Lemon and Thyme Roast Chicken

This was my first experience with roasting a whole chicken - and although it was more work than frying up a chicken breast, it was worth it in the end.  Now I just have to learn how to effectively carve the chicken...we ended up practically pulling it apart with our hands and eating it straight from the pan with our forks.  I also added potatoes to the roasting pan half way through the cooking time.  This is a great meal to share with friends or family - and for some reason it reminds me of Sunday afternoon dinners growing up...

Lemon & Thyme Roast Chicken

Ingredients

• 4-5-pound roasting chicken (giblets removed)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1medium onions, peeled and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
• 1 lemon
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled
• 1-2 TBS dried thyme (or 4 springs fresh thyme) 
• 
  
• Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Rinse chicken inside and out under cold running water. Dry chicken thoroughly with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the body. Sprinkle the cavity of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper, and set aside.
2. In the center of a heavy-duty roasting pan, place onion slices in two rows, touching. Place the palm of your hand on top of lemon and, pressing down, roll lemon back and forth several times. This softens the lemon and allows the juice to flow more freely. Pierce entire surface of lemon with a fork. Using the side of a large knife, gently press on garlic cloves to open slightly. Insert garlic cloves, thyme, and lemon into cavity. Place chicken in pan, on onion slices. 
3. Spread the softened butter over entire surface of chicken, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and thyme. Place in the oven, and roast until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and the juices run clear when pierced, about 1 1/2 hours. When chicken seems done, insert an instant-read thermometer into the breast, then the thigh. The breast temperature should read 180 degrees and the thigh 190 degrees.
4. Remove chicken from oven, and transfer to a cutting board with a well. Let chicken stand 10 to 15 minutes so the juices settle.
   
   
   

Source: adapted from Martha Stewart