For this roast chicken recipe, if you have the time, season the chicken with salt the night before and chill uncovered so the skin will dry out a bit. Doing this helps the chicken take on a nice golden finish.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325°. Place chicken in an 13x9" baking dish and season generously all over with salt. Add garlic, lemon, chili, bay leaves, and a few grinds of pepper. Pour in oil and toss everything to coat. Turn garlic heads cut side down so they are in contact with the baking dish (this will help them brown).
Step 2
Roast chicken, rotating pan once, until meat is almost falling off the bone, 75–90 minutes. Let chicken cool in a pan for 10 minutes, then serve with bread.