Oven-Roasted Chicken with Potatoes

Method

1. Remove excess fat from the chicken, especially around the cavity and the tail. Cut off the tail gland (the small bulb near the tail). Singe any remaining feathers over a flame.
2. Rub the chicken with half a lemon, then rinse under cold water.
3. Season the inside of the chicken: add a sprig of rosemary, a sprig of sage, one crushed garlic clove (with skin), salt, and pepper.
4. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to keep the stuffing inside.
5. Place the chicken on a baking tray with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add the second crushed garlic clove (with skin) to the tray. Season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Massage the seasonings into the skin.
6. Cut potatoes into quarters, then cut each quarter in half to get eight pieces per potato.
7. Place the potato pieces around the chicken. Place a slice of lemon on top of the chicken.
8. Season the potatoes with rosemary, salt, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add bay leaves and sage leaves.
9. Cover the tray with aluminum foil and roast at 200°C for 30 minutes.
10. After 30 minutes, remove the foil, let the steam escape, and continue roasting until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 90°C (about 15–20 more minutes for a 1 kg chicken).
11. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the chicken and potatoes to a serving plate to prevent them from absorbing excess fat from the tray.