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Shaun, you don't need anything other than the chicken, salt, pepper and a knife.
Lately my technique even on chickens as small as four pounds has been to remove the legs and bone them out, then wrap a piece of aluminum foil around the big end to hold it together until about 20 minutes into the roasting cycle. I also remove the back, it makes it go faster. But in your case, having to compete with herbs and whatnot you need all the flavor you can get, so you should do only the following:
1) remove wishbone
2) using the bolster end of your knife, remove ends of drumsticks.
3) Remove wing at first joint.
Take whatever parts they give you, neck etc., and place those in water along with the pieces you removed. Bring to a high simmer but do not boil those parts for an hour or so, you make your own stock.
Put a single drop of oil in the center of a 12" or bigger deep skillet. Cover that spot with a piece of parchment paper. Liberally salt and pepper inside and out. Then start off with the chicken on one breast. After 20 minutes flip to the other breast. Following that, flip to the back to finish. Final temperature will vary depending on the size, but you probably want something in the 160 area as the ideal tradeoff between tenderness and the risk of foodborne illness. Remember that the temperature will coast upward once it's off the heat and remember to let it stand for 20 minutes before you cut it.
While you are waiting. . . remove the parchment paper and defat by turning up the heat until the water boils off and the fat begins to spit back- then dump it out, return to heat and deglaze with the stock you made out of the other parts.
With enough practice the concentration of chicken flavor is incredible. Pepin said that one of the ways he would evaluate a chef is to watch how he roasts a chicken. (the other way is to watch him make an omelet)
Good luck and how about some high-res photos of the end result?
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