Ingredients

Step by step

1. Start a few hours before you plan to cook (or even the night before). To spatchcock the chicken, put it breastside down on a board. Pat dry with kitchen paper, then use a pair of strong kitchen scissors to remove the backbone by cutting along either side of it. Flip the bird back over and, using the base of your palm, push down between the breasts to flatten it (you should hear a crack as the breastbone breaks).

2. For the brine, stir together the grated garlic, lemon zest and salt. Use your fingers to carefully loosen the skin of the breast and legs of the chicken, then push about half of the brine mixture underneath the skin. Rub the rest over the skin. Put the chicken on a large baking tray and chill in the fridge, uncovered, for a few hours or overnight – this will help to keep the chicken moist and ensures the skin crisps up while it roasts.

3. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then add the potatoes and cook for 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes, transfer to a board and cool for 5 minutes. Use a flat-bottomed mug or jar to lightly crush each potato, just enough that it starts to split a little – this gives more surface area for the potatoes to absorb the chicken juices and crisp up.

4. To make the romesco sauce, heat the grill to high. Put the peppers on a baking tray, skin-side up, with the whole chilli. Grill for 10-12 minutes, until blackened all over, turning the chilli halfway. Use tongs to transfer the vegetables to a large bowl, then cover with an upturned plate and leave to steam for 10-15 minutes. Peel away the papery skins and remove the seeds and stem from the chilli. Put the peppers and chilli in a high-speed blender or food processor with the garlic cloves, almonds, cumin and most of the parsley. Blitz to finely chop. Add the juice of the ½ lemon, along with the olive oil, and whizz again to a salsa-like sauce. Season to taste, then set aside in the fridge.

5. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 7. Coat the potatoes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season. Spread out in a roasting tin just large enough for the spatchcocked chicken, so it will cover the potatoes. Sit the chicken on top, breast-side up, and rub 1 tablespoon of olive oil onto the skin. Roast for 45-50 minutes or until the juices run clear when a skewer is pushed into the thickest part of the chicken thigh. Lift the chicken onto a board to rest for 10-15 minutes. Turn over the chicken-fat potatoes and return to the oven for 10 minutes to crisp up a little more.

6. Carve the chicken and arrange on a platter with the potatoes. Spoon over the green romesco and scatter over the reserved parsley. Serve with lemon wedges alongside.