Quick Roast Chicken with Fingerling Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 450ºF.

Using a pair of kitchen shears, remove and discard the backbone of the chicken (or save it for making stock). With a sharp pairing knife, remove the thigh bones—simply follow the bone and let your knife do the work for you, then tuck the legs underneath. You can also ask your butcher to do this.

Lay chicken in a dish, breast side up, and press down to flatten. Squeeze lemon halves all over the chicken and toss into the cavity along with chopped onions, smashed garlic, and a few sprigs of herbs. In a small bowl combine chopped herbs, salt and pepper. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil; mix. Coat the outside of the chicken with the herb mixture.

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil and season with a few pinches of salt. Boil the potatoes for 8 minutes. Drain the potatoes, put them back in the pot with the lid on and shake vigorously to ‘fluff’ their exteriors. Put the potatoes in the tray with the chicken and drizzle with olive oil to coat (about another 3 tablespoons) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover the tray with foil, roast for 20 minutes, remove the tinfoil and baste with the juices that have collected on the bottom. Roast for an additional 20 minutes, uncovered, or until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers at least 165ºF and the skin is browned.