Roast Chicken with Potatoes

1 4-lb. chicken, neck and innards removed

1 1/2-lb. small red or Yukon Gold potatoes

4 Tbsp butter, softened

1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

10 cloves garlic, unpeeled

Vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

In a large container or pot, combine 1 1/2 quarts or cold tap water and 1/2 cup kosher salt (1/4 cup table salt). Stir to dissolve. Submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove chicken from brine and dry well with paper towels. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450. Prepare the roasting rack by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.

In a food processor, combine butter, herbs, and minced garlic, and pulse to combine into a paste. Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh on each side of the chicken. Spread three-quarters of the paste under the skin. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine and tuck wings behind back. Oil the skin lightly and season with pepper. Set chicken breast-side down on prepared rack in roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes.

Quarter the potatoes and place in a bowl with the unpeeled garlic cloves. Toss with salt and pepper (to taste) along with the remaining tablespoon of paste. After the first fifteen minutes, scatter the potatoes and garlic cloves in the bottom of the roasting pan. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes.

Remove roasting pan from oven and decrease temperature to 375. Rotate chicken breast-side up on the rack, stir the potatoes and garlic, and return to the oven for approimately another 30 mintues, or until the breast meat is 160 and the thigh meat is 175 on an instant-read thermometer.

Let chicken rest for about ten minutes before carving. Transfer the potatoes and garlic to a serving bowl. Serve with bread, upon which the roasted garlic cloves can be spread.