I’d only baked a chicken once before, last year on Easter, but it came out fine so I figured when I decided to roast another chicken (using the same recipe I might add) that I’d be an old pro by now. Unfortunately, overconfidence in the kitchen is not a good thing. It all started out well. The best kitchen “disasters” usually do. I seasoned and stuffed the bird without incident. Then I popped it in the oven for an hour. I even tented it so that it wouldn’t brown too quickly, and basted it religiously with the Citrus and herb glaze.
It took me 3 hours to realize that I was cooking the chicken upside down. Yes, I basted the underside of the chicken. The breast was sitting “face down” in the pan the entire time. I finally clued into this fact when I noticed that the little white “I’m done” button seemed to have disappeared. And by disappeared, I mean was actually on the bottom of the roasting rack.
Of course it was all down hill from there. While divulging my kitchen shame to CK I ended up burning the aromatics for the stuffing and had to throw them out and start all over again. By the time we sat down to eat I was just grateful to have a plate of food. Thankfully the meat was still tender and tasty, but I felt like a complete fool. So please enjoy my “Upside Down” chicken in all its glory! Maybe I’ll start a new trend…
 Right Side Up (Note Button) |
 Garlic, Oranges, and Lemon Wedges |
 The Balancing Chicken Act |
 Where it all Went Wrong |
 Add Stock to the Pan |
 Prep the Glaze |
 Combine |
 Baste, Baste, Baste |
 Tent with Foil |
 Melt Butter for Stuffing |
 Saute the Onions & Celery |
 Crumble in the Muffins |
 The Unveiling |
 What Happens in the Kitchen… |