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1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. With a sharp knife, cut the lemon in half crosswise and slice one half into paper-thin rounds. Set the lemon slices aside and squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon half into a deep bowl. Stir the salt into the lemon juice.
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2. Pat the pieces of chicken completely dry, drop them into the bowl with the lemon juice and salt, and turn the pieces about with a spoon to moisten them evenly.
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3. Combine the flour and paprika in a large paper bag, add two or three pieces of chicken at a time to the bag, and shake them until they are lightly covered with the flour mixture. Remove the chicken from the bag and shake off the excess flour.
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4. In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Brown three or four pieces of chicken at a time in the hot oil, starting the pieces skin side down and turning them frequently with tongs so that they color richly and evenly all over without burning. As they brown, arrange the pieces of chicken in one layer in a large baking dish equipped with a tight-fitting cover.
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5. Pour off the fat remaining in the skillet and in its place add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, meanwhile scraping in the browned particles that cling to the bottom and sides of the pan.
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6. Stir in the brown sugar and, when it is dissolved, remove the skillet from the heat and add the bitters. Pour the stock mixture over the chicken and arrange the lemon slices on top.
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7. Cover the dish tightly and bake the chicken in the middle of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until it is tender and shows no resistance when pierced deeply with the point of a small sharp knife. With tongs, transfer the chicken to a heated platter.
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8. Discard the lemon slices and strain the gravy remaining in the baking dish through a fine sieve into a bowl. With a spoon, skim as much fat as possible from the surface of the gravy. Taste for seasoning, pour the gravy over the chicken and serve at once.
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