Clean the chicken by removing the giblets and any extra fat inside the cavity, rinsing with water and drying thoroughly with a paper towel. Rub the outside of the chicken with the vegetable oil. 2.Prepare the spice rub by combining the brown sugar, paprika, mustard powder, chili powder, salt and pepper. Rub this mixture all over the chicken, inside the cavity as well as all over the skin. You’ll be left with more rub than you need for this recipe, but you’ll lose a fair amount in the process of rubbing it on the chicken. Be sure to throw away any spice rub that doesn’t make it onto the chicken to avoid cross contamination.

Pre-heat the oven to 425 ̊ F. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and pour enough beer into the roasting pan to cover the bottom of the pan, and pour the remainder of the beer inside the chicken cavity.

Roast at 425 ̊ F for 15 minutes and then turn the oven down to 350 ̊ F. Continue to roast for another 60 to 75 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer in the inner thigh meat registers 165 ̊ F. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and then carve and serve.

While the chicken is roasting, heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the oil, the onions, the bay leaf and the thyme, and cook slowly, stirring every once in a while. As the onions start to brown, give the pan a stir, and reduce the heat to low. The onions will take about an hour to caramelize properly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. When the chicken has come out of the oven pour the drippings from the cavity of the chicken into the onions and stir well. Serve the onions along side the chicken.