Garlic and sage perfume this chicken (and your house) in this ultra chic, impressive dish. If you're looking to impress someone this is the dish to do it. Sage and garlic are such an old fashioned, comfort food combo. Serve with salad and roasted potatoes, yum!
An hour before you start cooking your chicken remove it from the fridge and remove all the goodies inside, wash the bird inside and out with water and place in a 9 x 9 casserole dish. Rub inside and out generously with salt and pepper, then rub the oil all over inside and out. Chop the sage leaves and place them and the stems inside the cavity of the chicken, then with the back of a knife or your fist smash the garlic cloves, place them inside the chicken too. For the next hour leave the bird on your counter and relax, pre-heat the oven to 35o degrees.
Now that you and your chicken have rested for an hour and more importantly the chicken has gotten to (or close to) room temperature you can place it in the oven for two hours. Half way through baste inside and out and if it is getting very dark skin place a piece of foil over the top (like a little tent) to stop if from burning.
After 2 hours in an oven at 350, remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. I know you want to pull off a wing and chow down, but don't do it. Allowing the chicken to rest will make it more moist and tender.