Pollo entero asado con ajos

Ingredientes

• 2 kg (4.4 pounds) chicken
• 1 kg (2.2 pounds) medium-sized potatoes
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1-2 heads of garlic
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (+ extra to drizzle on top)
• 5 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper (or more if you like)
• coarse sea salt

Preparación

1. 1

   Prepare the chicken. Let chicken reach room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Pat dry the chicken.

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 180°C /355°F.

3. 3

   Prepare the potatoes. Rinse potatoes and rub their skin from dirt. You can peel the skin if you prefer. Pat dry and cut into wedges.

4. 4

   Prepare the rub. Add the 5-6 garlic cloves to a pestle and mortar and turn them into a paste along with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil. Alternatively, you can double-press the garlic and then mix it with the oil. Add the garlic paste to a small bowl and mix with 3 more tablespoons of olive oil, 3 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, and ½ ground pepper.

5. 5

   Rub the garlic paste mixture under the chicken's skin all over.

6. 6

   Add the chicken to a roasting pan. Season generously the cavity of the bird with coarse sea salt. Cut a head of garlic or two in half and add fill the cavity. See notes below.

7. 7

   Add the potatoes all around the chicken.

8. 8

   Squeeze the lemon and drizzle the juice all over the potatoes. It should yield about 6-7 tablespoons of juice. Add the squeezed lemon cups to the pan as well.

9. 9

   Drizzle the potatoes and the chicken with olive oil. Season the potatoes with salt, pepper, and 2 teaspoons of oregano.

10. 10

    Cover with parchment paper and aluminum foil on top. Secure well all around the sides (very important). You can also use a baking pan with a lid or even a Dutch oven.

11. 11

    Bake for 1 hour then without uncovering, take the pan out of the oven. Raise the oven's temperature to 220°C / 430°F.

12. 12

    Wait for 10 minutes. Then uncover the pan, drizzle the chicken with some oil, and season lightly with fine sea salt on top. Then add the pan back in the oven.

13. 13

    Roast for 15 minutes. Then drop the temperature to 200°C/390°F and roast for another 15 minutes or until nicely colored on top. Meanwhile, you can do some basting.

14. 14

    Rest. Allow the food to rest out of the oven for 15 minutes then cut and serve!