Pat the whole chicken dry with paper towels and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove anything from the cavity of the bird and discard, or save for another use. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick spray.Pre heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Turn the chicken breast-side down on a cutting surface and use sharp kitchen scissors to cut down both sides of the spine to remove it completely from the chicken. Turn the chicken breast-side up on the cutting surface and use two hands to press firmly down between the two breasts, flattening out the chicken. (you may hear the breast bone cracking).
Season both sides of the chicken with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.
In a small dish, combine the softened butter, parsley, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and paprika. Mix until a soft butter paste is formed. Spread half of the mixture under the skin of the chicken, and the remaining half on the top of the chicken. Place the chicken, breast-side up, on the prepared baking sheet.
For The Potatoes and Carrots
Toss the halved potatoes and thick cut carrots in 1 tbsp olive oil, until evenly coated. Season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, parsley and crushed red pepper.
Arrange potatoes and carrots around the chicken on the baking sheet, trying not to overlap as much as possible.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the breast and thighs have reached 165 degrees F. *Halfway through cooking, open oven and gently stir the potatoes and carrots, rotating them around to allow for a more even roasting on all sides.Remove the chicken, potatoes and carrots from the oven and let rest, covered lightly under foil, for at least 5 minutes to allow juices in chicken to redistribute evenly.
Slice chicken into pieces and serve with the potatoes and carrots. Enjoy!