Spice-rubbed, roasted half-chicken with smoky-bacon french fries recipe

Ingredients

• 1 recipe quantity French Fries
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 half-chickens
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 recipe quantity Celery Root & Carrot Coleslaw, to serve

• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon smoked sea salt or sea salt, finely ground
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon mustard powder
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

• 8 strips of pancetta, chopped
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

1. Start soaking, then cooking the french fries. Meanwhile, mix together all the spice rub ingredients. Put the half-chickens in a roasting pan and rub the mixture all over. Cover and let marinate 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
2. To make the smoky bacon mix, heat the broiler to high, then broil the pancetta for about 5 minutes until very crisp. Drain well on paper towels, then let cool. Put in a small blender with the remaining smoky bacon mix ingredients and blitz to a fine powder.
3. Heat the oil in a ridged grill pan over high heat, add the chicken halves in batches and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side until colored, then transfer to a roasting pan and roast 8 to 10 minutes until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the chicken is pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
4. Meanwhile, finish cooking the french fries. Season the french fries with a little salt, then sprinkle the smoky bacon crumb generously over the french fries. Serve the chicken with the smoky-bacon fries and coleslaw.