I fell in love with this recipe the minute I saw it on Tyler’s ultimate. The combination of spices and the look of the finished dish were too good to miss. But what was really interesting was the way he cooked the chicken.
The chicken was split down the back and then fried in a pan with a brick on top (hence the name brick chicken) untill the skin is golden brown and crisp and then it is finished in the oven to cook it through.
I looked for the “brick” part of the recipe for a few weeks and couldn’t find it so I finally decided to give it a go without it.
The part I loved the most was preparing the marinade, it should truly be listed as a form of aromatherapy. When you toast your own spices then grind them your kitchen will be filled with a cloud of spices, it is intoxicating.
This recipe is really simple to make and the result is impressive to say the least. Instead of serving this with Apricot couscous and flat bread, I served it with olive oil rosemary wheat thins (recipe coming your way tomorrow) and mint yogurt.
In one word it was a meal to remember (ok more than one word lol)
Brick chicken (recipe adapted from Tyler ultimate)
2 tablespoons cumin seed
2 tablespoons whole coriander
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1 whole chicken (3 pounds), split
olive oil
Directions
Toast cumin, coriander and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over low heat until you can smell their beautiful scent.
In a clean spice grinder or coffee grinder, blend spices.
Add the spices to a bowl then add paprika, salt and cayenne.
Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice.
Prepare chicken by splitting it down the back and removing the backbone, breast bone and rib cage. Lay the chicken out flat and rub the blended spices all over. Marinate for up to 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat a large cast iron skillet (or other heavy oven-proof pan) over medium-high heat.
When hot, add a 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place the chicken skin side down in the pan.
Cover it with a second cast iron pan (you could also use a more traditional foil-wrapped brick) immediately so the skin doesn’t have time to contract.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until chicken is golden brown and has a nice crust.
Finish cooking in the oven for a further 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve with minty yogurt and rosemary olive oil wheat thins
Before I let you go ..here are a few pictures of our new pets 
who are still nameless!..
For the moment the are he (the wall climbing greenish yellow one) and she (AKA the wild one seen here in blue)
jelliedwhale
/ July 4, 2012this looks amazing. it’s a definite for my “to-try” list!
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ July 4, 2012Thank you Jellie
If you get a chance to try it I would love to hear what you think
eva626
/ June 23, 2011i like how you posted pics of your new pet BIRDS after the ones of the delicious cooked BIRD lol
thefooddoctor
/ June 23, 2011It was a little joke :p
Caroline
/ June 23, 2011Now that’s one good looking bird! I was going to say the other two are pretty cute too, as Maris said, ha! I love the crispy skin. My grandma is famous for her brick chicken, I’ve got to make it soon. Doesn’t look like this recipe needed the brick’s help–yum!
thefooddoctor
/ June 23, 2011I can’t wait for your grandmother’s recipe..I am sure it is really special
kitchenbelleicious
/ June 22, 2011I would take this over “brick” chicken any day of the week! Wow! It looks so amazing and so pretty and i just want it for dinner tonight. I am totally impressed. the flavors are intoxicating to me!
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011It makes for an impressive presentation
and the flavors are truly amazing
thanx for stopping by
Miss Anthropist
/ June 22, 2011This recipe sounds like a keeper! The chicken looks incredible
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011Thanks Norhan
Dee at Deelicious Sweets
/ June 22, 2011Pretty birds (even the chicken)! I adore Tyler, he rocks it out in the kitchen like noone else! Have you tried his Ultimate Fried Chicken? It’s so good and herby. You actually infuse the herbs in the oil. I love herbylicious foods!
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011I love herbylicious food.(That is a mouth full hehehe).
will have to try that fried chicken
chicaandaluza
/ June 22, 2011Amazing! This looks so good and I´m looking forward to the recipe for the wheat thins too! In England, when a chicken is split this way before cooking it´s called “Spatchcocked” – weird eh?!
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011I’ve never heard that before..Spatchcocked! next time when I make it I’ll tell huz we’re having Spatchcocked chicken
I can’t wait to see his reaction hehehe
Manu
/ June 22, 2011FANTASTIC looking chicken!!!! I am soooo hungry!!!! I love the spice mix and the yoghurt on the side! Now I am waiting for the recipe for those rosemary wheat thins as they look soooo amazing too!
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011Thank you Manu! you are always too sweet
Claire @ Claire K Creations
/ June 22, 2011Yum! That first picture made me giggle a little. It looks like a lazy chicken having a rest.
The aromas of those spices must be amazing.
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011hehehehe I was hoping somone would think it was funny
Thank you Claire
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
/ June 22, 2011this chicken looks amazing!! The marinade sounds awesome!! Great recipe! Love Tyler!
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011Thank you Erin…and I love Tyler too..I have yet to try a recipe of his that doesn’t work
fatisrecipes
/ June 22, 2011Please don’t show that chicken to the birds. They’ll think it’s their great aunty and might get a fright!
As for me, can you please save me some of the darker bits, “yum” to slightly burnt food…. I’m coming over to grab a bite within the next few minutes……….
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011hehehehe..
The birds have been quite since yesterday!
metrocakegirl
/ June 22, 2011Chicken looks amazing and the birds are very cute. I thought it was funny that there was a picture of the cooked chicken, and then this pretty little bird…for a moment I was wondering …lol
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011That was actually intended :p
metrocakegirl
/ June 22, 2011Some name ideas: Bonnie and Clyde. Lucy and Ricky. Fred and Ginger. (Not sure if you know these references)
Wendy Irene
/ June 22, 2011The blue bird looks just like the one my Grandma had! I miss her <3 Thanks for the special memory. Enjoy!
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011Glad I could bring back a fond memory of someone special Wendy
Mike@The Culinary Lens
/ June 22, 2011This spice rub sound wonderful. Toasting and grinding your own spices is always incredible.
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011Isn’t it just amazing! The toasting transforms the smell to a whole new level
Ginger
/ June 22, 2011The skin on that chicken looks perfect! I love your new pets, I bet the kiddies are thrilled! Congrats, they are very pretty!
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011The kids are going mad…they are not even watching tv…they shifted to bird watching lol
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide
/ June 22, 2011Oh those are tasty looking birds, err, bird. Maris started it! I love this recipe and am really looking forward to the wheat thins.
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011hehehehe
I actually was hoping for a couple of jokes..
anjobanjo22
/ June 22, 2011Wow that looks delish! The chicken…not the cute little birdies
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011hehehe thank you
tanja@tanjascookingcorner
/ June 22, 2011Lovely recipe, the chicken looks so tasty! And Maris’ comment made me laugh! Really a good one Haha
Andrea
/ June 22, 2011I love making chicken this way! So much quicker! Looks wonderful!
Nami @ Just One Cookbook
/ June 22, 2011Wow I’m so surprised that seasonings are rather simple for this great looking chicken! Looks delicious! And look at the birds… hope they weren’t scared of being cooked (sorry I had to follow after Maris)
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011Hehehehe
good one Nami
ChefMom
/ June 22, 2011Oh I can smell this now! Yum! Do the kids have any ideas for names yet? I can only imagine the ideas that they are tossing around. Anytime my daughter names one of her baby dolls she goes through quite the list of potential options. LOL!
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011No names yet..we have a mile long list of weird names lol but no decisions yet
Maris(In Good Taste)
/ June 22, 2011The birds are gorgeous! All three! Great recipe-the chicken looks so tasty
thefooddoctor
/ June 22, 2011hehehe good one Maris..
Thank you for your kind comment