Chicken baked with honey and thyme, Provencal style

Ingredients:

Chicken:

• 1 chicken (1.4 - 1.8 kg), trimmed of excess fat and wing tips
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 shallot, sliced ​​into rings
• 1 bunch of fresh thyme
• Zest of 1 lemon, cut into large strips
• 3 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. honey

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons of water
• 1 tbsp. squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• Ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C.
   
   For the chicken: Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the shallot, half the thyme, and lemon zest inside. Place a V-shaped rack on a regular rack in a roasting pan. Brush the chicken with a little olive oil. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining oil and honey. Dip the remaining thyme in this mixture and brush it all over the chicken. Season the bird with salt and pepper to taste.
   
   Tuck the wings under the back, cross the drumsticks, and tie them with kitchen string. Place the chicken breast-side down on the grill and roast until the back is golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the chicken breast-side up. Cut the string holding the drumsticks together and open them slightly. Brush the chicken with the juices, using thyme sprigs as a brush. Bake the chicken again until the breast is golden brown and a candy thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 160°F (77°C), another 20-25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
   
   For the sauce: Remove the rack from the pan. Place the pan over medium-high heat, add water, and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Strain the resulting liquid into a small bowl and discard the fat. Add lemon juice, olive oil, honey, shallots, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Slice the chicken and serve, drizzled with the sauce. baked potatoes (see side dish recipe).