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1
Special equipment: a small roasting pan and rack, butcher's twine
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2
Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels, and let sit at room temperature to take the chill off, about 30 minutes.
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3
Meanwhile, position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 450 degrees F. Put a rack in a small roasting pan.
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4
Season the cavity of the chicken generously with salt and pepper, and stuff it with the thyme and garlic.
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5
Tie the legs together with butcher's twine.
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6
Season the outside with salt (generously) and a few grinds of pepper, and place the chicken breast-side up on the rack.
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7
(Seasoning the chicken when on the rack could result in gravy that's too salty.)
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8
Roast the chicken until the skin is golden brown and crispy and a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh registers 165 to 170 degrees F, depending on how you like your dark meat, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
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9
Let the chicken rest on the rack for a few minutes, then carefully tip it forward to drain all the collected juices into the roasting pan.
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10
Discard the thyme and garlic.
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11
Let the chicken rest on a cutting board while you make the gravy.
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12
(To transfer the chicken easily, hold a wooden spoon handle in the cavity with one hand and use the other hand to lift the chicken with tongs.)
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13
Remove the rack from the pan, and pour the pan drippings into a small bowl.
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14
Skim off 2 tablespoons of the fat, and stir them into the flour and 2 tablespoons water in another small bowl.
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15
Heat the roasting pan over medium-high heat, add the wine, scrape up any browned bits and simmer until the wine reduces by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
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16
Add the chicken stock and any remaining pan drippings, bring to a simmer, add the flour mixture and whisk constantly until the liquid thickens into a gravy, 2 to 3 minutes.
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17
Season the gravy with salt and pepper.
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18
Remove the butcher's twine from the chicken.
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19
Snip off the wingtips using kitchen shears; reserve to make stock.
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20
Remove the leg quarters by slicing between the thigh and the body, then finding the hip joints near the backbone and slicing through them.
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21
Separate the drumsticks and thighs, and transfer to a platter.
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22
Sit the carcass upright; snip out the backbone and reserve it to make stock.
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23
Lay the breast skin-side up and slice in half through the breastbone.
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24
Separate the wings and breast, and transfer to the platter.
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25
Serve the chicken with the warm gravy.
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26
Reserve the carcass to make stock.
