Cooking Steps

Pre-heat oven to about 440F.
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Rinse the chicken, inside and outside, under running water and pat dry with paper towels.
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Rub the inside of the chicken with a generous amount of salt and black pepper, then place it on it’s back with the thighs/cavity facing you.
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In a bowl, mix the butter, minced garlic, olive oil, the zest from the lemon, the juice from half of the lemon and liquid smoke.
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Slide one finger in under the skin of each breast, making two separate “pockets” (try to keep the opening as small as possible though).
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Make two balls of 2/3 of the butter mixture (if it’s not thick enough to make balls, either add a bit more butter or just use a small spoon instead…), place one in each “pocket” and massage so both chicken breasts are fully and evenly covered in the butter mix.
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Stuff the inside of the chicken with the remaining half of the lemon, half of the onion (if both halves doesn’t fit) and the bay leaves, and then tie it up tightly using a piece of butcher’s string.
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Make three cuts in each thigh, all the way into the bone, and then rub the rest of the butter mixture all over the chicken.
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Finally sprinkle salt and crushed black pepper over it, place it on a oven safe tray that is just slightly larger than the chicken(s) and put it in the oven for about 80-90 minutes.
(Note: If only one of the onion halves fit inside the chicken you could cut the other half in pieces and place on the tray around the chicken…this would give even more flavor to the juices you’ll be scooping over it.)
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Take it out for just a very short time after 30 and 60 minutes to scoop the juices that is gathered in the tray over the chickens.
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Done (and I have a hard time imagining you will regret making it)!