Instructions
1. Pull off and discard lumps of fat from the chicken. Rinse chicken, chicken neck and giblets. Pat chicken dry and fold wing tips back and under wings. Rinse Thyme sprigs.

2. Gently ease your fingers between the meat and skin from the neck side of the chicken over breast and down onto thighs, releasing the skin but leaving it in place. Push 8 thyme sprigs under skin and distribute them evenly over breast and thighs. Place remaining thyme sprigs, along with chicken liver, in the body cavity. Rub chicken all over with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set chicken breast side up in the highest position on a V shaped rack (for even browning). Set the rack in a shallow pan. Lay the neck and remaining giblets in the pan.

3. Rinse onions and cut in half crosswise (do not peel) and rub the cut sides with lemon juice. Scrub potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Rub cut sides of potatoes and onions with oil and set, cut sides up, around the rack in the pan. If you're using a 6 pound chicken, add the vegetables after about 15 minutes of cooking.

4. Bake chicken on the lowest rack in a 400° oven until the skin is well browned and a thermometer inserted through the thickest part of the breast registers 160°, about 1 hour for a 4lb bird, 1 1/4 hours for a 6lb.

5. Transfer the vegetables to a platter. Drain any juices from the chicken cavity back into the pan, then put the chicken on a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Discard the chicken neck and giblets and stir the pan juices adding up to 1/4 cup of hot water to release browned bits. Skim and discard fat and pour into a small bowl and keep warm. Carve the chicken and serve with potatoes, onions, pan juices and lemon parsley butter.

For the Lemon Parsley Butter: In a bowl or food processor, combine all ingredients (cut the butter into chunks first) and mix or whirl until well blended. Scrape into a small bowl. Makes about 1/3 cup.







NOTES : Use a 6 pound bird if you want leftovers.





This recipe published with BigOven, and can be imported instantly by BigOven users viewing this page. Download your free trial at www.bigoven.com.


Yields: 4 Servings
    

notes: 

Cuisine:

Main Ingredient: