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1
Trim excess fat from the chicken pieces. Rinse them under cold running water, pat dry with paper towels, and place them in a nonreactive pan.
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2
Combine the scallion, herbs, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, gradually adding the oil last to emulsify. The marinade will be very thick, like a pesta. Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces and coat the pieces on both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
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3
To cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 450u00b0F. Heat 2 large saute pans over medium-high heat with about 2 tablespoons of oil in each pan. If you don't have 2 large saute pans, brown the chicken in batches.
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4
Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving any excess marinade. Put the chicken pieces in the pans skin side down and saute until the skin is nicely browned.
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5
Turn and brown the other side, adjusting the heat between medium and medium-high as necessary so you don't burn the chicken. When the chicken pieces are browned on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes total for each piece, transfer them to a roasting pan.
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6
Squeeze the lemon halves over the chicken and throw the lemon halves into the pan. Scrape any extra marinade into the roasting pan. Put the roasting pan in the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked, the juices run clear, and the thigh meat reads 175u00b0F on an instant-read thermometer, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven.
