Roast Chicken with Lemon and Garlic

Lemon and Garlic roast chicken

Ingredients:

1 (5 to 6-pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
4 lemons
3 heads garlic, cut in 1/2
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 pound sliced bacon
1/2 cup chicken stock

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets and rinse the chicken inside and out. Pat the outside dry. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, 1 lemon halved, and 2 halves of the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Cut 2 of the lemons in quarters and scatter the quarters and remaining garlic around the chicken. Lay the bacon slices over the chicken to cover.

Roast the chicken for 1 hour then remove the bacon slices from the top of the chicken. Continue roasting the chicken for an additional 1/2 hour, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to cool before slicing.

Slice the chicken on a platter. Garnish the platter with thyme and some lemon slices and serve.