Chicken Under a Brick is my favorite quick and easy way to cook a whole chicken in a skillet! The meat is so juicy and the skin is a perfect crisp golden brown. Simple to make with a few ingredients, this is my favorite way to roast a chicken!

What’s in chicken under a brick?

There’s nothing fancy about this dinner recipe but it’s still so impressive! (That’s what I love most about it.)

Whole Chicken: You’ll need to spatchcock it.
Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice creates the best flavor! Try to avoid the bottled options if you can help it.
Thyme: For the very best flavor and aroma, use fresh thyme, not dried.

Variations To Try

Feel free to use other fresh herbs as well as thyme. Sage and rosemary both work really well.
Swap the olive oil with avocado oil if you’d prefer.

How to Store and Reheat

Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. Just make sure everything is stored in an airtight container. To reheat, just pop the meat picked off the bones in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until just warmed through – you don’t want to overheat it and dry it out.

How to Freeze

You can freeze cooked chicken for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

chicken under a brick on plate with lemon and parsley

Notes from the Test Kitchen

After cooking chicken under a brick, let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing it. This will allow the juices to redistribute so that the meat is wonderfully juicy.
Use an instant read thermometer to make sure that the chicken is cooked all the way through. It should register at 165°F. This ensures it is safe, delicious, and juicy!

4.16 from 13 votes

Chicken Under a Brick

Chicken under a brick is a quick and easy way to cook a whole chicken in a skillet. The meat is perfectly juicy and the skin is a wonderful crisp golden brown. Simple to make with a few ingredients, it's my favorite way to roast a chicken.

Prep: 10

Cook: 50

Total Time : 2

Resting Time: 1

Servings: people

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Ingredients

▢ 3 pound whole chicken spatchcocked (backbone cut out and flattened – click for method)
▢ 5 teaspoons olive oil divided (1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons)
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice from ½ lemon
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
▢ 5 sprigs fresh thyme
▢ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter ⅛ stick
▢ 8 cloves garlic unpeeled

Instructions

Preheat oven to 475°F.
Rinse chicken and pat chicken dry. Place the chicken on a large plastic cutting board, breast-side up. Use your hands and strength to flatten the chicken as much as possible.
3 pound whole chicken
Mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, and thyme leaves together. Brush over the surface of the chicken. Let the chicken rest uncovered in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
5 teaspoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Season the entire surface of the chicken with salt and pepper, about 1½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet to a medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Once the oil and pan is hot, add the chicken, breast-side down in the pan. Add another cast-iron skillet on top of the chicken. Set the timer for three minutes and transfer the chicken to the oven.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Roast for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, carefully take the top skillet off and flip the chicken over. Add the butter, remaining thyme sprigs, and garlic cloves. Toss the garlic cloves in the fat and butter. Spoon some of the juices and fat on top of the chicken skin. Place back in the oven on the top rack and cook another 20 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reaches 165 degrees.
5 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 8 cloves garlic
Lett the chicken rest for 15 minutes. Use a very sharp knife to carve the chicken. I like to gently carve off the breasts and slice them. Then cut the thighs and drumettes off so guests can have a few pieces of white and dark meat.