Whole chickens are a little intimidating. Other than spooning dressing into the turkey on Thanksgiving, I haven't had any experience working with whole birds. I could easily get weirded out by the innards or the occasional prick of a feather that wasn't fully removed - no wait, that still creeps me out. But I realized that I love this meat and a whole chicken offers so many possibilities! My fiance's step-father grilled a whole chicken under a brick this summer and it was the most tender home-made chicken I've ever had! He cut out the backbone, allowing the chicken to lay open, like a book. The weight on top of the bird allows the meat to cook more evenly. Brilliant. I came across this recipe in the September issue of Bon Appetit and decided to give it a try. Cutting out the backbone was slightly scary, mostly because I wasn't sure if I was doing it correctly. I used a large, sharp kitchen knife, but will definitely use kitchen scissors next time. The recipe calls for you to marinate the chicken overnight; I didn't do this, and it made a difference. The extra time will add a lot more flavor to the meat. The result was good, but I will marinate it longer next time. I used my cast iron skillet to weigh down the chicken. I will try wrapping a piece of foil around it next time so the chicken skin doesn't stick and pull off when the skillet is removed.
Here's a helpful video on how to de-bone a chicken. The first minute and a half covers taking out the backbone.
Chicken al Mattone
Ron Suhanosky of Sfoglia restaurant in NY
1 4-lb. whole chicken, backbone removed and discarded, rinsed, patted dry
4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided
3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil or olive oil, divided
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary, plus additional sprigs for garnish
2 Garlic cloves, pressed
Coarse kosher salt
1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
Chopped Italian parsley
Also: Brick wrapped in aluminum foil or heavy cast-iron skillet
Open chicken flat like book; place butterflied chicken, skin side down, on rimmed baking sheet. Mix 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. oil, 1 Tbsp. chopped rosemary, and garlic in small bowl. Rub mixture all over both sides of chicken. Cover and chill overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle chicken with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 7 minutes (do not turn over). Place foil-wrapped brick or cast-iron skillet crosswise atop chicken; roast in oven 30 minutes. Remove brick and turn chicken over; return brick to chicken and continue to roast until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced, about 15 minutes longer. Remove brick and transfer chicken to platter. Drizzle chicken with remaining 2 Tbsp. lemon juice and sprinkle with crushed red pepper and parsley. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.
