Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil a baking sheet. In a food processor, grind the bread into fine crumbs.
In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In a second large bowl, combine the buttermilk, Tabasco, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the chicken, turning to coat.
Remove one piece of chicken from buttermilk mixture, shaking off excess liquid. Drop into the breadcrumb mixture and turn to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Bake for 40 minutes, rotating pans halfway through cooking.

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously rub a baking sheet with oil. In a food processor, pulse bread until it turns into coarse crumbs.
In a large bowl, stir together buttermilk, hot-pepper sauce, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a separate bowl, mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan, thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Place the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, turning to coat evenly. Working with one piece at a time, remove chicken from liquid, letting excess drip back into bowl; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place coated chicken pieces on prepared baking sheet.
Bake until chicken is golden brown, about 35 minutes.

1. To ensure even cooking, let the chicken stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.

2. Discard any pop-up timers that come with the chicken; an instant-read thermometer gives a far more accurate reading.

3. Don’t forget to salt the cavity of the chicken; this will season the meat more effectively than salting the skin.

4. Stuff the cavity with aromatics like fresh herbs, garlic cloves, lemon wedges, and quartered onions to perfume the meat.

5. Arrange a single layer of onion slices in the bottom of the roasting pan to form a bed for the chicken. The onion will flavor both the chicken and the pan gravy, and it will prevent the chicken skin from sticking to the pan (or rack) and tearing.

6. Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes before carving; this allows the juices to collect in the meat instead of in the well of your cutting board.

How to Truss a Chicken
Trussing helps the chicken keep its shape and cook more evenly during roasting. Although traditional trussing involves tying the whole body of the chicken together, it is much easier just to tie the legs together with kitchen twine.