1 medium onion - quartered
1 handful of fresh basil
1 bay leaf
6-8 cloves of garlic - peeled
2 lemons halved
Garlic powder
Dried basil
Salt & pepper
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Clean chicken. Squeeze juice of one lemon over the bird. Place onion, garlic, fresh basil, bay leaf & 1-2 lemons (halved) inside the cavity. Sprinkle the desired amount of seasonings over the entire bird evenly. Spray bird with cooking spray. Place chicken on a roasting tray in a tinfoil-lined roasting pan. Place the meat thermometer in the thigh of the bird making sure not to touch bone.
Roast uncovered for 3 1/2 - 4 hours until the meat thermometer reads 165-170 degrees. I start basting my bird after 2 hours and repeat every 1/2 an hour after that. My chicken turns out sticky and slightly crispy. If you want crispy skin then don't baste for the last hour (or put under the broiler for a few minutes right before the bird is done).
Remove from oven and let the bird rest for AT LEAST 10 minutes before carving. Enjoy!