Step 1

Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C).

Step 2

For the croutons: Cut the bread into 1-inch-thick slices. Coat a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan or baking dish with olive oil. Arrange the bread snug in the bottom, cutting the slices into small pieces as needed. (Tetris-heads, this is our time to shine.) Nestle the garlic cloves between the bread pieces throughout the pan. Drizzle the bread with 2 Tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp kosher salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Step 3

For the chicken: Sprinkle the chicken with 2 tsp kosher salt, black pepper, finely grated zest from the lemon and the leaves from a couple of thyme sprigs. Cut the lemon in half and toss it, and any additional thyme sprigs, into the bird’s cavity. Place the chicken on top of the bread and — this is essential to keep the bread from drying out until the chicken releases any juices — sprinkle the exposed pieces of bread around the chicken with ½ cup water. Roast for about 2 hours-2 hours 20 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 155°F, or 165°F for the thigh.

Step 4

Finish the croutons: Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, but before you do, take a look at the croutons. If they’re very dry, tilt the bird over them, drizzling juices that have collected inside the bird over the bread to moisten it. If they are not yet dried out, you can skip this. In all cases, use a spatula to flip the croutons, and return them to the oven to cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until they’re largely crisp and golden brown, while the chicken rests. The amount of time this takes depends on how dried out they were going in; they sometimes need longer.

Step 5

Meanwhile, prepare your salad: Combine the lemon juice and Dijon mustard in a large bowl, and whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream. Season well with black pepper and more salt. Add the olives and fennel, and toss to combine. Set aside until right before serving; then add the salad greens, and toss to coat them. Season salad with additional salt and pepper.

Step 6

To serve: Remove the pan with the croutons from the oven, and transfer them to a serving platter. Shmear the garlic cloves over the toasts, discarding the peels. Heap the salad on top. Carve the chicken, and arrange the pieces on top of the salad and croutons. Pour any juices from the cutting board over the chicken, and serve immediately.