Spotted one of my favorite girls in the store, a no antibiotic, no hormone, 3-1/2 lb. cage free chicken (with $1.50 off coupon!). To prep: cut the backbone out with your kitchen shears, flatten and season. Tonight was freestyle Friday, I didn’t follow any recipe. Season with approximately 1 tsp. each.

• Tarragon
• cayenne (1/2 tsp.)
• Garlic powder
• paprika
• dried rosemary (1/2 tsp.)
• curry powder (1/2 tsp.)
• salt& pepper to taste
• Corn starch (helps to crisp the skin)
• Rub it around with olive oil

Let it marinate for a few minutes (30) while your heating up the cast iron pan. Add some olive oil and when hot place chicken in pan breast side down.

Next comes the brick, you can use whatever brick you have just wash it, bake in oven and wrap in foil (prep). Place brick on the bird to press evenly. Then preheat oven to 350 degrees. I use another piece of foil to keep it all under control. You can also use a pot with some weight in it if you don’t have a brick.

Cook until brown on each side. Then place in 350 degree oven and finish cooking until the internal temp reaches 165 minimum.

The dark meat takes a little longer to cook but when you flatten it out they cook about the same. Remove chicken and let rest, time to make the gravy. Also go ahead and cook your rice (I used white rice because that’s what I had).

I didn’t have a fresh veggie but used 1 can drained green beans sizzled in some bacon fat (1/2 piece of fried bacon).

To make the gravy use the pan juices and 2 tbsp. of flour. Brown to a nutty golden and add 1 cup hot water (use microwave). Mix with whisk (scrape up the brown bits) and add another cup hot water. Add salt n pepper to taste and let cook for 10 minutes (cook the raw taste out of the flour). Remember to taste and balance salt before serving.

Cut the chicken into serving pieces, this was a small bird so I cut it into 4 pieces (2 breast and wings and 2 thigh and legs). Serve the gravy over the rice. Total cost for this meal was about $6 and feed 3 adults.