Honey Lemon Roast Chicken

"A simple roast chicken flavored with lemon, honey, and thyme."
Serves 4-6 | Prep Time 10-15 minutes | Cook Time 1 hourWhy I Love This Recipe
Our family enjoys roast chicken for Sunday dinner. Chicken is so versatile, that you can vary the flavors and never tire of roast chicken for Sunday dinner.
Ingredients You'll Need
4 lb. chicken
6 T. butter, softened
1 T. lemon zest
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. fresh thyme, minced (or 1/2 t. dried thyme)
garlic salt to taste
pepper to taste
Directions
Remove chicken innards if there are any, rinse chicken inside and out in salted water, pat dry. In a small bowl mix together butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, and thyme. Carefully loosen skin over breast and legs, trying not to tear skin and rub half of butter mixture under skin over meat and over outside skin. Set remaining butter mixture aside. Place chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up, sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper to taste. Place chicken in an oven preheated to 500 F and roast for 20 minutes. Carefully using tongs, flip chicken over, breast side down, and using a pastry brush, brush remaining butter mixture over chicken, then sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the oven (breast side will be down) and continue to roast for about another 40 minutes until temperature reaches 155 F with an instant thermometer. Baste chicken with juices in pan every 15 minutes, if chicken is getting too brown, cover with foil. When chicken reaches 155 F, remove from oven and let chicken rest for 15 minutes. The final temperature will be about 165 F. Carve chicken and serve with pan juices.
Pairs Well With
roasted veggies would be nice