Whole Lemon Herb Fryer Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 1.5-2.5 lb. whole fryer chicken
• 2 lemons
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 stick butter, softened 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. Rinse off the chicken and pat dry. You have no idea what nasty surprises are lurking on the chicken's skin or whose dirty factory hands have been all over it. Sure, cooking gets rid of germs but who can afford to take chances? You? No? Okay then, rinse the chicken. 

3. Put the salt and paprika together into a small bowl. Rub down the outside and inside of the chicken with the seasonings. Don't worry, this isn't going to be a salty chicken. The salt merely keeps the chicken's juices inside. 

3. Lay the chicken in the casserole dish breast side up. Lift up the chicken skin and put the butter underneath. 

4. Cut one lemon into 4 wedges. Squeeze the juice out over the chicken's skin. Stuff the squeezes lemon quarters inside the chicken cavity. 

5. Slice the remaining lemon. Place the slices on top of the chicken. Secure them with toothpicks if they don't stay put. 

6. Bake the chicken at 350 for approximately 1.5 hours. Your cooking time may vary slightly depending on the weight of the chicken. 

Note: If you have any small cuts or scrapes on your hands, wear gloves to rub the salt/paprika mixture onto your fryer chicken. If you're like me and have a cut you don't know about, that salt in the wound (literally, ha!) will remind you with a quickness.