This is the easiest Whole Roasted Chicken recipe ever! Better yet, it makes the juciest and most flavorful chicken with a built-in side dish of roasted onions and carrots.
Preheat the oven to 425°F
Liberally season the inside and outside of the chicken with salt and pepper.
Squeeze half of the lemon on the outside of the chicken and stuff the chicken with the other half of the lemon along with garlic and 10 sprigs of thyme.
Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle it again with salt and pepper.
Tie the legs together with kitchen twine or string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
Transfer the chicken, breast side up, to a large oven-safe cast iron skillet or pan. Arrange the onions, carrots and fennel under and around the chicken. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle salt, pepper and thyme over top.
Roast the chicken until it's evenly golden brown and the internal temperature is at 160°F, about 50-60 minutes, making sure the juices run clear when you cut through the leg and thigh.
Remove the skillet/pan from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for at least 15 minutes, tenting with foil before carving.
Transfer the chicken to a platter and drizzle it with the pan juices. Serve with roasted lemon and garlic.
Serves 4-6.