Active Time

　　15 min

　　Total Time

　　13 hr (includes overnight salting)

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

　　1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken

　　2 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt

　　1/4 teaspoon black pepper

　　1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

　　3 (1/4-inch-thick) lemon slices

　　

Special Equipment

an instant-read thermometer

　　

Step 1

Rinse chicken and thoroughly pat dry, then sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper and set in a shallow dish. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 12 and up to 48 hours.

　　

Step 2

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.

　　

Step 3

Pat chicken dry, then rub skin with butter and put lemon slices in cavity. Put chicken in a small roasting pan in oven and reduce oven temperature to 425°F. Roast chicken, basting occasionally with pan juices, until thermometer inserted 2 inches into fleshy part of thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, about 50 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.