Brick Chicken with Salsa Verde

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

According to award-winning chef Bobby Flay, the quintessential roast chicken with salsa verde is served by his friend and mentor Jonathan Waxman at his restaurant Barbuto, in New York City. Flay says, “Jonathan has been making that chicken at every restaurant he has owned for the past thirty years, and it is still as delicious as the first time he prepared it. This is my homage to that chicken dish, and one of my favorite things to prepare at home. Whether I am cooking the chicken on my grill in the summer or on the stovetop under a brick in the winter, it’s always a hit with guests.”

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 anchovies packed in oil, drained, patted dry and finely chopped
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup (2 oz./60 g) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/4 cup (1/4 oz./7 g) finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
  • 2 Tbs. finely sliced fresh chives
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 whole chicken, about 4 lb. (2 kg), cut into 8 serving pieces
  • Canola oil

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Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, anchovies, lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Stir in the parsley, tarragon and chives and season with salt and pepper. Let the salsa verde sit at room temperature while you cook the chicken to allow the flavors to meld.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking. Season the chicken well all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a 12-inch (30-cm) fry pan over medium-low heat. Coat the pan with a few teaspoons of canola oil. Wrap a brick in two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. (If you don’t have a brick, use a heavy pan or bacon press.) Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, and place the brick on top of the chicken. Slowly cook over low heat until the fat renders and the skin begins to crisp and turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook until it is just cooked through and registers 155°F (68°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes more. Remove the chicken from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve drizzled with the salsa verde. Serves 4.

Courtesy of Bobby Flay

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