Roasted Half Chicken With Cherry Sauce

• Trim and discard woody bottom ends from asparagus. Dice potatoes into 1⁄2-inch pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. • Line a second baking sheet (second and third baking sheet for 4 servings) with aluminum foil.

• Pat chicken* dry with paper towels and season generously all over with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. (TIP: See a feather? Simply grip the end using a paper towel and pull!) Place chicken, skin side up, on one side of prepared baking sheet. • Roast on middle rack until chicken is cooked through and skin is browned and slightly crispy, 40-50 minutes. TIP: If skin begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover chicken with foil. To ensure chicken is cooked through, insert a thermometer into the innermost part of the thigh and breast (avoiding any bones). Once chicken is cooked, the bones may still appear pink—this is OK! • When chicken has 12 minutes left, remove sheet from oven and carefully toss asparagus on empty side of sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Return to middle rack and roast until chicken is cooked through and asparagus is browned and tender, 10-12 minutes. (For 4 servings, leave chicken roasting on middle rack; toss asparagus on the other prepared baking sheet and roast on top rack.)

• While chicken roasts, place potatoes in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 10-15 minutes. Reserve 1⁄2 cup potato cooking liquid (1 cup for 4 servings), then drain and return potatoes to pot. Add half the sour cream and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4); mash with a potato masher or fork, adding splashes of reserved potato cooking liquid as needed until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

• When chicken is almost done, heat a drizzle of oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, 1 minute. • Stir in jam, stock concentrate, and 1⁄4 cup water (1⁄3 cup for 4 servings). Cook, stirring, until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in remaining sour cream and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4). Season with salt and pepper.