Sophie Bennett
Breaking down a chicken can seem intimidating, but it's a useful skill that can save you money and is easier than you might think. You can break down a whole chicken with just a sharp chef's knife, although kitchen shears or a cleaver can also be useful. Start by removing the wishbone, then separate the legs, wings, breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. You can use the leftover carcass for stock.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Required tools | Boning knife, cleaver, kitchen shears, cutting board, paper towels |
| Chicken preparation | Pat dry with paper towels, open cavity to drain juices |
| First step | Remove wishbone, then separate drumsticks from thighs |
| Breaking down the chicken | Cut through the skin and flesh, following the bone |
| Backbone | Can be used for stock or soup |
| Wings | Cut through the joint at the wing tip |
| Breasts | Cut each breast in half to create smaller quarters |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Use a boning knife to separate the flesh from muscle
To break down a whole chicken, you'll need a sharp knife, ideally a boning knife. Boning knives are devised for cutting meat off bones, and their blades are thicker and heavier than ordinary knives. They can cut with less strength and are more resistant to hard substances.
To begin breaking down the chicken, first cut off the bevel cartilage, called "Yagen". Yagen is a precious part as each chicken has only one, and it is located under the breastbone in the middle. It can be easily cut off with a knife. Next, cut off the diaphragm. There are membranes on both sides, so put the knife at their base to cut them off. Finally, cut off the Sot-l'y-laisse, which lies in the pelvis and needs to be cut carefully. Make cuts in the surrounding area, little by little. Do not try to dig it out.
Now, turn the chicken face down. When you touch the body, you'll find a ditch. Make a cut from the ditch to the ribs, keeping the knife along the ribs to avoid wasting any meat. The same goes for when you're cutting the thigh—when you pull the wings, the breast will come off. Cut the remaining skin to complete this step.
The wings should be cut with the joint part attached. Cut the cartilage. No strength is needed. If the knife doesn’t go in smoothly, change the angle and try again. Repeat the same process on the other side.
First, put the knife in the scapula as if sliding it under it. As a chicken has two scapulae, cut both. When you pull them, the rest of the carcass will be separated into two parts.
Why Do Chickens Droop Their Tails?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Cut through the skin and flesh to the right of the bone
To begin breaking down a chicken, you'll need a flexible knife that can safely and efficiently navigate around bones and separate flesh from muscle. A boning knife is recommended for this task, as it is flexible enough to slip between wings and drumsticks, yet sturdy enough for cracking the back. You can also use a chef's knife or kitchen shears.
Now, to the step you're interested in: cutting through the skin and flesh to the right of the bone.
First, you'll want to locate the joint. Slowly pull the thigh away from the body and slice the skin between the thigh and the body. Don't cut all the way through, just get close to the bone. Once you've found the joint, pull it up and down to pop the hip bone out.
Next, you'll want to cut through the skin and meat closest to the back and thigh of the chicken, so the breast will come off cleanly. Repeat this on the other side.
Now, turn your attention to where the drumstick meets the thigh. Here, you'll want to look for the joint by making controlled slashes and peeling back the meat as you go. Apply firm pressure with your knife to sever the ligaments holding together this joint.
Finally, place the chicken breast-side up once more. Carefully cut through the skin and into the flesh to the right side of the bone. Use your knife to follow down the breast along the bone, cutting away the meat and leaving as little of the breast behind on the bone as possible. Repeat this process with the other breast.
Chicken Nesting Box Essentials: What You Need to Know
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Remove the wishbone
Removing the wishbone from a chicken is a quick and easy process. It is best done when the bird is raw, as this allows for even slicing of the breast.
First, turn the chicken so that its rump is pointed up. Slide the skin that covers the neck cavity to the side and feel on the inside of the cavity for the wishbone. It should be on either side of the inner neck area. If you can't locate it by touch, use a paring knife to gently scrape away some of the flesh from the inner neck cavity.
Once you have located the wishbone, use your knife to cut both sides free. Be careful not to cut too deeply, as you only want to sever the connections to the bone. Hold both sides gently and work the tip of the blade towards the end of the wishbone until you can free the entire bone in one go. A little twist of the bone should help break its connection to the centre plate bone, allowing for easy removal.
Alternatively, you can simply pull the wishbone out with your fingers. Reach into the chicken cavity and locate the wishbone. Then, use your finger to get behind it and free it from the meat. Pinch the wishbone with your index finger and thumb, then pull it towards you and down to remove it.
Chicken Little: Heart-Wrenching Scene Explained
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Cut through the shoulder bones on either side
To break down a chicken, you will need a chicken and a sharp knife. A chef's knife, Western-style boning knife, or a Japanese-style honesuki (poultry boning knife) will all work. You can also use poultry shears or a cleaver to cut through some of the thicker bones.
To cut through the shoulder bones on either side, first locate the shoulder joint where the wings meet the body. Stretch out the wing and make small slashes where it meets the body until you can see the joint. Cut through the ligament holding the shoulder joint together. Repeat this process on the other side.
Now, to separate the wings from the breast, hold the wing in your free hand and cut through the joint. Repeat this step with the other wing.
At this point, you will have successfully cut through the shoulder bones on both sides of the chicken. However, if you want to continue breaking down the chicken into smaller pieces, there are several additional steps you can follow.
For example, you can focus on separating the legs and thighs from the body. To do this, grasp one leg in each hand and lift the chicken, bending the legs back until the bones break at the hip joints. Then, remove the leg-thigh from the body by cutting from the tail toward the shoulder, close to the bones at the back of the chicken. Repeat this step on the other side.
Where's the Chicken? Under Daisy's Bed!
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Save the backbone for stock
When breaking down a chicken, you can save the backbone to make a flavourful chicken stock.
To remove the backbone, you can use a sharp knife or sharp meat shears. If you are using a knife, start by making an incision to the side of the backbone, ensuring you cut close to the bone to avoid cutting off 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. Repeat this process on the other side. If you are using meat shears, start cutting on one side of the backbone, and repeat on the other side.
Once you have removed the backbone, you can freeze it in a plastic bag. You can also add other discarded chicken pieces, such as the wing tips, to make stock. Some people choose to roast the bones before making stock, as it adds a nice depth of flavour. However, this is not necessary, and you can simply add the bones to your stock pot.
To make chicken stock, you can use a whole chicken carcass, or just the wings and feet, along with vegetables, salt, and other seasonings.
Garbonzo Beans and Chickpeas: Are They Identical?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Buying a whole chicken and breaking it down yourself can save you money and is beneficial for your knife skills and your ego. You will also have a whole bird with breasts, legs, back, and potentially liver, heart, and gizzards, all for the price of what two breasts would cost.
You can use a boning knife, a chef's knife, or a cleaver to cut through the backbone and chest bone. Ensure that your knife is sharp and clean.
First, clear out counter space to work with raw chicken safely and get a large plastic cutting board. You can also set it inside a larger rimmed baking sheet to catch any runoff juices. Then, slowly pull the thigh away from the body and slice the skin between the thigh and the body. 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.
