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.

Ingredients

North African spice mixture

　　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

Chicken

　　2 whole boneless chicken breasts, skin on, split into 2 pieces each

　　Lemon wedges (optional)

　　Preheat oven to 400°F. In a bowl, mix all spice mixture ingredients. Dust chicken with spice mix (store extra in a glass jar); sprinkle with salt and pepper. Coat a cast-iron frying pan or ovenproof sauté pan with cooking spray. Heat pan over medium-high heat 1 minute. Place chicken skin side down in the pan. Rest a heavy weight such as a foil-wrapped brick on top. (Or use another heavy ovenproof skillet or pan to keep skin of chicken in contact with the hot pan.) Lower heat; cook 6 minutes. Put the pan, weight and all, in the oven and cook 8 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired, and asparagus or a seasonal green.

Nutrition Per Serving

　　9 g fat (2 g saturated fat)

　　0 g carbohydrates

　　34 g protein

　　0 g fiber

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by Self