Preheat oven to 375°F (I like to use my convection setting for roasted chicken if you have it).

Rinse and pat the chicken dry. Make sure to remove any innards from the cavity and place in a roasting/baking dish big enough to hold the chicken.

Mix together the apple butter and spices.

Gently pull back the skin on breasts of the chicken and rub the apple butter mixture as far down the bird between the skin and the flesh as possible using your hands or a spoon. Do this again on the legs and thighs. Brush any remaining apple butter mixture all over the outside of the chicken.

Season liberally with salt and pepper. Place the thyme sprigs and garlic cloves in the cavity of the chicken.

Roast until internal temperature using a meat thermometer reaches 165°F (about 20 minutes per pound although this will vary by oven and especially if you're using the convection feature which cooks quicker). If chicken is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil during the roasting process. Spoon the cooking liquids over the chicken 2-3 times while roasting to keep it moist.

Remove from oven once cooked, cover with foil (if not already) and let rest for about 10 minutes before carving and serving.