For the chicken

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Line the bottom of a large baking sheet with foil, then top with a baking rack (if you have one).
3. Prep the chicken by removing the backbone from the back of the bird using a VERY sharp chef’s knife or sharp kitchen shears. You can freeze the backbone to use for stock at a later time, or discard it. Clean out the inside of the carcass by removing any leftover bloody guts, lobs of excess fat, kidney’s, etc. Use a sharp knife to cut a small slit between the breastbone, which will allow the bird to lay flat. 
4. Flip the bird over, flesh-side down and flatten the breast meat as much as you can so that the entire chicken is in one even layer. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Keep the surface dry as well. The chicken will continue to secrete juices as you handle it, so keep paper towels handy to keep the skin dry. Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the flesh so that you can easily massage seasonings onto the breast and thigh meat later. 
5. Flip the bird back over, flesh-side up and season liberally with flaky kosher salt, black pepper, herbs de provence, granulated garlic and onion, and crushed red pepper flakes. Or, use your favorite seasonings here — totally your call. Drizzle some olive oil over the seasonings to create a sludgy-paste. Massage those seasonings all over the open flesh side of the bird as well as under the skin. Try your best not to get the seasonings on the skin, because they will burn in the oven and end up tasting bitter. Flip the bird over flesh-side down, skin-side up. Use paper towels to remove any accumulated juices and seasonings from the skin. Make sure the skin is dry, then drizzle about a tablespoon or so of olive oil over the surface of the skin. Massage the skin with the oil to make sure it’s evenly coated in a thin layer. Don’t neglect the nooks and crannies. 
6. Sprinkle a generous layer of flaky kosher salt all over the skin. Ideally, you only want to season the skin with salt, because anything else will burn — even pepper. However, you can still add pepper to the skin if you simply love the way it looks. Transfer the seasoned and oiled bird to your prepared baking sheet and place it in the center of your 425 degree oven for about an hour, or until the internal temperature of the breast meat registers at least 155 two 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, and the thigh/leg meat registers at least 165/170 on an instant-read thermometer. It’s okay to remove the chicken 10 degrees shy of it’s optimal cooking temperature because it will continue to cook even after you remove it from the oven — often going up about 10 degrees. But if you’re nervous, just take it out when the breast meat registers 165 degrees and the dark meat registers 175 degrees. Because ovens vary in heat-strength, going by “time” is never a good method for people across the board. Instant-read thermometers are your best friend, so please get one ASAP.
7. When the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the oven and set aside to rest at least 10-15 minutes before carving. Do not cover the bird, we don’t want the condensation to sog up the crust we just worked so hard to get. 

To make the sauce

1. Melt half a stick of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter starts to sizzle and foam, add the shallots and saute for about 2 minutes until they’re softened. Season the shallots with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and herbs de provence, stirring for about 30 seconds. If you need to add a little more fat because you’re noticing the butter is being soaked up rather quickly, drizzle in about a tablespoon of olive oil. Toss in the minced garlic (do NOT use jarred garlic, I will come and find you!), and saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Pour in the white wine and bring to a simmer. Allow the wine to reduce for about 2 minutes, or until you can visually tell that there’s less in there than you poured in. Please use the visual clues in my video if you’re unsure. Once the sauce develops a good “body”, reduce the heat to low. Squeeze in the juice from half a lemon, the zest from the whole lemon, all of the fresh herbs, and the heavy cream (if using). Whisk to combine, then add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter (in 1-tablespoon pats) to the sauce to slowly emulsify. Season with salt and pepper to taste then set aside.
2. Carve your rested chicken and serve with the sauce. 
3. Enjoy.