Lemon and Thyme Roasted Chicken

I made my first roasted chicken ever and for the most part I really liked it, but there was one thing I didn't like at all.  Touching a raw bird was gross, but then I had to reach into its wet chicken cavity to remove a bag of innards.  GROSS.  Next time I'll use gloves.  Once the chicken was in the oven, the bleach was out and I was scrubbing the kitchen. 

I’ll do it again. No, not because I am anxious to feel around a dead bird's insides, but because it turned out really tasty.  Once I was passed the giblet part it wasn't too bad.  Besides, I paid $1.47 per pound for a free-range organic chicken, which turned out to be $0.53 less per pound than I normally pay for chicken.  It made a big difference on my food budget. It also allowed me to make several meals with the left over meat.

Lemon and Thyme Roasted Chicken
printable version of this recipe

One 4-5 pound free-range organic chicken
2 lemons
Fresh thyme
2-3 cloves garlic
¼ cup chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 300. Line the bottom of a roasting pan with foil to catch drippings; put the vented roasting tray on top of the foil lined pan. Remove chicken from packaging and remove giblets from chicken cavity. Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Put the chicken on the roasting tray and squeeze fresh lemon juice over entire bird; put peels inside the cavity of the chicken. Remove thyme leaves from stems with a sharp paring knife and sprinkle them generously on top. Put left over stems inside the cavity of the chicken along with the garlic and onion. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top.

Roast uncovered for 3 ½ to 4 hours, or until meat thermometer registers at least 170. Baste with pan drippings every ½ hour after the first 2 hours of roasting. Stop basting 1 hour before removing from oven for crispy skin. Keep in mind slow and low cooking will make the meat moist and tender. Enjoy!