Italian Recipe Collection

main course meat

Pollo alla Diavola (Deviled Chicken)

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. To prepare the chicken, place the whole chicken on a cutting board and cut down the center of the breastbone. Remove the central bone and open the chicken completely flat (spatchcock it).
  2. In a blender or food processor, combine the coarse salt, herbs (sage and rosemary), garlic, and chili pepper (adjust chili to taste; the listed amount yields a medium heat level). Blend everything thoroughly, then transfer to a small bowl.
  3. Add 25 g of extra virgin olive oil to the blended herb mixture and stir with a spoon until a paste forms.
  4. Using a meat mallet, lightly pound the chicken to flatten it evenly.
  5. Massage the chicken thoroughly with the prepared herb paste, spreading it evenly over both the skin and the cavity side.
  6. Lightly oil a large skillet and heat it well. Place the chicken inside skin-side down and place a heavy weight on top (such as a foil-wrapped brick or a heavy pot).
  7. Cook over low heat for about 25 minutes without moving it. Flip the chicken over—a nice golden crust should have formed. Replace the weight, making sure it presses the chicken firmly against the bottom of the pan, and cook for another 25 minutes until the second side is evenly browned. Avoid moving or shifting the chicken during each cooking stage.
  8. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and use poultry shears to cut it first in half, then into smaller serving pieces.
  9. Arrange the pieces on a serving platter and serve hot.