• Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 Fahrenheit).
• Place 2 of the sliced onions, lemon, thyme, garlic and bay leaves, in a mixing bowl with a good splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Toss the above ingredients together with hands and stuff firmly into the cavity of the chicken.
• Truss the chicken.
• Lay the remaining slices of onion in the bottom of a roasting tray.
• Lightly rub the chicken with a little bit of olive oil.
• Season the chicken liberally with sea salt, paprika and pepper.
• Place the chicken on the onion slices, (back and wings facing down).
• Roast in oven for 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) and roast a further 1 hr.
• About half way through the cooking process baste the bird with a little olive oil.
• Remove the chicken from the oven and pierce the bird in the thickest part of the leg, near the joint. Juices should run clear, indicating it is cooked.
• Gather everyone up and sit down to a family dinner.

To truss the chicken:

• You’ll need about 1/2 metee (1/2 yard) long piece of cooking twine.
• Lay it on its back with its tail away from you.
• Place twine under the bird’s tail and centre it.
• Pull both ends of the twine up and cross them over one another.
• Wrap each piece of twine around the end of the drumstick.
• Pull the twine tight and the legs will come together.
• Cross the twine over one another again and make a knot.
• Cut off the excess string.
• Tuck the wings under by forcing the tip of the 3rd digit to sit behind the 1st digit and shoulder.