Mia Patel
Learning how to butcher a chicken into 10 pieces is a basic culinary skill that can save you money and give you more control over your cooking. You can use a chef's knife, a Western-style boning knife, or a Japanese-style honesuki (poultry boning knife) to cut the chicken into two drumsticks, two thighs, four pieces of chicken breast, and two wings. You can also use poultry shears or a cleaver for cutting through thicker bones. This technique will allow you to create even-sized pieces that will cook at the same rate, resulting in a well-cooked dish.
How to butcher a chicken into 10 pieces
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tools | Chef's knife, boning knife, poultry shears, cleaver |
| Chicken | Whole, raw |
| Cutting board | Yes |
| Paper towels | Yes |
| Cutting technique | Cut where the leg attaches to the breast, pull the leg away and cut through the skin and joint |
| Breast | Cut into two halves |
| Leg | Separate the thigh from the drumstick |
| Wing | Separate from the breast |
| Result | 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 4 pieces of chicken breast, 2 wings, carcass for stock |
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What You'll Learn
Separate the legs
Separating the legs is an important step in butchering a chicken into 10 pieces. This process will give you two thighs and two drumsticks. Here is a detailed guide on how to do it:
First, place the chicken breast side up. This will allow you to easily locate where the legs attach to the breast. Pull each leg away from the body and slice through the skin between the breast and drumstick. You can use your knife to carefully cut through the skin and detach the leg from the breast.
Next, you will want to locate the joint or the ball joint. You can do this by bending each leg back until the thighbone pops out of its socket. You can also identify the joint by looking for the white fat line that runs between the drumstick and the leg. Make sure to cut through the joint and not the bone. Cut through the joint and skin to completely detach the leg from the body.
Repeat this process for the other leg, ensuring that you are working with one leg at a time to ensure precision and accuracy. By following these steps, you will successfully separate the legs into thighs and drumsticks, progressing towards your goal of butchering a chicken into 10 even pieces.
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Cut the breasts
To cut the breasts, place the chicken breast side up on a cutting board. With the leg in hand, run your knife between the breasts to cut the skin and separate them. Run the knife from the top of the chicken to the bottom, making multiple passes down through the wishbone and breastplate and all the way to the wing bone. Cut the breast from the wing bone. Place the breast skin side down and split the center bone using a chopping motion. Then, slice through the meat and skin to separate the breast into two pieces. You can use shears to cut the breast into two pieces.
If you want to cut the breast into smaller pieces, flip the breast over, skin side up. Take your chef's knife and cut through the breast almost in half, off-center to the thicker side, so the thinner piece is bigger. This will help the chicken cook more evenly.
To cut the breasts into quarters, turn each skin side up and cut in half diagonally through the bone. Repeat with the other breast half. You should now have four pieces of chicken breast.
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Locate the joints
To locate the joints of a chicken, you must first place the chicken breast side up on a cutting board. Start by 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. You can identify the joint by the white line of fat that runs along it. Repeat this process on the other leg.
Next, locate the wing joints by flipping the chicken to one side and identifying where the wing is attached to the carcass. Pull the wing away and cut through the joint to remove it. Repeat this process with the second wing.
To separate the breast, flip the chicken breast skin side down and find a white thin line in the center. This is the cartilage, and exactly where you need to cut to separate the breast.
If you wish to divide the breast into quarters, turn each skin side up and cut in half diagonally through the bone.
Finally, to separate the thighs from the drumsticks, place each leg skin side down and cut through the joints, along the white fat line.
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Use poultry shears
Using poultry shears is a safe and easy way to butcher a chicken into 10 pieces. They are particularly useful for cutting through bones, joints, skin, and cartilage.
To begin, place the chicken on a cutting board, pat it dry, and place it breast side up. Using the shears, cut through the joints to remove the wings. Do not cut through the bone. Instead, snip a little of the flesh away at the joint, then forcefully bend the bone back to snap the joint out of its socket. Repeat this process for the second wing. You can choose to remove the wing tips and save them for stock.
Next, flip the body over and use the shears to cut through where the back and the breast meet. You will 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. Find the thin white line in the centre—this is the cartilage. Cut through the cartilage to separate the breast. If you want to cut the breast into smaller pieces, flip it over so that it is skin side up and use your shears or a chef's knife to cut through the breast.
Finally, you can separate the legs. Cut through the skin where the leg attaches to the breast, then pull the leg away and cut through the joint. You can choose to divide each leg into the thigh and drumstick by cutting through the joint along the white fat line.
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Store the chicken
Storing chicken correctly is important for keeping your food safe and preventing the growth of harmful bacteria, such as salmonella and E. coli.
Storing Raw Chicken
Raw chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to two days. It should be placed in an airtight container or Ziploc bag on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, so any juices do not drip onto other foods. Always wash your hands for 20 seconds after touching raw chicken, or use gloves, to avoid cross-contamination.
If you are not planning on using the chicken within two days, it should be frozen. Freshly butchered chicken should be cooled to 40°F or lower for 24 hours before freezing. Chicken can be stored in the freezer for up to a year, but it is recommended to use it within three months to avoid dryness and toughness. Always use new, food-grade freezer bags, and label the chicken with the date, type, and weight.
Storing Cooked Chicken
Leftover cooked chicken can be stored in the fridge for three to four days. It should be placed in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap or tinfoil to prevent leakage and contamination. Cooked chicken can also be frozen for up to four months. When defrosting frozen chicken, it is best to thaw it in the refrigerator, which takes about 10 hours per kilogram or 5 hours per pound. Never thaw chicken at room temperature, as this provides an ideal environment for bacteria growth.
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Frequently asked questions
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 thicker bone.
Place the chicken breast side up and start cutting where the leg attaches to the breast. Pull the leg away from the breast and cut through the skin. Pull the leg out with more force to pop the joint (hip bone) out of its socket, then cut away at the joint.
Place the leg skin side down and locate the white fat line running between the drumstick and the thigh. Cut through this line, ensuring you are cutting between the joint and not the bone.
Place the breast skin side up and run a sharp knife down the center of the breast, splitting it in two. Pull the wing out and remove the first two joint sections by cutting through the socket. Repeat on the other side.
