I got this recipe online somewhere -- Chef Pam Anderson, I think. It's for roasting in an electric oven. If you start in a cold oven, the heating element is on most of the time while the chicken cooks, making the skin crisper and browner.
3- to 4-lb. chicken
Paper towels
Kitchen string
Roasting pan
1 cube soft butter
Salt and pepper
Tongs or 2 wooden spoons
Instant-read thermometer
Platter
Foil
Rinse the chicken inside and out in cold running water. Pat it completely dry with paper towels. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Truss the chicken, tying the wings and legs close to the body with kitchen string. Use 2 or 3 tbsp of butter to grease the roasting pan. Rub butter all over the chicken's skin. Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Put the chicken in the pan breast side down. Put the pan in the cold oven and set the heat at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven, turn the chicken breast side up, using tongs or two wooden spoons. Return the chicken and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees.
Remove the chicken to a platter. Cover it with foil and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.