1. preheat oven to 350. Wash chicken, removing fat from inside cavity.
2. in small bowl, combine butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper and thyme leaves. Rub this paste over outside of chicken. Place bird breast-side-down in roasting pan.
3. roast, uncovered, basting frequently, for approximately 1 1/2 hours (20 minutes per pound). Place chicken breast-side-up during last half an hour to brown.
4. remove from oven when leg pulls easily and juices no longer run red. Remove from pan and let rest, covered, for 5 - 10 minutes. Deglaze or scape pan juices and make gravy, if desired, from 1 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot, dissolved in two cups water.
5. cut chicken into servings or slice and serve with gravy on the side. Remove skin before eating. Remove leftover chicken from bone and refrigerate or freeze for expediting meals during the week.
*You can also choose to boil the meat off the chicken in a large pot. Place chicken in side, fill pot until water covers chicken. Boil on high, covered for a minimum of 1 1/2 hours. Stirring occasionally to help loosen the meat off the bone. Uncover and boil for another 1/2 hour.
When done, strain the juice into another bowl to save for tomorrow night's meal.
When the chicken and bones are cool enough to touch, pull all meat off the bones, also store the meat for tomorrow nights meal. Discard bones.
For a great soup recipe look for Lickety Split Chicken Soup recipe!