Pollo Al Mattone Or Chicken Under A Brick

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Pollo al mattone or chicken under a brick is traditionally made with spatchcock chicken. Spatchcock chicken is simply a whole chicken that has had the backbone removed. Then it is laid out breast side down and cooked through that way.

However, I adapted this as a fried chicken breast recipe mostly because I want a smaller portion of meat. So rather than being faced with the caloric problem of half a chicken to eat we only have a chicken breast to eat.

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Pollo Al Mattone

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Whole chicken ready to breakdown.

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The chicken after breaking down.

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Chicken breast with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.

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Chicken breast ready to cure. Notice there is only salt on the skin, no pepper or lemon zest.

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The chicken breasts ready to cook. The breast on the left has been brined. The breast on the right, with the pick through it, has been cured.

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Searing the breasts in a cast iron griddle pan.

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Here, I set a large saute pan on top of the breasts and weighted it down with a brick wrapped in foil. Remember to spray the bottom of the saute pan with non-stick spray oil before placing it on top of the breasts.

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To make smashed potatoes just smash them with a heavy bottom pan.

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The smashed potato.

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The breast on the left with the pick is the breast that was cured. The one on the right is the breast that was brined. Notice that the breast on the left is a darker golden brown and it was a little crisper as well.

For this recipe I must recommend curing over brining. Just be mindful of not overcooking the chicken.

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Pollo Al Mattone Or Chicken Under A Brick With Smashed Potato and Broccoli Rabe

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• Yield: 2 Servings
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 30 minutes

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Equipment

• 1 or 2 clay brick, wrapped in foil

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Ingredients

For The Chicken

• 1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 pound
• Kosher Salt
• Cracked Pepper
• 1 lemon
• Peanut oil to coat pan

For The Smashed Potato

• 2 whole potatoes, washed
• Kosher salt

For The Broccoli Rabe

• 1/2 bunch broccoli rabe, stems removed
• Kosher salt

For The Sauce

• 1 shallot, diced
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Kosher salt and cracked pepper, to taste

For The Fried Leeks

• 1 small leek, washed and sliced horizontally into 1/8 inch slices - white and light green parts only
• Extra virgin olive oil

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Method

For The Chicken

1. Break the chicken down into individual pieces, 2 boneless breast, 2 boneless thighs, 2 legs and 2 wing drumettes. Save the carcass, wing tips, bones, and any trimmings for stock. Put the thighs, legs and drumettes away for another use, such as fried chicken or baked chicken or grilled chicken.
2. Alternatively you can use chicken breasts purchased from your grocer rather than breaking down a whole chicken.
3. With the breasts laying skin side down season them with kosher salt, cracked pepper, and zest the lemon over them. Transfer the breast to a 8 x 8 baking pan and lay them skin side up. Season the skin liberally with kosher salt. Cover the pan with foil and rest in refrigerator at least 8-hours and up to overnight.
4. Alternatively, you can brine them. If you do, brine them with pepper and lemon. However, brined chicken doesn't get quite as crisp and golden. See photo.
5. Preheat oven to 500° F / 260° C.
6. When the chicken is ready place a cast iron griddle pan, or saute pan, over high heat and allow it to get smoking hot. Blot the skin side of the breasts with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Pour enough peanut oil into the pan to coat the bottom. Place the breasts in the pan skin side down.
7. Place a brick on top of each breast and allow the edges of the breast to start to brown. Transfer the pan with the chicken and bricks into the 500 degree oven and cook for 15 to 25 minutes. Check the chicken after 15 minutes. When the chicken is done remove the pan from the oven and take the bricks off. flip the breast over in the pan and set aside.
8. Alternatively, you can use a large flat saute pan as a weight for the chicken. Coat the bottom of the pan with spray oil, place on the breasts, and place a brick in the pan.

For The Smashed Potato

1. Place the potatoes into a 3-quart pot and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Season the water liberally with kosher salt. Cover the pan and bring them to a slow boil over medium heat.
2. Cook until a paring knife can be inserted with no resistance. Remove and set aside until ready to serve.

For The Broccoli Rabe

1. Fill a 2-quart pot half way with water and season with kosher salt. Bring the water to a boil and add the broccoli rabe. Blanch the broccoli for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and add back to the pot. Cover and set aside.

For The Sauce

1. In a small saute pan add enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan. sweat the shallots until they are translucent. De-glaze the pan with the chicken stock and add the lemon juice. Season with kosher salt and cracked pepper. Set aside.

For The Fried Leeks

1. Coat a small saute pan with olive oil and allow it to get hot. Add the leeks and cook until golden brown and crisp. Drain on a plate lined with a paper towel. Season with kosher salt. Set aside.

Put It All Together

1. When you are putting a dish together timing is crucial. While I did say to set aside the individual components as they are finished you want to time everything so that it comes off as close to the same time as possible.
2. Place the potatoes on a cutting board and smash them with a heavy pot. Then place them in the center of the plate. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the chicken breast on the potato.
4. While the pan is still hot from the oven transfer the sauce to the chicken pan and de-glaze it. Spoon the sauce around the plate.
5. Lay a piece of broccoli rabe over the breast. Drizzle with olive oil and place a mound of fried leeks on top of the broccoli rabe.
6. Then sprinkle a few of the fried leeks around the plate. Serve immediately.

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pollo al mattone, chicken under a brick, spatchcock chicken, fried chicken breast recipe

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