Kotopoulo Skorthato (Garlic Chicken)

Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Rinse and pat dry the Whole Chicken; season the cavity and exterior generously with Fine Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper.

Peel and halve or quarter the Potatoes so they are roughly uniform in size, then place them in a large roasting pan and toss with a little of the Extra-virgin Olive Oil, salt and pepper.

Peel and finely chop or crush several cloves of Garlic; zest one of the Lemons and squeeze the juice from both, reserving one lemon halved for the cavity.

In a bowl whisk together the remaining Extra-virgin Olive Oil, the lemon juice and zest, the chopped Garlic, a splash of Dry White Wine and a little Water to loosen the mixture. Stir in the Dried Greek Oregano and adjust seasoning with Fine Sea Salt and Black Pepper.

Rub about two-thirds of this garlic-lemon marinade all over the outside of the Whole Chicken, and pour the remaining marinade over the Potatoes in the pan. Tuck the halved Lemons and a Bay Leaf into the bird’s cavity for extra aroma.

Arrange the Whole Chicken on top of the Potatoes in the roasting pan so the juices will drip down and flavor them. Pour any leftover marinade and a little extra Dry White Wine and Water into the pan to create a basting liquid.

Roast in the preheated oven for about 60–90 minutes (depending on chicken size), basting every 20 minutes with the pan juices so the skin becomes deeply golden and crisp. If the potatoes are browning too fast, tent the pan with foil.

The chicken is done when juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 75°C (165°F). Remove the pan from the oven and let the bird rest for 10–15 minutes.

Carve the Whole Chicken, serve with the roasted Potatoes and spoon the pan juices over the top. Finish with additional Dried Greek Oregano or a squeeze of fresh Lemons if desired.