Best Ever Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Garlic & Thyme

Minimally adapted from AllRecipes.Com

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Roasting time: 1 1/2  hours or so

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 (3-4 pound) whole chicken, fat removed, rinsed and patted dry

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 large lemon, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 6-8 sprigs thyme (depending on how young or mature they are... the older (woodier) is more potent so you need less).  This time around I had young sprigs, so I used a handful... not sure exactly how many sprigs in all.

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C

2. Place a large sheet of parchment paper into the middle of a roasting tray. The parchment must be large enough to completely envelop the chicken. 

3. Season the chicken cavity  with pepper, stuff with half of the lemon slices, half of the garlic and half of the thyme sprigs.  

4. Place breast side up in the middle of the parchment paper. Use the rest of the garlic slices, and  evenly over the chicken. Lay a few of the the remaining lemon slices under the chicken and the rest over the breast. Place a thyme sprig or two under the chicken and the rest on top.

5.  Fold the parchment over the chicken forming a loose parcel. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken has cooked, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. A meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of the thigh should reach 180°F/82°C

Note: once you've devoured the chicken.. and I'm sure you will, save the bones to make the most wonderful chicken broth.  I keep my roasted bones in a baggie in the freezer until I'm ready.