With crisp, golden skin and tender, flavorful meat, Tuscan Chicken Under a Brick (pollo al mattone) is a classic worth making at home. You don’t actually need a brick — a heavy pan works perfectly to press and sear the bird.
True Rustic Tuscan Cooking
One of the joys of Tuscan cooking is how few ingredients are required to deliver big flavor. Dishes like Peposo or Steak Tagliata—and this Tuscan Brick Chicken—rely on simple, high-quality components and straightforward technique.
To make pollo al mattone, spatchcock a young whole chicken, marinate it in lemon, garlic and herbs, then cook it skin-side down in a heavy pan. Press the chicken with a foil-wrapped brick or a smaller heavy pan to flatten and sear the skin. The result is exceptionally crisp skin and juicy meat.
Serve with a simple arugula salad, creamy polenta, or crispy roasted potatoes with lemon and garlic for a rustic, satisfying meal.
Recipe Ingredients
The photo below shows the main ingredients. Notes and substitutions follow.
- Chicken. Use a young whole chicken (about 4–5 lb) and spatchcock it. Some stores sell spatchcocked birds if you prefer to save time.
- Herbs. Fresh rosemary and minced sage give the marinade an aromatic, earthy quality.
- Lemon. Fresh lemon juice and zest brighten the marinade and cut through the richness.
See the recipe card later in the page for full ingredient quantities.
How to make Tuscan Chicken
Overview of the main steps; full instructions appear in the recipe card below.
- Remove the backbone with kitchen shears and flatten the chicken by pressing down on the breastbone.
- Whisk together olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, minced sage and chopped rosemary to make the marinade.
- Rub the marinade over both sides of the chicken, cover, and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight, flipping halfway through.
- An hour before cooking, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it sit on a rack to come closer to room temperature. Pat it dry before searing.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Heat a large cast iron or stainless steel pan over medium-high with 1/4 cup olive oil until shimmering. Place the chicken skin-side down into the pan.
- Cover the chicken with a foil-wrapped brick or a smaller cast-iron pan to press it into the oil, and sear 5–7 minutes until well browned. Transfer the pan to the oven.
- After 20 minutes, flip the chicken, pour reserved marinade over it, replace the weight, and roast another 15–20 minutes or until the breast reaches 160°F. Let rest 10 minutes before carving. The pan juices are excellent over bread or rice.
Top tips
- Pan choice. A 14-inch cast iron skillet is ideal; a 12-inch will work. If using a heavy pan instead of a brick, choose one smaller than the cooking pan so it sits on the chicken.
- Doneness. Remove the chicken when the thickest part of the breast registers 160°F with an instant-read thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, pierce the thigh — juices should run clear.
- Resting. Rest the chicken 10 minutes after roasting to allow juices to redistribute for a juicier result.
- Pan sauce. Use the oily pan sauce to dress rice or to dip crusty bread.
More chicken recipes
- Rao’s-style broiled lemon chicken
- Garlic butter roast chicken
- Homemade rotisserie chicken
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Tuscan Chicken under a Brick – Rustic Roast Chicken
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Equipment
- Lodge 14-inch cast iron skillet (recommended)
Ingredients
Base ingredients
- 1 young chicken (about 4–5 pounds)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (for pan frying)
For the marinade
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or equivalent)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 10 sage leaves, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
Instructions
- Whisk the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, minced sage and chopped rosemary in a bowl to make the marinade.
- With kitchen shears, cut out and discard (or reserve) the backbone. Press the chicken flat to spatchcock it.
- Place the chicken in a large baking dish and use your hands to rub the marinade all over both sides. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, flipping halfway through.
- An hour before roasting, remove the chicken from the fridge, place it on a wire rack or baking sheet, and let it rest. Save the remaining marinade. Pat the chicken dry before cooking.
- Preheat oven to 450°F with the rack in the middle position. Heat a cast iron or stainless steel pan over medium-high heat with 1/4 cup olive oil until shimmering.
- Pat the chicken skin dry once more, then carefully place the chicken skin-side down in the hot oil. Place a foil-wrapped brick or a smaller foil-wrapped cast-iron pan on top to press the chicken into the oil. Sear 5–7 minutes until well browned, then transfer the pan to the oven. Note: the weighted pan or brick will be heavy—use caution.
- After 20 minutes in the oven, remove the pan, flip the chicken, pour the reserved marinade over the top, replace the weight, and return to the oven. Roast another 15–20 minutes or until the center of the breast reaches 160°F with an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the chicken and let it rest 10 minutes before carving so the juices redistribute. Serve with the pan juices over rice or with crusty bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pan size: A 14-inch cast-iron pan is ideal; a 12-inch will fit if needed. Stainless steel pans also work well.
- Pan or brick: Any heavy, oven-safe object can be used to press the chicken. Wrap bricks or the smaller pan in foil to prevent sticking and protect the skin.
- Grill option: On a grill, use indirect heat at 375–400°F. Sear both sides with the weighted foil-wrapped pan or bricks until charred (about 6 minutes per side), then move to a cooler spot, cover, and cook to 160°F internal temp.
- Storage: Leftovers keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
Protein: 73.3 g |
Fat: 58.7 g |
Saturated Fat: 15.3 g |
Cholesterol: 234 mg |
Sodium: 1320 mg
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as an approximation.
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