Ingredients

Step by step

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas 5. Stuff the lemon half and thyme sprigs in the chicken’s cavity and season well, both inside the cavity and over the skin. Place the garlic in a roasting tin, sit the chicken on top and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil then roast for 45 minutes initially.
2. Toss the torn bread with another 2 tablespoons of olive oil and seasoning. When the 45 minutes are up, baste the chicken then add the torn bread to the roasting tin, stirring to mix it into the roasting juices to soak up all the flavours. Cook the chicken and croutons for another 30-40 minutes, stirring the croutons once or twice, until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear when pierced in the fattest part of the breast (scoop out the croutons earlier if they are getting too dark). Remove the chicken from the oven, cover and leave to rest.
3. Depending on size, slice or halve the tomatoes. Place half of the tomatoes in a bowl with the shallots and half each of the basil and parsley. Season well with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper then add half the extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar. Scrunch up the tomatoes with your hands to make a rough pulp.
4. Add two-thirds of the croutons, the juices from the roasting tin and the resting juices from the chicken. Mix well and leave to sit for 10 minutes.
5. Add the olives, capers and remaining tomatoes to the salad. Season again and add more vinegar and olive oil to taste, then transfer to a large platter.
6. Remove the breasts and legs from the chicken, cutting each in half, and place on the panzanella. Finish with the remaining basil and parsley, the croutons and the cheese, if using. Serve when you are ready (see introduction). *Omit the cheese if dairy-free.