½cupof waterto help veggies from burning if needed
¾cupchicken broth
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet. Add the diced carrots, onion, and celery then cook over medium heat until softened; add the thyme sprigs.
Wash the chicken inside and out then pat dry. Pull the neck skin up over the breast and secure it to the back with a toothpick. Salt and pepper the cavity and spoon in the cooked vegetables, a handful of parsley stems, celery leaves, and lemon slices. Massage the chicken all over with 1 tablespoon of butter.
Place a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Salt the chicken all over and set it breast side up on a rack in the pan.
Place the chicken into the oven and roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, as follows:
* At 15 minutes: Brush the chicken with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Scatter the sliced onion and carrot all around. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
* At 45 minutes: Brush the lemon juice over the chicken. If necessary, add 1/2 cup of water to the vegetables to prevent burning.
* At 60 minutes: Baste the chicken with the pan juices. Test for doneness: The drumsticks should move easily in their sockets; their flesh should feel somewhat soft. If not, continue roasting, basting, and testing every 7 to 8 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°.
Let the chicken rest on a carving board for 15 minutes before slicing.
Spoon all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the juices in the pan. Add the stock and boil until slightly syrupy, 5 minutes. Strain the sauce; you will have just enough to bathe each serving with a spoonful. Serve the sliced chicken and sauce with carrots and onions on the side. Enjoy.