Roast Chicken with Potatoes

This is a really fun way to cook a whole chicken.   It is a cool technique where you cook the potatoes under the butterflied chicken - so they catch the juices off the chicken and impart the yummy flavor.  Also, I find it easier to thoroughly brown all of the chicken pieces this way.   The first photo shows you just the chicken after it came out of the oven.   The potatoes were crisp and delicious too! 

I served it with sauteed green beans with shallots and a light wheat roll (recipe coming next!).

Ingredients

for the brine

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 quarts of cold water
  
• 1 whole chicken - butterflied (backbone removed)  

 flavored butter

• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, minced
  

• 4 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick on a mandolin
  
• 1-2 tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions

1.  Dissolve the salt and sugar in the cold water.  Immerse the chicken in the brine and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

2.  Remove chicken from brine and rinse under cold water.  Dry with paper towels.  

3.  Combine butter, garlic and thyme.   Rub under chicken skin. 

4.  Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place chicken on top portion of a broiler rack.   Season with tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

5.  Line the lower portion of a broiler pan with foil (or parchment paper) and place sliced potatoes on pan.  Coat potatoes with tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper.  And spread to an even layer

6.  Place chicken rack over potatoes.   And place in lower rack in oven.  Roast for 20 minutes and rotate pan.  Roast for another 20-25 minutes until thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees.  

7.  Remove from oven and soak up excess grease on potatoes with paper towels.  Serve and Enjoy!  

Source:  Cooks Illustrated

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