Wash the herbs, dab dry and tie half of them together to form a spice band. Pluck leaves of the remaining herbs from the stems. Wash the chicken thoroughly and sprinkle with salt from the inside. Place the herb bouquet in the abdominal cavity and tie the legs and wings together with kitchen string. Wash the garlic cloves and let them drip off well on a kitchen towel. Clean, wash and finely dice or chop the celery.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add garlic, celery and remaining herbs, braise briefly and add the chicken. Turn the chicken in the oil-herbal mixture to coat it. Season with salt and pepper and close well with a lid. Braise in the preheated oven (electric cooker: 150°C/ gas: level 1) for about 2 hours without opening the lid. Serve chicken and garlic cloves with warm baguette or French country bread