Slow-Roasted Herbed Chicken

This was by far the best roast chicken recipe I've made to date. By slow cooking the bird, the meat becomes crazy tender and infused with the flavors of the herbs and spices in the rub, not to mention the herbs and lemon wedges that are stuffed inside the cavity. I couldn't think of a better word for "cavity," apologies. I'm also a sucker for crispy chicken skin, and this recipe more than delivered. I used this recipe from Bon Appetit with a few small adjustments.

Total time to cook: three hours and 15 minutes

Makes four servings

Ingredients:

2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano, plus 4 sprigs

2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, plus 4 sprigs

1 tbsp kosher salt (plus extra for seasoning)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper (plus extra for seasoning)

6 tbsp olive oil

1 3.5-4 lb whole chicken

1 lemon, cut into quarters

1 head of garlic, cut in half length-wise

1 lb small white potatoes, cut into one-inch pieces

1 lb sweet potatoes, cut into one-inch pieces

Steps:

- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grind the fennel and red pepper flakes (I used a small food processor, but you can use a mortar/pestle if you've got one, you lucky son of a gun.)

- In a small bowl, mix together the ground fennel and red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and three tablespoons of olive oil. 

- Rub the chicken all over with the spice mixture. 

- Stuff the chicken chicken with the lemon pieces, garlic, and two sprigs each of the oregano and thyme. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.

- Toss the potatoes with the rest of the olive oil in a large roasting dish. Season with salt and pepper.

- Push the potatoes around the border of the baking dish. Place the remaining sprigs of oregano and thyme in the middle of the baking sheet. Put the chicken on top of the herbs.

- Roast the chicken for three hours, basting every hour and turning the potatoes. 

- Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.