Mia Patel
Breaking down a chicken is an important skill to have in the kitchen. It can save you money, impress your guests, and give you the opportunity to make delicious chicken stock. The number one rule is to use a sharp boning knife or a chef's knife and to keep it honed. You'll also need a clean, large cutting board and a chicken. First, locate the natural seam where the thigh separates from the body cavity and make a slit on both sides of the chicken. Then, with the chicken breast-side down, locate the joint where the wing meets the body cavity and cut through to release the wings. Flip the chicken over and run your finger along the centre of the breast to locate the collagen, then run your knife along either side of it, keeping it as close to the collagen as possible, and peel the breast back. You can then split each breast in two.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of pieces | 4, 5, 8, or 10 |
| Knife | boning knife, chef's knife, cleaver, kitchen shears, poultry shears, Japanese-style honesuki |
| Chicken | air-chilled, free-range, heirloom |
| Chicken parts | legs, wings, thighs, drumsticks, breasts, carcass, giblets, liver, heart, gizzard |
| Seasoning | salt, pepper, butter, olive oil |
| Cooking method | cast-iron skillet, oven |
| Oven temperature | 400° F |
| Cooking time | 15-20 minutes |
| Internal temperature | 170° F |
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What You'll Learn
Knife and equipment preparation
In addition to a sharp knife, you'll need a large plastic cutting board to work with the raw chicken safely. Some people like to set the cutting board inside a larger rimmed baking sheet to catch any runoff juices. It's also a good idea to clear counter space before you begin.
If you want to end up with neat, clean cuts, consider buying an air-chilled chicken. These chickens are chilled with cold air after slaughter, resulting in less retained water and less slippage when you're cutting. They also have the added benefits of crispier skin and better flavor.
With your knife and equipment prepared, you'll be ready to start breaking down the chicken.
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Chicken preparation
Equipment and Chicken Selection:
Firstly, ensure you have a good boning knife, such as a non-flexible 8-inch boning knife, and keep it sharp. You can also use a strong chef's knife or kitchen shears. A cleaver is useful for cutting through thicker bone but is not necessary. You will also need a large plastic cutting board and a clean work area.
It is recommended to buy air-chilled chickens from premium brands, as they have less retained water, giving you better value and a more concentrated flavour. Avoid kosher birds as they are heavily salted before packaging.
Breaking Down the Chicken:
Stand the chicken up, neck side down, and cut through the middle between the front and back. You may need to use a heavy chef's knife or a cleaver for this step. Set the back part aside, which can be used for stock and soup.
Next, place the breasts on the cutting board, skin side down, to easily see the bone. Cut through the middle to separate the breasts into two halves. You will need to apply some pressure to cut through the bone.
To separate the wings, locate the joint where the wing meets the body cavity and cut through to release it. Repeat on the other side.
To remove the thighs, slowly pull the thigh away from the body and slice the skin between the thigh and body. Don't cut all the way through, but get close to the bone. Find the joint and pull it up and down to pop the hip bone out.
Finally, split each breast in two by locating the line of collagen that separates the breast into two halves. Run your knife along either side of this collagen, keeping it as close as possible, and peel the breast back. Repeat this process on the other side.
Cooking the Chicken:
For a simple way to prepare the chicken pieces, season them with salt and pepper and let them sit at room temperature while preheating your oven to 400° F. Loosen the skin and place a small piece of butter underneath. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat with olive oil, pat the chicken skin dry, and place the pieces skin-side down in the pan. Do not touch them for 4 minutes. Then, transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 170° F, about 15 to 20 minutes.
You now have a delicious, home-prepared chicken meal!
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Removing the wishbone
First, locate the wishbone by turning the bird so that its rump is pointed up. Slide the skin that covers the neck cavity to the side and feel for the wishbone on either side of the inner neck area. If you cannot locate it by touch, use a paring knife to gently scrape a little of the flesh from both sides of the inner neck cavity to expose the wishbone.
Once you have located the wishbone, use the tip of your knife to make a cut along each arm of the wishbone, separating it from the breast meat. Work your fingers behind the wishbone, scraping and pulling to remove any remaining tissue and flesh.
There are different techniques to fully detach the wishbone. One method is to make two shallow cuts with your knife along each side of the bone, then stick your index finger into the left hole and your middle finger into the right hole, grip, and pull. Alternatively, you can use a bit of strength to give the wishbone a good hard yank to break it out, similar to how you would break a collarbone.
Once the wishbone is removed, you can separate the wings and legs to gain better access to the breast meat. Finally, remove the chicken breasts from the bone, either by hand or with a knife.
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Separating the wings
First, ensure you have a good, sharp knife suitable for breaking down poultry. A non-flexible boning knife is ideal, but a strong chef's knife or even kitchen shears can also be used. You may also want to use a cleaver to cut through thicker bone, although this is not necessary. Make sure your knife is sharp and honed before you begin. Using a dull knife can be frustrating and make the process more difficult.
Next, lay your chicken breast-side down on a clean cutting board. This will allow you to easily locate the joint where the wing meets the body cavity. Once you have found the joint, pop it, just like you would with the thigh bone. Cut through this joint to release the wing. Repeat this process on the other side to release the second wing. Now you have two wings that are separated from the rest of the chicken.
It is worth noting that you can choose to keep the wings attached to the breast quarters if you are only separating the chicken into four pieces. However, if you are breaking the chicken down further into eight pieces, you will need to separate the wings from the breasts.
Now that you have successfully separated the wings, you can set them aside, along with the carcass, fat, and giblets, which can be used to make delicious stock for soup.
By following these steps, you can confidently and efficiently separate the wings when breaking down a chicken.
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Splitting the breast
To split the breast, place the chicken breast-side down on your board to create a flat surface for cutting. Run your finger along the centre of the breast and you will feel a line of collagen separating the breast into two halves. Using your free hand, press down firmly on the blade and cut through either side of the sternum until you crack through the bone. You can also cut through the middle of the breast to separate it into two halves. This will help the chicken cook more evenly.
If you are looking to break down the chicken into eight pieces, continue reading. Otherwise, you are done!
To separate the wings, locate the joint where the wing meets the body cavity and pop the joint. Cut through to release the wing and repeat on the other side. Set the wings aside, along with the carcass, fat, and giblets.
Now, slowly pull the thigh away from the body and slice the skin between the thigh and the body. Do not cut all the way through but get close to the bone. Feel around for the joint and once you find it, pull it up and down to pop the hip bone out of the joint.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a sharp knife, ideally a non-flexible boning knife or a chef's knife. You can also use kitchen shears or a cleaver.
First, lay your chicken breast-side up and locate the natural seam where the thigh separates from the body cavity. Make a slit on both sides of the chicken. Then, with the chicken breast-side down, locate the joint where the wing meets the body cavity and cut through to release the wing. Repeat on the other side. Flip your chicken back over and run your finger along the centre of the breast to locate the collagen. Run your knife along either side of this collagen and peel the breast back, sliding your knife underneath it and along the body cavity until the breast is free. Repeat on the other side.
You can break down a chicken into as little as 5 pieces or as many as 10. If you are only looking for four pieces, cut each breast in half to create smaller quarters.
You can use the leftover carcass and wings to make chicken stock.
