1Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rub the chicken with the butter and season it with salt and pepper. Five minutes after turning on the oven, place a cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet on a rack set low in the oven.
2When the oven is hot, about 10 minutes later, carefully place the chicken, breast side up, in the hot skillet. Roast, undisturbed, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh registers 155°F. Remove from the oven, let rest 3 to 5 minutes, then carve and serve.
3In step 1, make a compound butter of 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves—simply mash them together. Rub this over the chicken—put some under the skin of the breast too—and put whatever remains in the bird’s cavity. In step 2, baste the bird with the pan juices about every 10 minutes. Because you will be opening the oven door periodically, the cooking time will increase somewhat.
