Piliç Çevirmesi

Prepare the bird: remove giblets and pat the Whole Chicken dry with paper towels; truss the legs if you like for even cooking.

Make the marinade by whisking together the Plain Yogurt, Tomato Paste, Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, minced Garlic, Salt, Black Pepper, Sweet Paprika, Red Pepper Flakes and Dried Thyme until smooth and well combined.

Coat the chicken all over with the marinade, working some under the skin and inside the cavity; reserve a couple of tablespoons of the mixture for basting. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, so the flavors penetrate.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200°C (about 400°F) and set the chicken breast-side up on a rack over a roasting pan.

Roast for about 1 to 1¼ hours, basting every 20–30 minutes with pan juices or the reserved marinade, until the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer reads 75°C (165°F) in the thickest part of the thigh. If the skin browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10–15 minutes before carving to lock in the juices. Slice and serve warm, spooning any pan juices over the pieces.