Preheat oven to 210°C / 410°F (190°C fan-forced). Place a 28cm cast-iron pot (no lid) in the oven to heat up.

Bring chicken to room temp - Remove the chicken from the fridge and its packaging. Place it on a plate and let it sit on the counter while you prepare everything else.

Make herb butter - In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with herbes de Provence, salt and finely grated garlic until well combined. Set aside.

Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels, including the skin and inside the cavity.

Loosen the skin - From the tail end, gently slide an upside down spoon between the skin and the breast meat using slow sweeping motions to break membrane connecting them.

Add butter under the skin - Start with the breast, spoon ⅔ of the butter directly onto the meat under the skin and gently press on the outside of the skin with your hands to flatten and spread it all over evenly.

Season inside the cavity with ¼ tsp salt, Herbs de Provence and thyme sprigs. Tie the drumsticks tightly together. Rub the whole chicken with olive oil and season the outside evenly with the remaining salt.

Prepare potatoes - Place potatoes, whole garlic cloves, salt, pepper and olive oil in a mixing bowl. Toss well to coat, then set aside.

Roast covered - Carefully remove the hot pot from the oven. Place the potatoes at the bottom, then place the chicken on top. Cover loosely with foil and roast for 30 minutes.

Baste and continue roasting - Remove the pot from the oven and take off the foil. Baste the chicken with the juices in the pot, moving the potatoes aside if needed to access the liquid. Return to the oven and roast uncovered for 40 minutes, basting twice more until the internal temperature at the thigh joint reaches 72°C.

Rest (very important!) - Lift and rest the chicken on its side in the pot, legs up, breast side down. Baste once more with the juices, then rest for 15 minutes.

Serve - Carve the chicken and serve with the potatoes, all the pan juices and a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves.