Half a chicken from the oven with garlic and lemon

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (approx. 1.5 kg), halved
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed, plus 4 extra cloves (unpeeled)
• 1 lemon, zest and juice, plus 1 lemon in wedges
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200°C (conventional heat).Halve the chicken with a sharp knife along the breastbone and backbone. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper.Mix the olive oil with crushed garlic, grated lemon zest, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl to make a marinade.Rub the half chicken all over with the marinade. Push some marinade under the skin at the breast for extra flavour.Place the chicken skin-side up in the baking dish. Add the lemon wedges and the extra unpeeled garlic cloves around the chicken.Slide the dish into the preheated oven and roast the chicken for 45 to 55 minutes. Baste the chicken halfway through with the pan juices.Check that the chicken is cooked by measuring the thickest part of the thigh with a meat thermometer: 75°C is perfect. The skin should be nicely golden-brown and crispy.Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes under aluminium foil before carving. Serve straight from the baking dish for maximum conviviality.