Chicken Under A Brick (Pollo al Mattone)

Ingredients:

• 2 deboned chicken legs
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Fresh thyme
• Dried chili flakes

Directions:

Season the legs with salt, pepper and chili flakes. Top with fresh thyme. Let rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Put a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil, and then quickly place the chicken legs in the pan with skin side down. Wrap another skillet of a slightly smaller size with aluminum foil to use a weight. Place the foil-wrapped skillet on top of the chicken. Adjust the heat so not to smoke, but yet high enough to get the sizzle. Let cook for 10-12 minutes, remove the weighted pan and turn the meat. Cook for another 2-4 minutes without the "brick". Let rest for 5 minutes.

Recipe credit: Joan Lapuyade, Culinary Coordinator for Williams-Sonoma, Monterey, CA