Squeeze the juice of half of the lemon and place this with the thyme, bay leaf, and the squeezed lemon inside the chicken.

Rub the butter over the chicken and place it on a rack in the roasting pan.

Squeeze the juice of the other lemon half over the chicken.

Place the lid on the roasting pan to keep the moisture in if you are using a heavy pan like a ceramic or cast iron dutch oven.

Roast for about an hour. (Some may encourage opening the oven in intervals to baste or check for doneness. I do not as this causes a great loss of heat and the oven will need to heat up again, creating a fluctuation in the heat.)

Check that the chicken is cooked after an hour by piercing a knife in the thigh and see if the juices run clear. If they are pink, cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Or use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and when it reads 165° F/75°C.

When the juices run clear, the chicken is cooked. Remove from roasting pan.

Allow the chicken to stand for 15 minutes before carving.

Strain off the fat from the juices and add the chicken stock or water. ( I like to add a little of the vegetable water here from the carrots or beans I have cooked to accompany it, but you choose your preference)

Boil the juices scraping the pan to encourage all the meat juices to melt into the liquid.

Cook until it is reduced. Strain and serve with the carved chicken.

Enjoy with a glass of your favorite French wine, red or white, whichever you prefer!