Believe us: this is no social media gimmick. It is not a “hack.” Well, you could call it a hack. It might fit the definition, but we refuse to call it a hack. It’s a technique, remember? And here’s why to consider spatchcocking your next bird:

Uniformity: With the bird lying flat, it cooks more quickly and evenly. This prevents the dreaded combination of undercooked thighs with dry breasts. It also helps ensure a standard of juiciness throughout. Yes, it would be possible that you overcook everything, but that failure would be on you. Pay attention, dammit.

Crispness: A challenge with roasting a whole bird is getting all of the skin crispy. When the logistics of cooking mean that some of the skin lies on the underside, then drippings do their thing. They drip. And then they turn the underneath skin soggy. With spatchcocking, all the skin sits on the topside and is exposed directly to the heat. So it all crisps up.

Marinades, Spices, and Sauces: Another gravity-related benefit to cooking the spatchcock way relates to marinades, spices, and sauces. They can be evenly distributed and tend to remain in place, meaning each bite should be as flavorful as the one before or after it. Consistency, after all, is the sign of a good cook. Is that true? We just kind of said it.

Carving: Chicken, particularly, should be easy to carve. But when we roast a whole chicken without spatchcocking, cutting it into pieces (breasts, thighs, legs, wing) can feel like a wrestling match—one that we sometimes lose. Spatchcocking simplifies the carving process, which, as an added bonus, makes for pretty photos of the finished product.