Take your chicken out of the fridge about 30 minutes to an hour before roasting to bring to room temperature. This will insure even cooking. Discard the pop-up thermometer if there is one.

Preheat the oven to 350. Dry the chicken well with paper towels. Remove the bag of giblets from inside the bird and refrigerate or freeze for soup.

Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a greased roasting pan or an iron skillet. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Put the onion and other vegetables inside the chicken along with the bay leaves, herbs and garlic. Tuck the wing tips under the body. If you have kitchen twine, you can tie the legs together but it's not necessary. For a crispier skin, rub softened butter or olive oil all over the chicken. Pour a cup or two of chicken broth into the roasting pan.

Place chicken in the oven and let it roast for about 20-30 minutes.

Now it's time to baste. You don't have to baste but I think it makes for a juicier chicken. Open the oven door and baste the chicken all around. If the pan is looking dry, add a little more broth.

Continue roasting and basting every 15 minutes or so until the chicken is done. The chicken is done when a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165. You can also tell if it's done if you stick a sharp knife into the thigh and the juices run clear with no touch of pink. Total cooking time should be anywhere from an hour to 1 ½ hours. By now your house will smell heavenly and your chicken should be brown and crispy.

Remove chicken from the oven, take it out of the roasting pan, place on a platter and tent with foil to let the juices settle. When it's cooled a bit, carve and serve.