Crisp-Skin High-Roast Butterflied Chicken with Potatoes

The Problem: Does "high roasting" -- cooking a bird at temperatures in excess of 450 degrees -- really produce a tastier chicken with crispier skin in record time? Or would it simply overcook the bird while producing enough smoke to be mistaken for a five-alarm fire?

The Goal: An improved (and quick) roasted chicken, with skin that is crisp and tanned to a deep golden hue and meat that is irresistibly tender and moist.

The Solution: Start by butterflying the chicken, which will allow for more even and faster roasting. Brine the chicken and pat it dry (or, if you have time, air-dry in the refrigerator overnight). Rub the bird under the skin with a flavored butter that adds moisture and flavor without burning, as herbs rubbed on the surface of the skin would likely do. Cook the chicken on top of a broiler pan with a bottom attached. To keep the juices from burning and smoking, place a layer of potatoes under the chicken; the potatoes absorb the juices before they hit the hot pan beneath and burn, and the resulting potatoes are extremely tasty.