The result is a whole-bird meal that takes a bit more time and effort than a simple roast chicken but offers an outcome that is a little short of mind-blowing, with a variety of tastes and textures the classic cannot touch.

You can make this dish with chicken parts and water or canned stock, but it’s more efficient — and far tastier — to begin with a three-to-four-pound chicken and go through the whole process. Stay away from the water-pumped monsters, please; the point is to find a bird that tastes like something. (I tried this recipe with a Poulet Rouge, a Giannone-brand bird and a supermarket free-range chicken, and all three were fine.) The dish will serve at least four people — six, if you add a couple of sides — so the extra expense is not only worth it but also justifiable.

Begin by dismantling the chicken. (This is the hardest part.) The wings and legs should separate from the body easily: hold each limb away from the body and cut through the skin with a sharp knife, and you’ll see the joint. The breast will come off the back fairly intact if you go slowly and keep the knife close to the bone. Then pull the skin off the legs, thighs and back. Just work your fingers between skin and flesh and tug gently, using a small paring knife as an aid if necessary. If there are chunks of fat on the chicken parts, remove them, but if small bits remain attached, that’s ﬁne.