Roasted Herbed Baby Chickens With Spicy Mango Barbecue Sauce

3 small chickens (about 2 pounds each, including gizzards and necks) or 2 larger ones, trimmed of excess fat and trussed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion, peeled and halved
½ cup barbecue sauce (recipe below)

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
  812 calories; 56 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 63 grams protein; 255 milligrams cholesterol; 476 milligrams sodium

8 servings

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Season the chickens inside and out. Place the bay leaf, thyme and clove inside the cavity. Brush the chickens with olive oil.
Place the chickens in a roasting pan so they are resting on one leg. Add the onion to the pan. Remove fat from gizzards and necks, and scatter around the pan.
Roast the chickens for 15 minutes, then flip them onto the other leg. Roast another 15 minutes, then place on their backs. Brush the chickens with the homemade barbecue sauce. Roast for another 20 minutes, or longer for larger chickens. Remove, and let cool before carving.
To carve, cut off trussing strings. Arrange the chicken, breast side up. Place a knife parallel to one chicken leg, just under it. Make a deep incision along the chicken to almost separate the drumstick from the thigh. Place the knife over the breast meat, positioning it about a third of the way from the drumstick toward the backbone. Make a deep incision from one end of the chicken to the other. Place the knife against the breastbone, and make an incision along the bone all the way down to the carcass. Repeat with other side of chicken. Pack the chicken this way for the picnic and simply pull it apart with minimal cutting when ready to serve.