Chicken Crapaudine

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Mark: From the book My Paris Kitchen, by David Lebovitz, this is what passes for “fast food” sold by street vendors in Paris.

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic
1 ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine

1 tablespoon Maggi or soy sauce
2 ½ teaspoons harissa or sriracha
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1 chicken

Instructions

  1. Peel the garlic, and crush it together with the salt to make a paste. Put in a large bowl.
  2. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, white wine, Maggi/soy, harissa/sriracha, mustard and honey to the bowl. Mix well.
  3. With the chicken breast side down, use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to completely cut out the backbone. Discard the backbone, or save to make stock.
  4. Open up the chicken, and use a large knife to crack the rib bones on either side of center breast bone. Then push the chicken down with your hands so it spreads out and lies flat.
  5. Flip the chicken over so it’s skin-side up, and press down with the heels of your hands on the chicken very firmly – like you’re giving it a shiatsu massage – to flatten it as much as you possibly can. Don’t go easy on it.
  6. Work your fingers under the skin on the breast and thigh, to gently separate the skin from the meat. Put the chicken in the bowl. Spoon some of the marinade into these spaces, under the skin, and spread it around by rubbing the skin.
  7. Put the chicken and marinade into a 1 gallon Ziploc bag, close it securely and use your hands to rub the marinade into the chicken.
  8. Refrigerate it for 1-2 days, flipping the bag over a few times as it marinates, rubbing in the marinade a bit more.
  9. Preheat the oven to 400F.
    • On a gas grill - Turn heat to medium high. Oil the grill.
    • On a charcoal grill - When coals are completely covered in gray, spread them evenly. Oil the grill.
    • On a stove - Turn heat to medium high and heat a large cast iron skillet
  10. Place the chicken on the grill/skillet, breast side down. Drape a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the top and set a brick (or other heavy weight) on top of it.
  11. Cook the chicken until the skin is a deep golden brown, which usually takes 10 minutes or so – but check it often.
  12. Flip the chicken, replace the foil and weight, and cook about 5 minutes more.
  13. If using a grill - Transfer the chicken to a baking dish.
  14. Pour the remaining marinade over and around the chicken.
  15. Cook in the oven for 25 minutes, or until it’s cooked through – it’s done when the juices around the thigh/leg joint no longer run pink when you pierce with a small knife (inner temp 160F).
  16. Let the chicken rest under foil for 5-10 minutes, then cut into pieces and serve.