1. Prepare the chicken by splitting and dressing it for broiling: remove the backbone, flatten the bird, and clean thoroughly.
2. Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper.
3. Place the seasoned chicken in a well-greased broiler rack positioned over your heat source.
4. Broil over a clear, steady fire (or under a preheated broiler set to high, approximately 500°F / 260°C) for 20 minutes total, turning the broiler rack frequently so all parts brown evenly. Keep the flesh side facing the heat for the majority of the time — about 14 of the 20 minutes — since the skin side browns more quickly. Watch closely throughout; the chicken burns easily. Doneness: skin is deep golden-brown and crisped, juices run clear when the thigh is pierced, and the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C).
5. Alternatively (recommended when open-fire broiling is unavailable or for more controlled cooking): preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the chicken in a dripping pan (a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan, approximately 13 × 9 inches / 33 × 23 cm), skin side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot evenly with butter. Roast 15 minutes — the flesh side should be opaque and beginning to pull from the bone. Transfer immediately to the broiler and broil an additional 8–12 minutes, skin side up, until the skin is deep golden-brown, the juices run clear, and the internal temperature of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C).
6. Remove to a warmed serving platter. Spread immediately with soft butter and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Serve at once.
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