Oven-Roasted Chicken with Green Garlic, Shallots, Lemon and Thyme

Roast chicken is always a satisfying anchor for a simple meal that doesn’t require much prep time. A 3½- to 4-pound chicken will feed four.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Trim the stems off 4 to 6 green garlic bulbs (young garlic with stems still attached) and stuff them into the chicken cavity along with a small bunch of fresh thyme sprigs. Tie the legs together with twine. Place the chicken in a baking or casserole dish and rub the whole body with butter, placing a few pats under the skin. Season with salt, pepper and a bit of fresh lemon juice.

Roughly chop any remaining garlic stems from the bunch, halve the green garlic bulbs and tuck around the dish, along with 1 whole chopped shallot, 3 to 5 peeled garlic cloves, l...