Mastering Grilled Brick Chicken with Flavorful Kalamata Tapenade: A Guide to Crispy Skin and Juicy Perfection

Have you ever seen “brick chicken” on a menu and wondered about this intriguing dish? The name might conjure images of elaborate kitchen tools, but the truth is wonderfully simple: all you truly need are a chicken, a grill, a cast-iron skillet, and a humble brick. This method of cooking, often referred to as “chicken under a brick” or “pollo al mattone” in Italian, is a time-honored technique that promises a culinary experience unlike any other. It delivers a whole bird that is incredibly juicy on the inside, with remarkably crispy, charred skin on the outside, and cooked evenly throughout. This guide will walk you through achieving this deliciousness on your backyard grill, enhancing it with a homemade Kalamata tapenade and a vibrant lemon-garlic marinade.

The magic of brick chicken lies in the weight applied during grilling. By flattening the bird and pressing it down with a heavy object like a foil-wrapped brick in a cast-iron pan, you maximize contact with the hot grill grates. This ensures every part of the chicken cooks uniformly and achieves that sought-after crispy skin without drying out the meat. While the basic technique remains constant, the beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability. Whether you infuse it with the robust flavors of a homemade tapenade or opt for a simple garlic and rosemary marinade, the result is always a show-stopping grilled chicken that’s both impressive and surprisingly easy to prepare.

Our journey to the perfect grilled brick chicken begins with preparing a vibrant Kalamata tapenade. This savory Mediterranean spread will infuse an incredible depth of flavor directly into the chicken, nestled right under its skin.

Crafting the Flavorful Kalamata Tapenade

The Kalamata tapenade is more than just a condiment; it’s a flavor bomb that will elevate your brick chicken from great to extraordinary. Its salty, briny, and aromatic profile perfectly complements the richness of the chicken. To unlock the full potential of this tapenade, we’ll start with a crucial step: toasting pine nuts.

Toasting pine nuts on the stovetop intensifies their nutty flavor and adds a delightful aroma and texture to the tapenade. Simply place them in a small, dry sauté pan over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they just begin to turn golden. Be watchful, as they can burn quickly! Once toasted, immediately transfer them to a plate to cool. This prevents them from continuing to cook and becoming bitter. Once cooled, they’re ready to join the other ingredients.

In a food processor, combine the pitted Kalamata olives, fresh flat-leaf parsley, a hint of minced fresh rosemary, chopped garlic, grated lemon zest, a touch of extra-virgin olive oil, and freshly ground black pepper. Remember, Kalamata olives are naturally salty, so it’s advisable to taste the mixture before adding any coarse sea salt. Process these ingredients until you achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency. Finally, add your cooled, toasted pine nuts and pulse until they are incorporated. This vibrant tapenade can be prepared in advance and stored tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a week, making it a fantastic staple to have on hand.

While you won’t use all of this tapenade for the chicken, the excess is a culinary gift. Store it tightly covered in the fridge and use it throughout the week. It’s fantastic spread on crostini, mixed into pasta, dolloped onto grilled fish, or served alongside hummus on a vibrant mezze platter.

Preparing the Zesty Lemon-Garlic Marinade

With our tapenade set aside, let’s prepare the lemon-garlic marinade. This simple yet incredibly effective marinade will infuse the chicken with bright, aromatic flavors and help tenderize the meat. The best part? You don’t need any fancy equipment – just a bowl and a whisk will do!

This marinade combines extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon zest and juice, minced garlic, fresh rosemary, kosher salt, and black pepper. The citrus in the lemon juice helps to break down the chicken fibers, making the meat more tender, while the zest and garlic provide a fragrant, pungent kick. Rosemary adds an earthy, piney note that beautifully complements both lemon and garlic. Whisk these ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined, then set it aside with your tapenade. You’re now ready for the next crucial step: preparing your chicken.

The Art of Spatchcocking Your Chicken for Even Grilling

This is where the real fun begins and a technique that truly makes brick chicken shine: spatchcocking, also known as butterflying, the chicken. While the term might sound intimidating, it simply means removing the backbone (or sometimes the breastbone) so the entire bird can lie flat. This flattening allows for even cooking and maximum skin contact with the grill, leading to that coveted crispy texture.

You can always ask your butcher to spatchcock the chicken for you, but it’s a straightforward process that’s easily done at home with a good pair of kitchen shears or a sturdy boning knife. Place the chicken on a cutting board, breast-side down. Using your shears, cut along one side of the backbone from the tail to the neck. Repeat on the other side of the backbone to completely remove it. Once the backbone is removed, open the chicken fully like a book and flip it over so the skin side is up. Use the heel of your hand to press firmly on the breastbone, flattening the bird completely. This ensures maximum contact with the cooking surface.

A small tip: the tips of the wings are prone to burning on the grill, so you might choose to snip them off. Don’t discard the backbone and wing tips! Wrap them tightly and freeze them – they are excellent for making flavorful chicken stock later. For a more detailed visual guide, you can always refer to comprehensive tutorials on spatchcocking chicken, which offer step-by-step photos or videos.

Infusing Flavor: Tapenade Under the Skin and Marinating

Now that your chicken is perfectly spatchcocked, it’s time for the secret flavor boost: applying the Kalamata tapenade directly under the skin. This step ensures that the chicken meat absorbs all those wonderful savory and briny notes while cooking. Carefully lift the skin of the chicken by gently running your hand between the skin and the meat, taking care not to tear it. Place about 1 tablespoon of tapenade under the skin of each leg and roughly 4 teaspoons under the skin of each breast. Gently massage the skin from the outside to distribute the tapenade evenly over the meat.

Next, place the chicken in a ceramic or glass dish large enough for it to lie flat. Pour the prepared lemon-garlic marinade over the chicken, ensuring it’s thoroughly coated on all sides. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally, overnight. Marinating for an extended period allows the flavors to deeply penetrate the meat, resulting in a more succulent and flavorful final product. Remember to turn the chicken 3 or 4 times during the marinating process to ensure even flavor distribution.

Grilling Under Pressure: Setting Up for Success

When you’re ready to grill, proper preparation is key. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before cooking. This allows the chicken to come closer to room temperature, promoting more even cooking and preventing the meat from seizing up when it hits the hot grill.

While your chicken is tempering, prepare your grill and equipment. Whether you’re using a gas grill or charcoal, preheat it to medium heat. Once hot, take a moment to clean your grill grates thoroughly with a wire brush. This prevents sticking and helps achieve those beautiful grill marks. After cleaning, wipe the grates lightly with a bit of olive oil using a paper towel held with tongs – this further reduces sticking and enhances crust formation.

Now for the “brick” part! Wrap a clean brick tightly in aluminum foil. This keeps the brick clean and prevents any debris from transferring to your food. Select a cast-iron pan with a base similar in size to your flattened chicken. The pan will hold the foil-wrapped brick and apply even pressure. Because the cast-iron pan will become extremely hot, setting up a safe resting place near the grill is absolutely essential. On a sturdy table or cart, lay out a thick heat-resistant mat or a folded towel. Place a metal rack on top of the mat. This setup provides a secure and safe spot for the scorching hot pan when you need to remove it to turn the chicken. And please, a word of extreme caution: always have several thick oven mitts or heat-resistant gloves nearby! The cast-iron pan handle will reach dangerously high temperatures. Safety first!

The Grilling Process: Achieving Perfect Crispy Skin

With everything prepped, it’s time to grill! Sprinkle the outside of your marinated, tapenade-infused chicken with about 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt on each side. Place the chicken skin-side up on the preheated, oiled grill grates. Immediately place the cast-iron skillet on top of the bird, and then carefully set the foil-wrapped brick inside the skillet. This weight ensures maximum contact between the chicken skin and the grill, which is vital for achieving that irresistibly crispy skin.

Cook the chicken for 10 to 13 minutes on this first side. Be mindful of flare-ups, which can occur from the chicken fat. Adjust heat or move the chicken to a cooler part of the grill if needed. After the initial cooking time, carefully remove the hot skillet and brick (remember those mitts!). Using sturdy tongs or a spatula, confidently flip the chicken over. Immediately replace the skillet and brick, and continue cooking for another 10 to 13 minutes on the second side. During the last few minutes of cooking, you can add halved lemons, cut-side down, to the grill alongside the chicken. These grilled lemons will caramelize slightly and develop a wonderful smoky, tart flavor, perfect for squeezing over the finished bird.

The chicken is ready when it boasts a beautiful golden-brown, crisp exterior and an internal temperature of 170°F (77°C) when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, ensuring it doesn’t touch bone. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a cutting board or platter, tent it loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful chicken. Finally, carve the chicken into quarters, season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately with the grilled lemon halves. The bright squeeze of lemon over the rich chicken and tapenade is simply divine.

Serving Suggestions and Flavor Variations

This grilled brick chicken, especially with the vibrant Kalamata tapenade and zesty lemon-garlic marinade, is a meal in itself. For a complete and balanced dinner, consider pairing it with simple side dishes that complement its bold flavors. Roasted or grilled seasonal vegetables like asparagus, zucchini, or bell peppers are excellent choices. A fresh green salad with a light vinaigrette would also cut through the richness beautifully. For a heartier meal, serve it alongside quinoa, couscous, or a simple rice pilaf that can absorb some of the chicken’s delicious juices.

While the recipe, inspired by culinary masters like Michael Chiarello’s Live Fire Cookbook, offers an exceptional flavor combination, remember that brick chicken is incredibly versatile. Don’t hesitate to fine-tune it to your family’s preferences. Instead of the Kalamata tapenade, you could experiment with a different spread under the skin. Consider a pesto for an herbaceous twist, a sun-dried tomato spread for a sweeter note, or even just some fresh herb butter. Alternatively, slip thin slices of citrus, such as oranges or limes, under the skin for a different kind of aromatic infusion.

The lemon-garlic marinade can also be customized. Add a touch of smoked paprika for depth, a pinch of chili flakes for heat, or swap rosemary for thyme or oregano for a different herbal bouquet. The core technique of grilling chicken under a brick will always yield a magnificently moist and flavorful bird with incredibly crispy skin, no matter the specific flavors you choose to impart. It’s truly grilled chicken at its best – a testament to how simple methods can produce extraordinary results.

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