Al Mattone means “with a brick”. This Tuscan technique for grilling uses heavy bricks to weigh down a butterflied chicken so that it is pressed against the grate. The result is a juicy smoky flavored perfectly cooked chicken with crispy golden skin. In this recipe, the chicken is marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and thyme overnight before it is grilled. It is served with a thyme pesto sauce.
Words can’t really describe chicken al mattone. You have to smell it cooking and then taste it to truly appreciate it. The aroma from the grill is intoxicating. I think my neighbors would attest to that. My dogs went berserk. Even the children came into the kitchen asking what smelled so good. It tasted even better than it smelled. This is a perfect meal for a casual summer dinner party, but it is simple enough to make anytime.
Words can’t really describe chicken al mattone. You have to smell it cooking and then taste it to truly appreciate it. The aroma from the grill is intoxicating. I think my neighbors would attest to that. My dogs went berserk. Even the children came into the kitchen asking what smelled so good. It tasted even better than it smelled. This is a perfect meal for a casual summer dinner party, but it is simple enough to make anytime.
SERVES 4-6
- 1 (3-4 lb) whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry; backbone removed
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme or lemon thyme leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1-foot-square paving stone wrapped in aluminum foil
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 11/2 cups Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt
1. MARINATE THE CHICKEN: Place chicken, skin-side-up, in a glass baking dish. Press down on the center of the breast to break the sternum. The chicken should lie flat now. Rub it with marinade. Be sure to loosen the skin and rub the marinade under the skin as well. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
Use poultry shears to cut out the backbone and extra skin, or ask your butcher to do it. Break the sternum with your palms so that it lies flat
2. GRILL THE CHICKEN: Remove chicken from refrigerator. Drain the marinade and pat the chicken dry. Season it with salt and pepper. Wrap your paving stone in foil. (I pulled a cement paving stone out of my garden and washed it off). Prepare your grill. Note: I threw a few mesquite wood chips onto my grill to give it a little something extra. Brush your grill rack with a bit of oil. When the fire is MEDIUM HIGH heat (you should be able to hold your hand over the grill about 5 seconds), Place the chicken skin-side-down on the grill grate. Brush your paving stone with a little oil and then place it on top of the chicken. Grill 12-15 minutes. Using grilling gloves, remove the stone (be very careful). Flip the chicken; replace the stone on top; and grill until chicken is done, about 12-15 minutes longer. About five minuets before chicken is done, grill the lemon wedges. Remove everything to a serving platter. Let chicken rest, covered with foil for 5-10 minutes, and then cut into quarters.
I plucked a paving stone from the garden, brushed off the dirt, and then wrapped it in two pieces of foil
Grilling lemons gives them a nice smokey flavor
Chicken al mattone is easy enough to be made any weeknight, but it has so much going for it in the way of flavor that it would also be perfect for entertaining
3. MAKE THE PESTO: Note: this can be done up to 1 week ahead. Combine parsley, thyme leaves, lemon zest, Parmesan, walnuts, and garlic in a food processor. When finely chopped, add olive oil in a steady stream until pesto is smooth. Season to taste with salt.
The food processor makes the sauce a cinch to make
Note: it can be made up to a week in advance and refrigerated
4. SERVE: Serve grilled chicken with a dollop of pesto and a lemon wedge. Tell your diners to squeeze the lemon over the pesto. Enjoy.
Peace and love from my kitchen to yours,
Waverly
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the wicked noodle says: 