If you're cooking chicken in the oven, and want to get a little char on it, is it better to cook it till it's almost done, and then move it up a shelve and turn on the broiler? Or broil it first then move it down and lower the temp?

I make various types of chicken, anything from a regular whole chicken that just needs some browning on the skin, to Indian style tandoori chicken that needs a little char. Live in an apartment, so a grill isn't an option.

Honestly you could probably go either way depending on what you're doing. You could certainly sear it and then finish it in the oven or roast it and then stick it under the broiler toward the end of cook.

^
This is the way. Brown it in the pan first then finish roasting in the oven

I just eat it medium rare.

Cook on skillet first to get char and then place in oven

This

https://www.saltfatacidheat.com/buttermilkmarinated-roast-chicken

I've used Thomas Keller's 450 for the cook probably since this video came out 13 years ago.