Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (approx. 1.7 kg), spatchcocked
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • Rosemary, minced (quantity not specified in article)
  • 1 head garlic, top sliced off
  • 2.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (approx. 1.13 kg)
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter (for potatoes)
  • 0.5 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • Pan drippings (from chicken)
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for gravy)
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (for gravy)
  • Chicken bone broth (quantity not specified in article)
  • Fresh thyme leaves (quantity not specified in article)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 218°C. This high temperature is the digital equivalent of a sear setting, ensuring the skin starts dehydrating immediately.
  2. Pat the 1.7 kg spatchcocked chicken completely dry with paper towels. Note: Any surface moisture will turn to steam and prevent the skin from becoming shatter crisp.
  3. Rub the entire bird with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and season generously with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and minced rosemary.
  4. Place the chicken in the cast iron skillet and tuck the sliced head of garlic underneath a wing or next to a leg. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes until the skin is a deep mahogany and the thermometer reads 74°C.
  5. While the bird roasts, boil the 1.1 kg of cubed potatoes in salted water for 15-20 minutes until a fork slides through with zero resistance.
  6. Drain the potatoes and immediately pass them through a ricer into a warm bowl. Do not let them cool down, or they will become lumpy.
  7. Fold in 4 tablespoons of butter, 0.5 cup of warm milk, 0.5 cup of sour cream, and 1.5 cups of shredded cheddar until the mixture is glossy and elastic.
  8. Remove the chicken and garlic from the pan and let them rest on a board for 10 minutes. Squeeze the softened garlic cloves out of their skins directly into the pan drippings.
  9. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon of flour (if the drippings aren't thick enough) and 1 tablespoon of butter, then slowly pour in 2 cups of chicken bone broth and the thyme.
  10. Whisk constantly for 5 minutes until the gravy is thick enough to coat a spoon and looks velvety.