Name: Chicken Under a Brick
Yield: Makes 2 servings
Ingredients: 1/4 cup crushed bay leaf; 1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper (or to taste); 1/4 cup thyme; 2 tbsp cinnamon; 1 tsp nutmeg; 1/2 tsp ground cloves; Vegetable-oil cooking spray; 2 whole boneless chicken breasts, skin on, split into 2 pieces each; Lemon wedges (optional)

A New York City chef adds some punch to poultry with a spice mix and...a brick?

Pazo restaurant's Patricia Yeo is hip to the Tuscan tradition of cooking chicken under a brick. Weighing down the meat keeps its surface in contact with the pan, making a crispy outside with little fat. She also coats it with a North African spice combo called ras el hanout. The result? A funky, multicultural — and healthy — way to goose up your chicken.

Recipe notes

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