Rinse and trim chicken. Place in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with black pepper and juice of one lemon. Mix well and set aside.

Peel, core and shred apples in processor. Scrape into mixing bowl.  Peel and shred onions in processor. Add to apples. Add 3 cups pomegranate arils to apples and onions. Grate rind of remaining lemon directly over this mixture. Squeeze lemon and pour juice over mixture. Mix well.

Preheat oven to: 375 F.

Grease roasting pan with olive oil spray. Spread half onion mixture on bottom of pan. Arrange chicken on top of it. Spread remaining onion mixture on top of chicken. Pour ¼ cup olive oil and one cup water over all. Cover with foil and bake for one hour.

While chicken is cooking, wash (do not peel) potatoes and cut them into ½ inch rounds. Season potatoes with salt and pepper. When chicken has baked for one hour, remove foil and scatter potatoes over and around chicken. Return to oven and roast uncovered until potatoes are browned on the outside and soft on the inside. Baste occasionally with chicken juices. This takes about 45 minutes longer.

Arrange chicken in serving dish. Sprinkle the top with remaining cup of arils. Serve hot or at room temperature