lemon roast chicken

wash the chicken in cold water, inside and out. pat dry with paper towels.
preheat oven to 425degreesF.
cut the lemon into four sections. rub the chicken all over with the lemon sections, squeezing the juice out as you go. put the spent lemons into the chicken cavity.
cover the chicken skin all over with salt and pepper.
slip the butter under the skin of the chicken breast. put any remaining butter in the chicken cavity with the lemons. put some of the rosemary sprigs in the cavity and lay remaining rosemary across the breast.
drizzle olive oil all over the chicken. especially coat the legs with olive oil.
reduce oven temperature to 375degreesF. roast your chicken breast-up for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you pierce the skin with a fork. the skin should be a deep golden brown.
i like to douse my chicken with a glass of white wine or some broth about one hour into the baking process. it keeps the skin from burning in my electric oven and helps if you want to deglaze the pan later.
another great thing to do is to toss some yellow potato chunks in olive oil while you are preparing the chicken, and then roasting them in the same pan.
reserve the giblets and carcass for making chicken stock! waste not, want not.