Various comments and suggestions:
Cooks Illustrated mag. recently had an article about roasting chicken in a 5 qt cast iron dutch oven to get the moistest possible.
French Chicken in a Pot
First you brown the whole chicken breast side down on top of the stove (after seasoning with salt and pepper) in very little olive oil. Sprinkle 1/2 C medium chunk chopped celery, 1/4 C medium chunk chopped onion and 6 garlic cloves peeled and trimmed around the chicken, add a bay leaf and optional rosemary sprig.
Stick a wooden spoon in the cavity to flip it over after about 5 minutes of browning, brown for another 6-8 minutes. Put the lid on with a piece of foil between the lid and pot to create a good seal.
Place on lowest rack of 250 degree oven for about 90 minutes. Thermometer in breast should register 160 degrees, thigh 175 degrees when done.
Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with foil. Strain the broth into fat separator, pressing solids to extract the liquid. Discard solids. Allow liquid to settle 5 min., then pour into a saucepan and set over low heat. Add 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice. Serve it with the carved chicken or sometimes I save it to add to soups or sauces later.
I’ve made this several times – best ever. The leftover jus lasts quite awhile in a small lock & lock.
The magazine article says the recipe was developed for a 5 to 8 qt. pot. “If using a 5-qt. pot, do not cook a chicken larger than 5 pounds.”