Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to hang out at room temperature at least while you preheat the oven to 450. Mostly you want to take the chill off the bird to help it evenly cook.

When you are ready to cook your bird, remove any giblets from inside. Season the inside and outside generously with salt & pepper. If desired, you can remove the wishbone, which will make it a touch easier to cut afterwards, but this is hardly required for a delicious chicken.

Stuff the cavity with the lemon chunks. Place in an oven safe dish such as a roasting pan, baking sheet or even a frying pan. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Check the temperature in the leg at the base of the body- essentially the hip. Continue to roast checking every 10-15 minutes until the bird reaches 165. It can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of your bird.

The next most important step is to allow the chicken to rest for about 10-15 minutes. It will continue to raise in temperature slightly and the moisture will be sealed in.

Save the bones…
When you are done enjoying your chicken, reserve the bones and make a stock. Simply cover the bones with water in a large saucepan and bring up to a simmer for 1-3 hours. We include a detailed broth recipe in the site as well, if you need more information or tips on how to do this.