Chicken Tabaka (Georgian Chicken Under a Brick)

This recipe comes from Georgia, formerly of the Soviet Union. The backbone of the marinated chicken is removed so that it lays flat on the grill (or in this case, in a cast iron skillet) and is cooked quickly to sear and crisp the skin, but ensure the meat is tender and juicy inside. Originally, an outdoor "grill" was set up outside, by laying two lines of bricks. Inside the canal were laid pebbles or stones. Then coals were heated and placed on top of the stones. Kebabs, on skewers, were laid across the bricks and the meat cooked over the hot coals. To make the tabaka, a large flat stone was heated and placed over the coals. The chicken was placed on the stone and weighted down with more bricks. I have a Georgian seasoning mix that I purchased in a European market that I use for this dish. It contains: paprika, curcuma (which is probably turmeric), and dehydrated vegetables (carrot, garlic, chili peppers, onion). It is a little spicy, but not what I would call hot.