Preheat the oven to 200C (180C Fan or Gas Mark 6). Grease a shallow oven-proof dish.

Place the chickens on a board, add half the bay leaves, a lemon half, and a third of the sage in the cavity of each bird.

In a small bowl, mix the paprika and butter together. Spread it on the breasts of the chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Add the remaining sage, garlic, wine, and stock to the base of an oven-proof dish. Put a large grill rack on top, and place the chicken on the rack.

Slice the potatoes very thinly into discs and place the slices at the bottom of the prepared oven-proof dish.

Cut the onions into thin slices and place on top of the potatoes along with a few cubes of butter and a little stock.

Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, then keep layering the potatoes and adding the stock until you reach the top. Cover the dish with butter tin foil.

Place the chicken on the top shelf of the oven and the potatoes on the shelf below. Cook both for one hour and 30 minutes.

After 45 minutes, remove the tin foil from the potatoes. Keep an eye on the chicken and cover with tin foil if browning too quickly.

Once the chicken is golden and the potatoes are tender, remove them from the oven and cover with tin foil to keep warm.

Strain the juices from the roasting tin and skim as much fat as possible. Place in a jug.

Return the fat and juices into the roasting tin, add some flour, and whisk until you have a thick and smooth gravy.

Carve the chicken, serve the potatoes with the gravy.