Ingredients
One 6 1/2- to 7-pound roasting chicken, rinsed, patted dry
1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 6 large lemons)
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
1/4 cup honey, heated to make it easier to brush
Method
1 Marinate chicken in the lemon juice in sealable plastic bag, placed in a large bowl, so that if it leaks it will leak into the bowl. Refrigerate several hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally so that the chicken stays well coated with the lemon juice.
2 Preheat oven to 450°F. Drain chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the exterior of the chicken and the cavity generously with salt and pepper. Place thyme sprigs into the cavity. Place chicken breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes at 450°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and roast for 45 minutes more.