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1
Trim excess fat from the chicken pieces.
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2
Rinse them under cold running water, pat dry with paper towels, and place them in a nonreactive pan.
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3
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.
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4
The marinade will be very thick, like a pesta.
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5
Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces and coat the pieces on both sides.
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6
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
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7
To cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 450F.
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8
Heat 2 large saute pans over medium-high heat with about 2 tablespoons of oil in each pan.
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9
If you dont have 2 large saute pans, brown the chicken in batches.
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10
Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving any excess marinade.
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11
Put the chicken pieces in the pans skin side down and saute until the skin is nicely browned.
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12
Turn and brown the other side, adjusting the heat between medium and medium-high as necessary so you dont burn the chicken.
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13
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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14
Squeeze the lemon halves over the chicken and throw the lemon halves into the pan.
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15
Scrape any extra marinade into the roasting pan.
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16
Put the roasting pan in the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked, the juices run clear, and the thigh meat reads 175F on an instant-read thermometer, 20 to 25 minutes.
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17
Remove the chicken from the oven.
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18
Remove the chicken from the roasting pan and arrange on a platter.
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19
You can cut the chicken breasts in half first so your guests can choose both white and dark meat.
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20
Whisk the pan juices to break up any clumps of the marinade and drizzle a little over the chicken.
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21
Pour the rest of the pan juices into a gravy boat, discarding the lemon halves, and pass with the chicken.
