Perfect Roast Chicken

From The Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver

serves 4

One 2 1/2 - 3 lb chicken
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 small handfuls of fresh herbs (basil, parsley, marjoram), finely chopped
1/4 c olive oil
1 lemon, halved
4 bay leaves, torn
2 springs of fresh rosemary

Preheat oven and a roasting tray to 425. Wash the chicken inside and out and pat it as dry as possible with paper towels. Rub the cavity with salt, then, being very careful, grab the skin at the tip of the chicken breasts, making sure that it doesn't rip, and pull up gently. With your other hand gently separate the skin fro the meat of the breast. It's normally connected by a little bit of tissuey-type stuff, and you can either leave this attached in the middle and make two little tunnels either side or you can try to cut away the middle. Sprinkle a little slt down the gaps that you have made, and push in the chopped herbs. Drizzle in a little olive oil. Stuff the chicken cavity with the lemon, bay and rosemary. Pull the skin of the chicken breast forward so that none of the actual flesh is exposed, tuck the little winglets under, and tie up as firmly as possible with kitchen twine. Slash across each thigh about 3 or 4 times and rub in some of the leftover herbs. With your hand, rub a little olive oil into the skin of the chicken and season very generously with salt and pepper. Remove the hot tray from the oven and add a little oil. Put the chicken on one side and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the chicken onto the other side and cook for another 5 minutes. Place the chicken on it's back and cook for 1 hour.