SERVES 1
½ chicken (4 to 6 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, skin-on and smashed
2 sprigs rosemary
1 beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 wedges
Salsa Verde
⅓ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons salt-packed capers, rinsed and finely chopped
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wrap two regular bricks with aluminum foil. If you don’t have any bricks, you can use a second heavy skillet as a weight.
2 Season the chicken on both sides with a few pinches of salt and twists of pepper.
3 Set a large cast-iron pan or heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat to shimmering, then add the chicken, flesh-side down. Cook without moving until the bottom turns golden brown, about 5 minutes.
4 Remove from the heat, flip the chicken, and carefully drain and discard all but a few tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Add the garlic, rosemary, and tomatoes to the pan, place the foil-wrapped bricks on top of the chicken, and place in the oven. Cook until golden brown and the thickest part of the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the bricks from the chicken.
5 Meanwhile, make the salsa verde: In a medium bowl, combine the parsley, shallot, capers, pepper flakes, anchovies, garlic, jalapeño, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and a twist of pepper, toss to combine, and set aside for at least 15 minutes to marry the flavors.
6 Remove the chicken from the oven (discard the rosemary and garlic) and set aside to rest, loosely tented with foil, for 5 minutes.
7 Cut the chicken into two pieces by separating the breast from the leg, smash the roasted tomatoes over the top, and spoon on the salsa verde, and serve.
