Bacon Roasted Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 lb chicken
• Kosher salt
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 medium onions, cut in thick slices
• 6 cloves garlic,smashed
• 6 small gold potatoes, boiled until partially done, then cut in thick slices
• Dried thyme and / or sprigs of thyme
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Pepper
• Bacon

Instructions

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season well with salt, inside the cavity and the entire outside. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Let the chicken come to room temperature before cooking.)
2. Heat the oven to 425°.
3. Butterfly the chicken open by cutting along the neckbone / back. Lay the chicken flat and with the heel of your hand, press down on the breast bone to break it and flatten the chicken.
4. Loosen the skin on each side of the breast bone, and slip 2-3 slices of lemon and 2 bay leaves under the skin on each breast half.
5. In the bottom of a greased baking pan, place the potato slices, onion slices, any leftover lemon slices, and scatter the garlic cloves. Sprinkle thyme on everything
6. Lay the chicken on top of the potatoes and onions, skin side up. Place any leftover potato slices around the chicken.
7. Drizzle the chicken and any exposed vegetables with oil. Sprinkle thyme over everything, and grind pepper over everything.
8. Roast 45 minutes, remove chicken from the oven, and lay strips of bacon over chicken and potatoes. Continue roasting another 45 minutes or until chicken is done.