Roasted chicken is a meal staple that’s perfect for any occasion, any time of year. Whether it’s being used in a casserole, a soup, a stir fry, or just being highlighted with some seasonal veggies, roasted chicken is the perfect thing for chefs of all levels. But just because this meat is versatile and delicious in nature doesn’t mean there isn’t room for it to grow.

When cooked properly, chicken can be the focal point of just about any spread. However, there are pitfalls with cooking chicken just like anything else; mainly, the bird tends to come out overcooked and therefore dry.

Rather than settle for plain, flavorless chicken, there are easy tricks that you can use to make the most succulent bird you’ve ever made. Chef Lisa Faulkner has shared some of these amazing hacks for preparing your chicken so that it comes out of the oven perfectly cooked.

The secret is all in the prep work. Here’s what you’ll need to get your bird ready for cooking:

• Crushed garlic
• Thyme (or any herbs)
• Halved lemon
• Water
• Olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• Salt
• Pepper

Now the only ingredients that are going to go on the skin of the bird are your olive oil (or vegetable oil), salt, and pepper; all three of these ingredients are going to make the skin of the bird beautifully crispy and brown, as well as give it some next-level flavor.

So that might have you wondering, what are you going to be doing with the water listed above? Well, like the crushed garlic (which is best made by simply crushing with the flat side of a large knife), your herbs, and your lemon, the water will be going inside of your chicken.

This might seem a little strange, but the reason is sneaky brilliant. Putting water inside of your chicken isn’t just going to help the meat roast, it’s also going to help it steam. Steaming the chicken is going to make the meat incredibly tender and juicy when it comes out of the oven, in a way that no other technique can manage.

And all you need is a little bit of water from the tap! It doesn’t get easier than that to prepare perfectly moist roast chicken.

For the full instructions on how to prepare roasted chicken like Lisa Faulkner, make sure to watch her helpful video tutorial below. Then make sure to write what you thought about this cooking tip in the comments section below.