Brined Roasted Chicken - 500 Degrees - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 gallon water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 (3 lb) whole chickens
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh parsley (minced fine)
1 teaspoon sage (if using fresh, 5-7 leaves)
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary (minced fine)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (minced fine)
2 1/2 lbs potatoes

Preparation

Thoroughly dissolve sugar and salt into water.
Soak chicken in brine for 1-3 hours (in refrigerator).
Mix softened (room temperature) butter with herbs while chicken is in brine.
Thoroughly rinse chicken and allow to drain, pat dry.
Cut backbone out of chicken and flatten bird.
Spray bottom part of broiler pan with vegetable oil.
Scrub potatoes and cut into small bite sized pieces.
Place potatoes in pan.
Place flattened bird in top part of broiler pan, over potatoes.
Loosen skin from flesh.
Place herb butter between skin and flesh.
Bake in hot oven (500 degrees) for 45 minutes to an hour. (or more, if potatoes are not browned).
Serve with cooked spinach and hot crusty bread.