Benefits of Roasting Upside Down

• Anyone who has roasted a Thanksgiving turkey knows that the primary challenge of roasting poultry is keeping the white breast meat from drying out in the time it takes for the dark thigh meat to cook through. The same problem goes for roasting chicken. In either case, starting the bird upside down will allow the juices to flow downward and remain in the breast meat as it cooks. Most techniques suggest starting a chicken breast side down for at least the first half of cooking. Others call for keeping the chicken upside down until only the last 10 or 15 minutes of cooking, which admittedly results in less-than-crispy skin.

Getting the Golden Brown Skin

• If there is one part of the chicken you want dry, it's the skin; unfortunately, this is impossible to achieve when the chicken is upside down and the skin isn't exposed to the dry heat of the oven. One step in the right direction is to flip the chicken onto its back halfway through the cooking process. If you still aren't satisfied with the results, fire up the oven to a scorching 500 degrees Fahrenheit for the last 10 or 20 minutes, until the skin is golden and the breast meat reaches 165 degrees F and the thigh reaches 175 degrees F.

Other Tips for a Juicy Roast Chicken

• According to the chefs at America's Test Kitchen, making an incision down the back of the chicken will allow more fat to escape and baste the chicken as it roasts upside down. You can also loosen the skin around the breast and thighs with your finger, and use a skewer to poke holes in the fat deposits, to allow even more fat to escape. For crispy skin, do not use a brined bird. After preparation, allow the skin to dry out by placing the chicken back in the refrigerator overnight. A salt and baking soda rub will further the drying action.

More Unconventional Roasting Techniques

• In addition to cooking chicken upside down, there are a few alternative techniques to achieve an evenly-cooked, moist and golden roast chicken. One is to spatchcock the chicken, which means to cut out the backbone, allowing the chicken to flatten out such that the breasts and thighs are all on the same level; this will allow for even cooking and browning at the same time. Another interesting technique is roasting a chicken upright, propped up by sliding it onto the center cylinder of a bundt pan -- much like beer-can chicken.