Moroccan Spiced Chicken Under A Brick

Name: Moroccan Spiced Chicken Under A Brick
Prep time: 14 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 (3-lb) whole chicken; 2 tbsp olive oil; 4 garlic cloves, grated; 1 tbsp ras el hanout; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 lemon (zest and juice, used separately); 1 1/2 tsp salt; Small handful fresh cilantro, chopped

⏲ ~49 min total · prep 14 · cook 35 · 4 servings

Lunch⏱ 75 min total🔥 1.6g net carbs

By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor

Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026

Ingredients

1 (3-lb) whole chicken
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 tbsp ras el hanout
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 lemon (zest and juice, used separately)
1 1/2 tsp salt
Small handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Spatchcock the chicken: snip along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears and remove it, press the bird flat with your palms until it cracks, then split it into 2 halves.
Stir the oil, garlic, ras el hanout, paprika, cumin, ginger, lemon zest, and salt into a spice paste and work it under the skin and over every surface; let the halves sit 20 minutes at room temperature.
Heat the oven to 425°F and set a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 3 minutes.
Lay the halves skin-side down in the dry-hot pan, set a foil-wrapped brick (or a heavy skillet weighted with two cans) on each, and cook undisturbed 14-16 minutes — lift a corner with tongs to check: the skin should be deep mahogany and releasing easily, not tearing.
Flip the halves skin-side up, remove the bricks, and slide the skillet into the oven for 18-22 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh reads 170-175°F.
Rest 10 minutes, squeeze the lemon juice over, and scatter with cilantro.

Why this recipe works

Weight does the work A foil-wrapped brick presses the skin flat against hot cast iron for 14 to 16 minutes, and flat skin renders into deep mahogany instead of bubbling up soft.
Spice paste under the skin Ras el hanout, paprika, cumin, and grated garlic worked under the skin season the meat directly. Rubbed only on top, most of it would scorch.
Spatchcock geometry A flattened bird split into halves fits the skillet, cooks first under the brick on the stove and then in the oven, and lands at 1.6 net carbs a serving.

Tips for making this recipe well

Lift a corner to check

After 14 minutes, raise the skin edge with tongs. It should be deep mahogany and releasing easily; if it tears, give it 2 more minutes.

Thigh temperature is the truth

Breast meat finishes early, so check the thickest part of the thigh, looking for 170 to 175°F. The 18 to 22 oven minutes are a guide, and the thermometer is the answer.

Rest a full 10 minutes

Juices redistribute while the bird sits, and the skin stays crisper for it. Cut too early and the board floods.

No brick, no problem

A heavy skillet weighted with two cans presses the same way. Wrap whatever you use in foil so it stays clean.

Zest in the paste, juice at the end

The lemon is used twice on purpose. Zest goes into the spice paste for aroma, and fresh juice goes over after roasting, where the brightness survives.

Serving suggestions

One point six net carbs a serving for a plate of crackly-skinned chicken, and the pan juices are the sauce. Split the halves at the joints if the table wants a mix of leg and breast pieces. Cilantro scatters over after the lemon squeeze so it stays green. Tip the skillet and spoon the spiced drippings over everything before they cool; they carry the ras el hanout.

Storage and meal prep

Cooked chicken keeps 3 to 4 days covered in the fridge and freezes for 2 to 3 months, though the skin surrenders its crackle either way. Reheat in a hot oven on a rack to bring back some crisp; the microwave will not manage it. The spice paste can be stirred together a day ahead, and the chicken can sit coated in the fridge overnight, which pushes the ras el hanout deeper into the meat. Cool the cooked halves before they meet the fridge so trapped steam does not soften the skin.

Variations worth trying

Thighs only Four bone-in thighs press and roast the same way; check them at the same thigh temperature as the recipe.
Harissa heat A spoonful of harissa stirred into the spice paste leans the bird toward fire if your ras el hanout runs mild.
Preserved lemon Minced preserved lemon rind in the paste deepens the citrus without adding juice that would burn.
Grill finish Start the halves skin-down over moderate coals with the bricks on top, then move to indirect heat until the thigh reaches temperature.

Frequently asked questions

What is ras el hanout?

It is a North African spice blend, usually built around cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and other warm spices. Blends vary by shop, which is part of the point; buy one that smells loud in the jar.

Do I really need a brick?

The weight is what keeps the skin flat against the pan so it renders evenly. A heavy skillet loaded with two cans does the same job, as the recipe notes.

Why 170°F and not 165°F for the chicken?

165°F is the safety line for poultry, and 170 to 175°F in the thigh is where dark meat turns tender. The recipe aims for that texture, and the thermometer settles the argument.

Can I spatchcock ahead of time?

Yes, the bird holds fine split and covered in the fridge for a day. Pat the skin dry again before it meets the pan, since fridge time gathers moisture.

My skin tore instead of crisping. What happened?

Usually the pan was not hot enough at the start, or the skin was lifted before it released. Dry skin, a 3-minute pan preheat, and patience for the full 14 minutes prevent it.

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