Roasted Chicken under a Brick

By Addie

Flattened chicken is a boon for busy hosts: It cooks more quickly than a whole chicken without losing that great roasted flavour. You can ask the butcher to butterfly the chicken for you or do it yourself by removing the back and breast bones. (Note that smaller chickens bake best.) Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans with walnuts. You could also make a spicy smoked paprika butter: Combine half a cup of softened butter and 1 teaspoon of smoked Spanish paprika. Place in wax paper, roll into a log and refrigerate. Cut off a piece and serve a top each slice of crispy, juicy chicken.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon mild smoked paprika
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3.5-pound chicken, butterflied (no larger)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Combine tarragon, mustard, paprika and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and rub all over chicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour remaining tablespoon of oil over the base of a rimmed baking sheet and place chicken on it, skin side down. Place apiece of parchment paper on a baking sheet that is smaller than the first baking sheet. Place it, parchment-side down, over chicken. Weight down with a brick or other heavy oven-proof object.

Bake for 20 minutes, turn chicken skin-side up, replacing weighted baking pan, and bake another 15 minutes.

Remove weighted baking pan and bake for 10 minutes longer or until juices run clear. Remove from oven. Place chicken on a carving board. Let stand for 10 minutes before carving.