CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK

Chicken Under a Brick image

Yield Makes 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

North African spice mixture
1/4 cup crushed bay leaf
1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
1/4 cup thyme
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
Chicken
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
2 whole boneless chicken breasts, skin on, split into 2 pieces each
Lemon wedges (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a bowl, mix all spice mixture ingredients. Dust chicken with spice mix (store extra in a glass jar); sprinkle with salt and pepper. Coat a cast-iron frying pan or ovenproof sauté pan with cooking spray. Heat pan over medium-high heat 1 minute. Place chicken skin side down in the pan. Rest a heavy weight such as a foil-wrapped brick on top. (Or use another heavy ovenproof skillet or pan to keep skin of chicken in contact with the hot pan.) Lower heat; cook 6 minutes. Put the pan, weight and all, in the oven and cook 8 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired, and asparagus or a seasonal green.