A whole roast chicken with crisp golden skin is a beautiful thing, but it carries a troublesome cargo. The tastiest part of it, the skin, is full of saturated fat and beneath it lies even more. If you cut the chicken in half (or have it done for you at the meat counter), you can lighten the chicken’s load by removing the fat lurking under the skin. Equally important, you will be able to flavor the meat directly. The result is a trim but juicy bird with flavorful meat that is delicious even without the skin. All you need is a sharp knife, a keen eye, and a steady hand.

You can trim the bird up to one day in advance if you like. The trussing skewers are optional, but they really do help to prevent the meat from drying out.