Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons (plus 4 sprigs) fresh marjoram (finely chopped, divided)
- 2 tablespoons (plus 4 sprigs) fresh thyme (finely chopped, divided)
- 1 tablespoon (plus more) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (plus more) freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1 (3½-4 pound) chicken
- 1 lemon (quartered)
- 1 head of garlic (halved crosswise)
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (scrubbed, halved, or quartered if large)
Directions
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Coarsely grind fennel seeds and red pepper flakes in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle. Combine spice mixture, chopped marjoram, chopped thyme, salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons oil in a small bowl. Rub chicken inside and out with spice mixture.
Stuff chicken with lemon, garlic, 2 marjoram sprigs, and 2 thyme sprigs. Tie legs together with kitchen twine.
Toss potatoes with remaining 3 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Push potatoes to edges of baking sheet and scatter remaining 2 marjoram and 2 thyme sprigs in center; place chicken on herbs.
Roast, turning potatoes and basting chicken every hour, until skin is browned, meat is extremely tender, and potatoes are golden brown and very soft, about 3 hours.
Let chicken rest at least 10 minutes before carving.