How to roast a chicken

Actually, I should change the title to "How I roast a chicken". Every cook has their own unique way of roasting and rules that they go by. Some would argue in seasoning the chicken, rubbing in an herbed butter and throwing it into the oven. Not to quote late night infomercials, but they believe in the phrase "set it and forget it."Others like to stay involved with the chicken every step of the way. They start off by seasoning the chicken and drizzling on some olive oil or spreading on butter. They cook the chicken at a low temp for half an hour, then jack up the temperature and baste it throughout. While the techniques are quite different, they have always produced a succulent roasted chicken for that cook. The technique really depends on your style of cooking. Do you like to stay involved at every step or do you like to get it all together at the beginning and leave it alone to finish on it's own. My style ranges. While I enjoy being involved in the food, I like throwing something together, letting it cook, and working on something else. When it comes to chicken, being involved is great for me.

Steps to roasting a chicken
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 : Rinse the fresh chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.
Step 3: Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Throw in one lemon. (Cut into quarters)
Step 4: Fold the chicken wings behind the body and tie the legs together using butcher's twine
or string.
Step 5: Rub the chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper, and italian seasoning.
Step 6: Place chicken breast-side down in a roasting pan and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
Step 7: Flip the bird over and roast for another 30 minutes.
Step 8: Turn the oven temperature up to 425 degrees F and roast for another 30 minutes* or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 170 degrees F.
Step 9: Place roasted chicken on a platter or cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. (Try to not pick at the chicken. I always fail at this step)
Step 10: Carve and enjoy!

* I used a 5 pound chicken and it took roughly 30 minutes for the last step.