Ingredients
1 (4 to 5 pounds) whole chicken
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme (plus 20 sprigs)
1 lemon (halved)
1 head garlic (cut in half crosswise)
2 tbsps (1/4 stick) butter (melted)
1 large yellow onion (thickly sliced)
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
4 stalks celery (cut in half)
Olive Oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425F. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle gain with salt and pepper. This the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and celery in a roasting pan and toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil, then place the chicken on top. Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes before serving.