Pollo alla Diavola Umbro
Flattened young chicken seared hard under a heavy weight with fiery dried chilli, rosemary, and lemon juice in the rustic Umbrian farmhouse style.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy cast-iron skillet
- •Kitchen shears
- •Foil-wrapped brick or heavy press
- •Tongs
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 34 g
- carbs
- 2 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 42 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken breast-side down on a sturdy chopping board.
- 2
Cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears and discard the bone.
- 3
Turn the chicken over and press firmly on the breastbone with your palm until it cracks flat.
- 4
Rub both sides of the bird with olive oil, salt, cracked pepper, chilli, rosemary, sage, and garlic.
- 5
Heat a dry heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
- 6
Lay the chicken skin-side down in the skillet and immediately place a heavy foil-wrapped brick on top.
- 7
Cook for twenty-five minutes until the skin turns deeply golden and very crisp, regulating heat to avoid scorching.
- 8
Remove the weight, flip the chicken with tongs, and drizzle over half of the lemon juice.
- 9
Replace the weight and cook the bone side for fifteen minutes until juices run clear at the thigh joint.
- 10
Transfer the chicken to a warm platter, pour over the remaining lemon juice, and rest five minutes before jointing.
Chef's tips
Moderate the pan heat carefully after the initial sear so the dried chilli flakes sizzle without scorching black. Using a heavy weight ensures continuous contact between skin and cast iron, creating an exceptionally crisp crust.
Ingredient substitutions
- dried red chillies → crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, scaled to taste
- fresh sage → fresh thyme leaves, imparting an earthy herbal aroma
Storage
Store leftover carved chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat skin-side down in a hot dry skillet over medium heat for five minutes until sizzling and crisp.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using excessive burner heat, which burns the chilli flakes before the meat cooks through.
- •Failing to press the bird down with sufficient weight, leading to soft and uneven skin.
- •Carving the chicken immediately without resting, which drains the interior moisture onto the board.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Pollo alla Diavola Umbro?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Umbria
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
