- One 3- to 4-pound chicken
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (such as thyme, oregano basil, and/or rosemary)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (2 to 4 lemons)
- ½ cup olive oil
- Place the chicken on a cutting board, breast side down. With a pair of poultry shears (having shears really makes this a whole lot easier), make a cut on one side of the backbone from the neck to the tail. Duplicate that cut on the other side of the backbone. Throw the backbone in a zip-top plastic bag, seal it, and throw it in the freezer; add other backbones (believe me, you’ll be coming back to this recipe) to the bag until you’ve got enough to make chicken broth.
- Open the bird up, kind of like a book, and press down on each side. Turn the chicken over and press on both sides again. You should hear a few joints pop and the chicken should lie somewhat flat. Turn the bird over and make two slits toward the end of the bird. Pull the end of each drumstick through each slit. Turn the chicken back over and snip the wing tips if desired. Liberally salt and pepper the chicken.
- Combine the mixed herbs and parsley in a medium bowl. Stir in the lemon juice, then whisk in the oil.
- Place the chicken in a 2-gallon zip-top plastic bag and pour the marinade over it. Seal the bag, lay it flat in the refrigerator, and let marinate for 24 hours, turning the bag over a couple of times.
- Light a charcoal fire or preheat your gas grill on high. Oil your grill’s cooking surface.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat it with paper towels, discard the marinade. Place the chicken, skin side down, over the fire and cook for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Turn and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 180°F, about another 12 to 15 minutes. Let rest a few minutes and cut into serving pieces.