Sophie Bennett
Learning how to break down a chicken is a great skill to have for any home cook. Not only is it easy to learn, but it can also save you money and impress your guests. All you need is a sharp knife and a steady hand. You can break down a whole chicken in just 10 minutes, and you'll be rewarded with a variety of cuts to use in your favourite recipes. You can roast a whole chicken, or cut it into pieces for braises, stews, or fried chicken. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to break down a chicken like a pro.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Pieces | 4, 5, 6, 8, or 10 |
| Tools | Sharp knife, cleaver, kitchen shears, cutting board, bowl or ziplock bag |
| Chicken Parts | Breasts, wings, thighs, drumsticks, legs, backbone, carcass, wishbone |
| Steps | Rinse chicken, pat dry, remove wings, separate legs, divide leg into drumstick and thigh, remove breasts, cut carcass in half |
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What You'll Learn
Preparing your workspace and tools
Firstly, ensure your work area is clean and clear of any clutter. You will need ample space to work with the raw chicken safely. It is also recommended to have a separate cutting board for meat to avoid cross-contamination. Get a large plastic cutting board and place it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices that may run off.
Next, gather the necessary tools. At a minimum, you will need a sharp knife. A chef's knife, Western-style boning knife, Japanese-style honesuki (poultry boning knife), or a sharp cleaver can be used. Some sources suggest having kitchen shears or poultry shears for cutting through bones, but this is not essential. You can break down a chicken with just a sharp chef's knife. If you want to collect bones for stock, you will also need a bowl or a bag to store them.
Before you begin breaking down the chicken, it is important to rinse the chicken inside and out, cleaning out the cavity. You can then pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. This will make it easier to grip and work with.
Now you are ready to start breaking down the chicken. Remember to take your time, work carefully, and always cut away from your body.
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Separating the wings
First, identify the joints between the wing sections. You can do this by wiggling the wing and feeling where it moves, or by bending and moving the joints with your fingers. There is one joint where the tip connects to the wing, and another where the drumette (the part that looks like a little drumstick) and the flat (or wingette) connect to each other.
Once you have located the joints, use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut through them. You can also use scissors, but make sure to use plenty of force. Cut right down between the joints to separate the wing parts. You can also "feel" for the knuckle between the wing parts and cut directly between the knuckle to separate the wings.
If you want to break the wings down into even smaller pieces, simply follow the joints again and use a strong, confident knife stroke. First, separate the drum from the flat, then separate the tip from the flat.
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Removing the legs
To remove the legs, slowly pull one of the thighs away from the chicken's body and slice through the skin between the thigh and the body, ensuring you don't 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. Cut through the remaining meat and skin to separate the leg. Repeat this process for the other leg.
To separate each leg into a drumstick and thigh, make a cut where the joint is between the drum and thigh. Find the joint and pop it out, then cut through the rest of the meat and skin. You can also separate the drumstick from the thigh by cutting along the fat line, right between the joints. If you feel resistance, shift your knife around to find the joint until it slides through fairly easily.
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Dividing the drumsticks and thighs
First, place the chicken on a clean, large cutting board, skin side down. This will allow you to easily locate the bone and identify the joints. Slowly pull a thigh away from the body, bending it firmly outwards until you hear a pop or feel the ball of the thigh bone release from the hip socket. Cut through the skin and meat between the thigh and the body, being careful not to cut all the way through to the bone.
Next, find the joint between the drumstick and the thigh by feeling for the line of white fat that runs along it. You can now separate the drumstick from the thigh by cutting through the joint. Make sure to cut through all the remaining meat and skin to create two distinct pieces. Repeat this process for the other leg.
At this point, you should have successfully divided the drumsticks and thighs. You can now move on to the next step, such as preparing the wings or breasts, or you can choose to cook the drumsticks and thighs as they are. Remember to handle raw chicken with care and ensure your workspace and utensils are clean to avoid any cross-contamination.
Additionally, you can further divide the drumsticks and thighs by cutting them into smaller pieces. Simply locate the joints and cut through them to create smaller segments. This can be useful if you want to cook the pieces more quickly or if you are preparing a dish that requires smaller portions of meat.
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Cutting the breasts
To start cutting the breasts, place the chicken beasts on the cutting board skin side down. This will allow you to easily see the bone. Cut through the middle to separate the breasts into two pieces. You will need to put some force into it to cut through the bone. You can use a cleaver to cut through the bone.
If you want to cut the breasts into smaller quarters, cut each breast in half. Since chicken breasts are larger than thighs, cutting them in half will help them cook evenly in the same amount of time as the thighs. You can use a sharp knife or kitchen shears for this step.
To cut the breasts into quarters, turn each skin side up and cut in half diagonally through the bone. Repeat this step with the other breast half.
If you want to debone the chicken breasts, place the whole chicken breast on the cutting board breast-side up. Cut on one side of the breastbone, between the breast bone and the meat, and continue to the top of the breast until you hit the wishbone. Cut along one side of the wishbone, using it as a guide. Continue the cut down to the lower part of the breast as well. Hold the chicken breast with one hand and the breast bone with the other, then pull. You should be able to pull the breast meat away from the bone in one piece.
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Frequently asked questions
Buying a whole chicken is more cost-effective and flexible. You can use what you need and freeze the rest, including the bones for stock. It also allows you to cook each piece to your preference, such as roasting, braising, frying, or grilling.
You will need a sharp chef's knife or a boning knife. Some parts of the chicken, like the backbone, may require a cleaver or poultry shears. You will also need a large plastic cutting board and a bowl or bag for the meat.
Start by rinsing the chicken inside and out, cleaning the cavity, and patting it dry. Then, place the chicken breast-side down on the cutting board.
Pull the thigh away from the body, slice the skin, and locate the hip joint. Pop the hip bone out of the joint, then cut through the remaining meat and skin. Repeat for the other leg. To separate the thigh and drumstick, locate the joint and cut through.
To separate the breasts, cut through the middle of the breast bone. Cut each breast in half to create smaller quarters. For the wings, slowly pull them away from the body, slice the skin, locate the shoulder joint, and cut through.
There are many ways to break down a chicken, and with practice, it becomes easier. Remember always to work with a sharp knife and a clean workspace.
