Step 1
Preheat the oven to 240°C/fan oven 220°C/mark 9. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the roasting tin with the garlic. Put some olive oil on the skin and rub it into all the cracks. Sprinkle generously with salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Step 2
Place it in the oven for 10 minutes, then turn the heat to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/mark 6 and roast for 25 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Set a large frying pan over a low to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 20 grams of butter. Once the butter is melted, add the chives and a large pinch of salt. Cook until tender (about 10 minutes).
Step 4
In a mortar and pestle, bash the peppercorns until crushed but not powdered. Turn on the heat under the shallots and pour in the wine. Let it bubble for a minute, then add the peppercorns, cream, mustard, lemon juice and vinegar. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring, then turn off the heat.
Step 5
Remove the chicken from the oven and pour over the sauce. Place back in the oven for another 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the skin is browned and has a crust of peppercorns. Transfer the chicken to a warm plate and cover with foil, letting the meat rest for 10 minutes or so while you finish the sauce.
Step 6
Allow the sauce to settle in the tin for 1-2 minutes and then spoon off any excess chicken fat sitting on top. Use the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze the garlic right out of their skins into the tin (remove the skins). Set the tin over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Scrape any gubbins from the bottom of the tin. Cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and, working quickly, use your wooden spoon to beat in 20g of the fridge-cold butter. The sauce should be glossy and runny.
Step 7
For the chips, I’ll do the first cook while the chicken goes in the oven, then the second cook when the bird has about 10 minutes to go. Set a large pan over low to medium heat on one of the back burners on your hob. Fill a little less than halfway with oil. Place a chip or a small piece of bread in the pan – when it is sizzling and clearly fried, the oil is hot enough.
Step 8
Set colander over large bowl ready for chips. Cook the chips in batches for about 10 minutes at a time, using a slotted spoon to transfer them as they are drained. Turn off the heat under the oil and let the chips sit and cool completely before cooking again.
Step 9
Turn the heat back on under the pan, raising it a little higher this time. Once the oil is hot, return the chips to the pan in batches, cooking them until they are nicely darkened and golden. Transfer to a colander for 1 minute, then transfer to your serving bowl and season generously with salt.
Step 10
To serve, carve the chicken. Pour the pepper sauce over your warm serving dish and top with the chicken pieces. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve with chips.
