ROASTED SPICE-RUBBED CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK

Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken Under a Brick image

Provided by Waldy Malouf

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), halved, back and breast bones removed (leave the rib bones)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ground allspice
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Lemon wedges for serving

Steps:

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. In a bowl, mix together the cumin, salt, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, and turmeric. Pat the mixture onto the chicken and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 12 hours.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Place a 14-inch skillet or heavy-duty roasting or baking pan in the oven, along with 2 foil-wrapped bricks, and preheat the oven to 500°F for 15 minutes.
Rub the chicken with the olive oil and press it flat. Wearing oven mitts, remove the pan from the oven and press the chicken, skin side down, on the pan. Place a brick on top of each chicken half. (Instead of the foil-wrapped bricks, you can preheat another baking sheet and/or a heavy heatproof object such as a thick cast-iron skillet to use as a weight. Place the baking sheet on top of the chicken and weigh it down with the weight.) Roast for 30 minutes. Garnish the chicken with cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.