Roasted Chicken with Fennel and Lemon

Free-range chickens tend to be smaller and tenderer, and cook faster. We tried roasting the whole 4-pound chicken, which is more affordable.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.Wash the chicken inside and out, removing all the insides; cut off any excess fat and dry it.Combine the crushed oregano, marjoram, minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a small bowl. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan on a roasting rack, breast side up. Starting from the neck cavity, remove the skin from the breast and shins by inserting your fingers and gently pressing between the skin and the meat. Place the oregano mixture under the skin on your breasts and shins.Pour the wine over the chicken and pan. Rub the inside of the chicken with lemon, squeezing the juice over and around the outside of the chicken. Place the lemon halves, 2 pieces of fennel, crushed garlic cloves, and a sprig of oregano in the chicken pan. Add 1 cup of water to the pot. Place the remaining fennel and sprigs on the bottom of the pan. Drizzle the breast with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper.Insert the meat thermometer into the fleshy part of the thigh, making sure not to touch the bone. Bake at 400 ° for 1 hour or until the thermometer reads 175 °, drizzling with baking liquid every 20 minutes.Remove the chicken from the oven and leave for 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place a zippered plastic bag in a 2-cup glass measure. Pour the filling from the mold into the bag; let stand for 10 minutes. Close the bag and carefully cut off the bottom corner of the bag. Transfer the filling to a small bowl, rearranging until the fat layer opens; drain the fat. Leave the drops for the herb gravy. Serve the chicken, fennel, and lemons with the herb sauce.