Baking this Citrus Herb Chicken is surprisingly straightforward, even for beginner cooks. Follow these simple steps for a guaranteed delicious result:

1. Preheat Your Oven and Prepare the Chicken: Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). While the oven is heating, remove the chicken from its packaging and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. This crucial step helps ensure crispy skin. Place the chicken in a roasting pan or a large oven-safe skillet.
2. Prepare the Citrus and Herbs: Zest one lemon and one orange using a microplane or fine grater, being careful to only grate the colored part of the peel and avoid the bitter white pith. Juice both the zested lemon and orange. Mince or roughly chop the garlic cloves. Strip the leaves from the rosemary and thyme sprigs.
3. Create the Flavor Infusion: In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, orange zest, minced garlic, rosemary leaves, thyme leaves, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything together thoroughly to create a fragrant herb and citrus mixture.
4. Season the Chicken Inside and Out: Use your hands to generously rub the citrus herb mixture all over the outside of the chicken, ensuring you get under the skin where possible, especially on the breast and thighs. This will infuse the chicken with flavor from the inside out. Season generously with salt and pepper inside the cavity of the chicken as well.
5. Stuff the Chicken Cavity: Slice the remaining lemon and orange into thick rounds. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the citrus slices, along with the used sprigs of rosemary and thyme. This will further infuse the chicken with citrus and herb aromas as it bakes.
6. Add Liquid (Optional but Recommended): If using, pour the white wine into the bottom of the roasting pan around the chicken. You can also use chicken broth or water if you prefer. This liquid will create steam, keeping the chicken moist, and will also form a delicious pan sauce as it cooks.
7. Roast the Chicken: Place the roasting pan with the chicken in the preheated oven. Roast for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone. Use a meat thermometer to ensure accurate doneness.
8. Baste and Continue Roasting (Optional for Extra Crispy Skin): For extra crispy skin, you can baste the chicken with the pan juices every 20-30 minutes during the last hour of cooking. This helps to keep the skin moist and encourages browning.
9. Rest Before Carving: Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the oven and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the chicken, resulting in a more tender and flavorful bird. Tent the chicken loosely with foil while it rests to keep it warm.
10. Carve and Serve: After resting, carve the chicken and serve immediately. Spoon the pan juices over the carved chicken for extra flavor and moisture. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.