chicken in the oven, it would not be the same thing.

The brick chicken is ready to be served with a side dish of your choice. Excellent baked potatoes but also a simpler green salad.

storage

You can place the leftover brick chicken in the refrigerator, well covered with plastic wrap, and consume it in the next two days. If you want, you can use it reduced in shreds or frayed to enrich and make a salad more tasty.