Non-VegetarianToscana cuisine Main Course

Pollo al Mattone

Name: Pollo al Mattone
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Toscana
Ingredients: 1.5 kg Whole chicken; 45 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 10 g Fresh rosemary; 5 g Fresh sage; 3 cloves Garlic; 1 tsp peperoncino; 8 g Fine sea salt; 3 g Black pepper; 1 whole Lemon

Pollo al mattone is a classic Tuscan dish of spatchcocked chicken pressed flat under a heavy brick to produce blistered, crisp skin and succulent meat.

🇮🇹Italy· Tuscany

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 540 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

1½ kg Whole chicken — giblets removed and patted dry
45 ml Extra virgin olive oil — Tuscan robust oil preferred
10 g Fresh rosemary — leaves finely chopped
5 g Fresh sage — leaves finely chopped
3 cloves Garlic — finely grated or pounded
1 tsp peperoncino — dried red chilli flakes
8 g Fine sea salt — or to taste
3 g Black pepper — freshly cracked
1 whole Lemon — cut into wedges for serving

Equipment

•Clean heavy house brick wrapped in aluminium foil
•Large cast-iron skillet
•Poultry shears or kitchen scissors
•Tongs
•Sturdy chopping board

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 540 kcal
fat: 38 g
carbs: 1 g
fibre: 0.5 g
protein: 48 g
calories: 540 kcal

Instructions

1
Place the chicken breast-side down on a sturdy chopping board.
2
Cut down both sides of the backbone with poultry shears to remove it.
3
Turn the chicken over and press firmly down on the breastbone until it cracks completely flat.
4
Combine the olive oil, rosemary, sage, garlic, peperoncino, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
5
Rub the herb oil mixture thoroughly over both sides of the flattened chicken.
6
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot.
7
Lay the chicken skin-side down in the hot skillet.
8
Set the foil-wrapped brick directly on top of the chicken to press it flat.
9
Cook gently over medium-low heat for 25 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and blistered.
10
Remove the brick, flip the chicken carefully using sturdy tongs, and replace the brick on top.
11
Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 74 degrees C.
12
Transfer the chicken to a board, rest for 10 minutes, and carve into quarters to serve.

Chef's tips

Double wrap a standard red building brick in heavy-duty foil to ensure complete cleanliness. Keep the pan heat strictly medium-low while cooking skin-side down so the fat renders slowly without burning the herbs.

Ingredient substitutions

clean heavy house brick → cast-iron grill press or a heavy second cast-iron skillet weighted with tinned goods
peperoncino → cayenne pepper or extra freshly cracked black pepper

Storage

Store leftover carved chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Reheating

Reheat skin-side down in a dry hot frying pan or in an oven preheated to 190 degrees C until heated through and crisp.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using excessive heat, which burns the garlic and rosemary before the chicken cooks through.
•Skipping the flattening step, preventing full surface contact with the hot cast-iron base.
•Carving immediately without resting, which allows flavourful juices to spill away.

Serving suggestions

Serve with roasted Tuscan potatoes tossed in rosemary and olive oil.Pair with a crisp bitter salad of rocket or chicory dressed with lemon juice.Accompany with slices of crusty Tuscan pane sciocco (unsalted bread) to catch the pan juices.