Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).\nSeason the chicken cavity liberally with salt and black pepper. Squeeze fresh lemon halves into the cavity, then drop them inside. Add thyme, garlic, and bay leaf to the cavity for extra flavor. Set the chicken aside temporarily.\nDrizzle 1 tablespoon of oil into a heavy roasting pan. Place slices of bread in the pan and press them lightly into the oil to coat their bottoms. Drizzle 1 more tablespoon of oil over the bread, then place the chicken on top. Secure the chicken's legs together with kitchen twine and brush it generously with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Season the entire exterior of the chicken with salt.\nBake the chicken in the preheated oven for 1 hour, allowing it to cook thoroughly.\nIn a small bowl, mix together crème fraîche, minced shallot, and Aleppo pepper. Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest to create a tangy sauce. Refrigerate the sauce until you're ready to serve.\nUse tongs to carefully lift the chicken off the bread slices and flip them over. Place the chicken back onto the bread slices, ensuring they're well-coated with sauce.\nBake until the sauce is nicely browned and caramelized, taking about 10 minutes. Repeat this process by brushing more crème fraîche sauce generously onto the chicken, then bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.\nWhile the chicken is resting, pour the remaining crème fraîche sauce into a small skillet over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Cook the shallot until it's tender, stirring constantly, for 1 or 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and set the sauce aside to thicken.\nTransfer the chicken and bread pieces to a cutting board. Cut the bread into half slices crosswise and arrange them on a serving platter. Cut the chicken into 8 servings, including drumsticks, thighs, wings, and breasts, and place them over the bread on the platter. Drizzle thickened crème fraîche sauce over the chicken and garnish with chopped chive blossoms.