It's Your Turn

• As long as the interior of the chicken reaches a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it is considered cooked and safe to eat. Poultry will reach a safe temperature when left unturned in a hot oven for a period of time. However, turning the chicken during baking helps distribute the juices and produces uniformly crisp, brown skin. Turning the chicken partway through the cooking process is more important when the recipe calls for crispy skin, such as with wings or drumsticks, than when the meat is drenched in a sauce or is to be used in other recipes.

In Every Season, Turn, Turn, Turn

• To bake a whole chicken, place in a pan breast side down, coat with oil or butter and season. Cook in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 20 minutes. Using two carving forks, skewer the bird through the neck and tail opening and gently turn the bird so the breast side faces up. Avoid puncturing the skin so the fat stays in the meat and doesn't run out into the pan. Season and continue to cook until done. For smaller pieces, such as wings or legs, bake until halfway done, then turn to brown pieces evenly.

Let Sleeping Birds Lie

• When cooking chicken in liquid or sauce, it is not necessary to turn the meat during cooking. The pieces will cook thoroughly and the juices will mingle with the other liquids in the pan. If you want to prevent the meat from becoming soggy, place chicken on a rack during baking to allow juices to funnel away from meat. A rack also allows the heat to reach the entire surface of the chicken, which can produce a more uniform skin texture and color. Some cooking pans have a cone that sits on top of a grate, allowing you to cook the chicken tail-side up while the juice drains into a pan. This allows a maximum amount of the bird's surface area to come into contact with the indirect heat, producing uniformly browned skin.

Tools of the Trade

• Turning chicken can be difficult. To avoid splashing or piercing the skin during the process, use tongs. If you try to turn by piercing with a fork, you risk losing much of the juice that keeps the meat moist. If you use a spatula, grease or oil may splash as the piece lands back on the pan. Always remove the pan from the oven before attempting to turn the chicken.