Salt-Crusted Roast Chicken with Thyme Butter Sauce

Preheat your oven to a high temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).\nDry the exterior of the chicken thoroughly using paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the chicken and position it in a large oven-safe skillet. If desired, use scissors to cut off the tail of the chicken.\nGenerously sprinkle kosher salt liberally into the cavity and over the back and sides of the chicken. Securely tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine. Sprinkle salt generously over the breasts, coating them evenly. Wipe any excess salt from the skillet using a paper towel.\nPlace the chicken in the preheated oven and bake until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into a thigh, not touching bone, reaches the desired internal temperature of 160 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Celsius), taking around 50 to 60 minutes.\nRemove the chicken from the skillet to a serving platter and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.\nUse a paper towel held with tongs to remove about 90 percent of the chicken's fat from the skillet, leaving the browned bits of food in the pan. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add thyme leaves. Cook and stir until the thyme is wilted, taking about 1 to 2 minutes.\nPour lemon juice, chicken broth, and water into the skillet, stirring until the browned bits dissolve and the sauce has reduced by about half, taking around 1 to 2 minutes.\nReduce the heat to a low setting and add cold butter. Stir until the butter has begun to melt. Add any accumulated juices from the chicken to the sauce and continue stirring until the butter is incorporated and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.\nRemove from heat and season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken to serve.