Garlic and Thyme Roasted Chicken With Crispy Drippings Croutons 



Ingredients
•	Country bread, ciabatta or other sturdy bread, preferably stale,
sliced at least 1/2-inch thick 
•	1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, more as needed 
•	2 teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed 
•	½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more as needed 
•	1 4- to 5-pound chicken, patted dry 
•	1 garlic head, sliced in half horizontally, through the cloves 
•	1 bay leaf 
•	½ lemon 
•	½ bunch thyme sprigs 
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Preparation
1.	Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange oven rack so that it is in
center of oven. Lay bread slices in a thick, heavy-duty metal roasting
pan in one layer. (Try not to use a thin or dark colored pan, which
may cause bread to burn: see note.) Drizzle liberally with olive oil
and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2.	Rub 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper inside cavity of
chicken. Stuff cavity with garlic, bay leaf, lemon and thyme. Rub
outside of chicken with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle all
over with remaining salt and pepper. Place it breast side up on
bread.
3.	Roast chicken until it is deeply browned and juices run clear when
thigh is pricked with a knife, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let rest for
10 minutes before carving. Serve chicken with bread from pan.
Tip 
•	If you use a thin or dark roasting pan, you might consider lowering
the oven temperature to 375 degrees to prevent the bread from getting
too dark. Check the pan periodically during cooking and lower the
temperature as necessary (you can open the oven door for a minute to
reduce heat quickly.) It may take longer for the chicken to cook
through at a lower temperature.