Chicken Cooked under a Brick with Olive-Orange Tapenade Recipe

1. Main Dishes

Ingredients

Brine:
2 quarts water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked
8 six-ounce boneless chicken half breasts, skin on

Stuffing:
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1 teaspoon marjoram or oregano
1/4 cup parsley leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted
2 Tablespoons olive oil for stuffing, plus additional 3 Tablespoons for brushing chicken
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons currants
1/2 cup (4 ounces) feta, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Canola oil (for grilling)

Garnish:
Sprigs of marjoram or parsley

Methods/Steps

Preheat the oven to 400°F

Brine: Mix water, salt, sugar, bay leaf and black peppercorns. Immerse the chicken in the brine and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove from the brine and pat dry.

Stuffing: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the garlic, marjoram, parsley leaves, toasted fennel and 2 Tablespoons of olive oil; pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Add the walnuts, black olives, orange and lemon zest and juice, currants, feta, salt and pepper. Mix well. Gently loosen the skin from the chicken breasts with your fingers, leaving one side attached. Stuff a heaping tablespoon of the mixture evenly underneath the skin. Press gently on the skin to spread the filling. Brush chicken breast with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Brown Chicken: Preheat an outdoor grill or an indoor, ridged grill (pan) until hot. Brush the grill lightly with canola oil. Place several stuffed chicken breasts—skin side down—on the grill. Place a baking sheet on top of the chickens with the rim facing up. Then place a brick on top of the baking sheet and let the chicken cook until the skin is dark golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Carefully remove the brick and baking sheet and transfer the breasts to a clean baking sheet, browned side up (no need to brown on the other side as it will finish cooking in the oven). Finish searing the remaining chicken breasts in the same manner.

Roast Chicken: Transfer baking sheet with the chicken to the oven and finish cooking until a knife inserted in the center encounters no resistance or an instant-read thermometer reads 155ºF, about 8-10 minutes.

Serve: Serve chicken garnished with marjoram or parsley.

Recipe created by Parties That Cook®

Serves/Makes

Serves 8