Lemon Pressed Chicken

Here is a delicious and simple grill item. We had a similar dish as part of a family style Sunday meal at a tiny restaurant on the Appian Way outside of Rome. Some olives, white wine and a little Ol’ Blue Eyes and Dino….

• 1 whole chicken, remove backbone so it can be pressed out flat.
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 clove garlic, crushed

Place the chicken skin side up. Rub with garlic and lemon juice. Sprinkle with spices. Place skin side down on the hot grill and covering the exposed portion of the chicken with aluminum foil, place a heavy weight upon the bird. Remove the weight, flip the bird and repeat until the chicken is cooked.