Reportedly, rotisserie chickens are sold to the tune of an estimated 800 million annually and that rate has been increasing between 5 percent and 10 percent every year over the past decade — double the rate of overall chicken growth.

Meat skewered on a spit and rotating over a flame or other heat source defines the rotisserie style of roasting. The process yields evenly cooked meat in its own juice allowing easy access for continuous basting. Rotisseries were turned by hand or by clockwork contraptions early on, but today’s sophisticated modern designs employ electric motors.