Emily Carter
Cutting a chicken into 10 pieces is a basic culinary skill that every home cook should know. It saves you money, yields more meat, and allows for even cooking. You will need a sharp knife, preferably a boning knife, and a cutting board. Place the chicken breast side up and cut where the leg attaches to the breast. Pull the leg away and cut through the skin and joint. Repeat on the other side. Next, remove the wings by pulling them away and cutting through the joint. Cut through the rib cage and shoulder joints to separate the breast from the back, then flip the breast skin side down and cut through the cartilage to separate the two breasts. You can further divide the breasts and legs to get 10 pieces in total: 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 4 breast pieces, and 2 wings.
How to cut a chicken into 10 pieces
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Knife | Chef's knife or boning knife |
| Cutting board | Use a separate board for meat to avoid cross-contamination |
| Chicken placement | Breast side up |
| First cut | Where the leg attaches to the breast |
| Second cut | Pull the leg away from the breast and cut through the skin |
| Third cut | Pull the leg with force until the joint (hip bone) pops out of its socket, then cut at the joint |
| Fourth cut | Repeat the second and third cuts on the other leg |
| Fifth cut | Flip the chicken to one side and locate the joint where the wing is attached to the carcass |
| Sixth cut | Pull the wing away and cut through the joint to remove it |
| Seventh cut | Repeat the sixth cut on the other wing |
| Eighth cut | Flip the chicken over and use kitchen shears to cut through where the back and breast meet |
| Ninth cut | Flip the breast skin side down and find a white line in the center (the cartilage) |
| Tenth cut | Cut through the cartilage to separate the breast into two pieces |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Remove the wings
To remove the wings, first flip the chicken to one side and locate the joint where the wing is attached to the carcass. Pull the wing away and cut through the joint to remove it. Repeat this process for the second wing.
It is important to cut through the joint, not the bone. If you wish, you can remove the wing tips by cutting through the joint at the end of the wing. The wing tips can be saved for stock.
Chicken wings have three parts: the wing tip, also called the flapper; the middle part, or wingette, also called the flap; and the drum or drumette, which is the meatiest part. You can cut the wings into these three portions by making two cuts on each wing.
To make the first cut, hold the wing so that the drumette and wingette form a "V" shape. This will stretch the joint open and make it easier to cut through. Cut through the joint with a sharp knife. You should now have the drumette separated from the rest of the wing.
To separate the wingette from the drumette, bend the wing at the joint between the two sections. Pull down on both portions until you hear a slight crack, indicating that the joint has been dislocated. Finally, cut through the connecting skin to fully separate the wingette from the drumette.
Tasty Chicken Tenders: How Many Pieces Per Pound?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Remove the backbone
To remove the backbone of a chicken, you can use sharp kitchen shears or a sharp knife. If you are using shears, start cutting on one side of the backbone, making sure to cut close to the bone to avoid cutting any meat or the bone itself. Then, take your knife and cut through the chicken to free the bone on one side. As you cut, push the meat away from the bone to avoid cutting it. Make sure you are extra careful when doing this, as you should always cut away from yourself. After you have cut through one side, do the same on the other side of the backbone.
If you are using a knife, hold the chicken by the backbone and position it vertically on your cutting board with the butt end pointing up. Use your knife to cut through the skin and cartilage between the breast and the back. Cut until you get through the first or second ribs. If you are using a Western-style boning knife, switch to a heavy chef's knife or cleaver. If you are using a honesuki, you do not need to switch as the knife has enough heft in its handle to cut through the bone. Continue cutting through the ribs using short, firm strokes. Alternatively, use poultry shears to cut through the ribs on both sides.
Once the backbone is removed, you can keep it to make chicken stock.
Catching Chickens in Trees: Strategies for Success
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Separate the breast
To separate the breast, flip the chicken to one side and locate the joint where the wing is attached to the carcass. Pull the wing away and cut through the joint to remove it. Repeat this process for the second wing. Next, flip the body over and use kitchen shears to cut through where the back and the breast meet—you'll see a clear fat line. Remove the backbone and set it aside for stock.
Now, flip the breast over so that it is skin side down, and locate the thin white line in the centre—this is the cartilage. Cut through the cartilage to separate the breast. You can then cut the breast into smaller pieces if desired, which will help it cook more evenly alongside smaller pieces of chicken like the thigh and drumstick. To do this, flip the breast over so that it is skin side up, and use your chef's knife to cut through the breast almost in half, with the thicker part slightly smaller than the thinner side.
Apple Cider Vinegar for Chicks: How Frequently?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Cut the breast
To cut a chicken into 10 pieces, you will need to cut the breast into 4 pieces.
Start by placing the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board. Then, cut where the leg attaches to the breast and pull the leg away, cutting through the skin. Pull the leg away with more force to pop the joint (hip bone) out of its socket, then cut away at the joint. Repeat this process for the other leg.
Now, flip the chicken to one side and locate the joint where the wing is attached to the carcass (not the bone). Pull the wing away and cut through the joint to remove it. Repeat this process for the second wing.
Next, flip the chicken breast-side down and locate a thin white line in the center. This is the cartilage, and you will need to cut through it to separate the breast. Use a chopping motion to split the center bone, then slice through the meat and skin to separate the breast into two pieces.
Finally, turn each breast skin side up and cut in half diagonally through the bone to create four pieces.
Measuring Chicken: Ounces in a Half Cup
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Divide the legs
To divide the legs into two pieces each, you will need to separate the thigh from the drumstick. To do this, turn the chicken so that it is skin side down, and locate the joint where the leg attaches to the breast. Pull the leg away from the breast and cut through the skin. Now, pull the leg with a little more force until you pop the joint (hip bone) out of its socket, then cut away at the joint. Repeat this process for the other leg.
When separating the legs into two pieces, it is important to use a sharp knife, such as a boning knife, which is flexible and easy to handle around the bone. You may also find it helpful to use kitchen shears for this step.
It is important to note that you can also choose to leave the thigh and drumstick attached, creating a 1/4 chicken portion, which is perfect for roasting chicken legs.
By dividing the legs, you will have successfully butchered the chicken into 8 pieces: 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, and 2 wings. If you would like to cut the chicken into 10 pieces, you can further divide each breast into two pieces by cutting through the bone.
Chicken Critters: The Ranger Meal's Star
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Place the chicken breast side up on a cutting board and pat it dry with paper towels.
The wings. Flip the chicken to one side and locate the joint where the wing is attached to the carcass. Pull the wing away and cut through the joint to remove it. Repeat with the second wing.
The legs. Start cutting where the leg attaches to the breast, then pull away the leg from the breast and cut through the skin. Now pull away the leg with a little more force until you pop the joint (hip bone) out of its socket then cut away at the joint. Repeat on the other side.
Flip the chicken over so it's skin side down and find a white thin line in the centre. That's the cartilage and exactly where you need to cut to separate the breast.
