Here’s a great recipe for roast chicken and potatoes. I know it doesn’t sound exciting, but you’ll change your mind once you taste it! The chicken is so tender and moist, and the potatoes are bursting with flavor. I’ve summarized it from the America’s Test Kitchen New Best Recipe cookbook. Seriously, if you cook at all, just get this cookbook.

Crisp-Skin High-Roast Butterflied Chicken with Potatoes

• 1/2 cup table salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 quarts cold water
• 1 whole chicken, trimmed of excess fat
• Flavored butter (optional)*
• 2 1/2 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• Ground black pepper

* Note: they have a couple of flavored butter recipes in the book, but I just mix some softened butter, lemon pepper, and garlic powder.

Dissolve salt and sugar in 2 quarts cold water in a large bowl or stockpot. Immerse chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Rinse chicken and pat dry; butterfly the chicken and flatten the breastbone. Apply the flavored butter, if using, under the skin. (This much can be done up to 24 hours in advance and the chicken stored, uncovered, in the refrigerator—this actually helps the skin get crispier.)

Line bottom of broiler pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Peel and slice potatoes 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Toss with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 3/4 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste. Spread potatoes evenly on the foil-lined pan.

Place chicken on broiler pan rack, and place rack on top of potatoes. Rub chicken with remaining 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with pepper to taste.

Roast at 500 degrees (yes, that’s really 500) until chicken is spotty brown, about 20 minutes. Rotate pan and roast until skin has crisped and turned deep brown, and internal temperature registers 160 degrees in the thickest part of the breast, about 20-25 minutes longer.

Transfer chicken to cutting board; let sit a few minutes before cutting. (Internal temperature will continue to rise for a few minutes.) Remove broiler pan rack. Using several paper towels, soak up excess grease from potatoes. Invert foil with potatoes onto baking sheet; carefully peel back foil from potatoes using spatula as needed. Transfer potatoes to serving dish; cut chicken into serving-size pieces and serve with the potatoes.

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