Using kitchen shears, remove the backbone of the chicken. Freeze it to make future chicken stock.
1 whole chicken
Place the chicken breast-side-up on a cutting board. Press hard on the chicken's chest with the heel of your hand. You should hear a pop and the chicken should lay flat.
Place the chicken on a cooling rack placed inside a small baking sheet. Season the chicken all over with 1 tablespoon of the salt. Transfer the chicken to the fridge and let sit for 8-12 hours uncovered.
1 tbsp +1 tsp salt
When the chicken is nearly done dry brining, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the ricotta, garlic, breadcrumbs, herbs, lemon zest, and egg in a medium-sized bowl. Add a tablespoon of the olive oil and the remaining salt. Stir to combine. Transfer the ricotta mixture to a piping bag fitting with a large round tip and set it aside.
350g (12oz) full-fat ricotta, 1 clove garlic, ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs, ¼ cup fresh parsley, ¼ cup fresh chives, 2 tbsp lemon zest, 2 tbsp fresh sage, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp +1 tsp salt
Take the chicken out of the fridge. Using the handle of a spoon or rubber spatula, start pulling the skin away from the breast. Move slowly and carefully, so you don't tear the skin.
Once the skin on the breasts has pulled away enough to form a deep pocket, cut two slits in the skin at the chicken's ankles. Repeat the process, slowly pulling the skin away from the thighs and drumsticks.
Pipe the ricotta mixture into the pockets you made. It's best to squeeze some filling in and then press and smooth the skin to evenly disperse the filling before adding more. This smoothing technique is especially important when filling the thighs.
Once the chicken is evenly stuffed, place it in a large cast iron skillet. Pour the remaining olive oil on the chicken and rub it into the skin. Top the chicken with the butter and lemon wheels.
2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 4-5 lemon wheels
Roast the chicken for 1 hour, rotating and basting the chicken once halfway through. Remove the lemon wheels halfway through as well, and place them to the side of the bird. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes prior to carving and serving. Garnish with fresh sage and serve immediately.
fresh sage leaves