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This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Lemon and Za’atar Chicken Under a Brick

4 Servings

2 hours 50 minutes active

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This chicken under a brick was inspired by a perennial favorite at Oleana restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Chef Ana Sortun creates a roulade of both light and dark meat, seasoned with lemon confit and wrapped in chicken skin that renders and crisps perfectly cooked under a weight. For our simplified version, we spatchcock a whole bird, then slip softened butter mixed with lemon zest and sumac between the skin and meat. In a skillet and pressed with a heavy pot, the skin side of the chicken browns beautifully before the bird is flipped and finished in the oven.

4

Servings

Tip

Don’t forget to pat the chicken dry before placing it in the skillet. The drier the skin, the better the browning and the less splatter. To help the fat render, be sure to lower the heat to medium immediately after the chicken goes into the pan.

2 hours

50 minutes active

Ingredients

  • 4

    tablespoons salted butter, room temperature

  • 2

    tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Reviews
DAVID E.
May 10, 2026
Frustrating 5 Star Recipe
One of the best roast chicken recipes you can make. Even better if you salt 24 hours ahead. The drippings make for a sublime sauce. HOWEVER. . . we are limited by the relatively small amount of them. . How can we produce ten times the sauce? My spouse literally licked the pan to get more of it.
SUSAN M.
November 13, 2025
Easy and Delicious
The chicken cooks up beautifully moist, especially the breasts! The sauce is fabulous. I cooked mine in a large cast iron skillet.
Aaron G.
May 22, 2025
Amazing
Some of the most flavorful, moist chicken I've ever had

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