Chopping Chicken Chinese Style: A Step-By-Step Guide

Chopping up a chicken Chinese-style can be intimidating, but it's a useful skill to have, especially if you're a fan of Chinese cuisine. It's worth noting that the Chinese style of cutting up a chicken differs from the Western tradition, where a chicken is typically carved into eight pieces. In the Chinese style, the chicken is cut into bite-sized pieces that can be easily grabbed with chopsticks, and nearly everything goes on the plate. While it may take some practice, this paragraph will provide a general guide on how to chop up a chicken Chinese-style, so you can confidently prepare a delicious and neatly cut chicken dish.

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Use a heavy, sharp cleaver or chef's knife

When preparing a chicken Chinese-style, it's important to use a heavy, sharp cleaver or chef's knife. A sharp knife is essential as it makes cutting through bones much easier. A heavy cleaver is also advantageous because its weight helps to chop through bones efficiently.

To begin, place the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board. Using your cleaver or chef's knife, start by cutting the chicken in half. Apply pressure to the back of the knife as you cut through the spine. If you're using a sharp knife, you may find it helpful to use a pair of scissors or a cleaver to cut through the spine.

Once you have the chicken in two halves, set one aside and focus on the first half. Use your fingers to locate the joint between the drumstick and thigh. Cut through this joint to separate the drumstick, which can then be arranged on the plate.

For the wings, use your cleaver or chef's knife to slice through the joint that connects the drumette and the wing. You can use a similar technique for the legs and thighs by locating the joint and slicing through it to separate the two. Chop the chicken into 1-inch increments to make it easier to grab with chopsticks.

If you come across tougher areas with bones, such as the breastbone, you can use a specific technique with your cleaver or chef's knife. Cut until you hit the bone, then hold that position. Use your other hand to strike the back of the knife to force it through the bone. Alternatively, you can make the first chop the strongest and hardest to penetrate the bone, and then lift the knife only 2-3 inches for the second chop to ensure precision.

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Chop off the neck and head

Chopping up a chicken Chinese-style is a great skill to have, but it can be intimidating. It takes practice, but once you've mastered it, you'll find it easier to chop other types of meat. The key difference from the Western tradition is that every piece of chicken should be easily grabbed with chopsticks, so you'll be cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

To begin, place the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board. You can use a cleaver or a sharp chef's knife to cut the chicken. A sharp knife is important as it makes cutting through bones much easier. You can use a cleaver to get through the bones, but if you don't have one, a good sharp chef's knife will also do the job.

Now, chop off the head of the chicken and discard it. You can keep the head on the platter as it is considered decorative and symbolic in Chinese culture, but it is not meant for eating. The head is usually placed at one end of the platter, opposite the tail, for special occasions like Chinese New Year.

Next, separate the neck from the body by chopping it off at its base. You can cut off the neck where it meets the body of the chicken. Place the neck in the middle of the plate, or on one side. Some people, especially the older generations, like to nibble on these bony pieces.

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Cut the chicken breast-side up

Place the chicken on a cutting board with the breast side facing up. Cut the chicken in half by applying pressure to the back of the knife as you reach the spine. You can use a pair of scissors or a cleaver to assist with this step if necessary.

Now, you will have two halves of the chicken, with the backbone still intact. Next, cut the backbone lengthwise up through the neck, resulting in three pieces: the two halves and the backbone with the tail on one end and the neck on the other. You may use a sharp kitchen knife instead of a cleaver for this step if you prefer.

At this point, you can choose to cut the neck and backbone into smaller pieces and place them in the centre of the plate, or you can discard them if you do not intend to serve them. The Chinese believe in utilising all parts of the chicken, and some people enjoy nibbling on these bony pieces, especially the older generations.

Now, take one half of the chicken and set the other aside. Use your fingers to locate the joint between the drumstick and thigh, and cut the drumstick off. Arrange the drumstick on the plate. Repeat this process for the other half of the chicken.

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Separate the drumsticks, thighs, and wings

To separate the drumsticks, thighs, and wings, you'll need to locate the joints connecting these parts. For the drumsticks, you'll want to find the joint between the drumstick and the thigh and cut through it to separate the two. You can use a cleaver or a sharp chef's knife for this step.

When separating the wings, use a cleaver to slice through the joint connecting the drumette and the wing. You can use the same technique as before, using the weight of the cleaver to chop down through the joint.

For the thighs, chopping through the bone is necessary. You can use the same technique as mentioned earlier: cut until you hit the bone, then use your other hand to apply pressure to the back of the knife to cut through. Alternatively, you can try the two-chop method. Make the first chop the strongest to penetrate the bone, and then lift the cleaver only 2-3 inches from the cutting board for the second chop to ensure precision.

It's important to use a sharp cleaver or chef's knife when cutting through bones. A heavy cleaver can also be advantageous, as the weight helps with chopping through bones.

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Chop into bite-sized pieces

Chopping a chicken into bite-sized pieces, Chinese-style, can be intimidating, but it gets easier with practice. The key to chopping bite-sized pieces is to ensure they are easy to grab with chopsticks. So, you want to chop the chicken into 1-inch increments.

Start with the chicken breast-side up and split it in half. Apply pressure to the back of the knife as you cut through the spine. You can use a pair of scissors or a cleaver to help with this step. Now, you have two halves of the chicken. Put one half aside and focus on the other.

For the legs, locate the joint between the drumstick and the thigh. Cut the drumstick off and set it aside. Next, separate the thigh and the leg by finding the joint and slicing down to separate the two.

For the wings, use the cleaver to separate the drumette and the wing by slicing at the joint. You can use the same technique for the other half of the chicken.

For the neck and backbone, you can either discard them or cut them into smaller pieces and place them in the middle of the plate, with the nicer pieces of chicken piled on top. Some people, especially the older generations, enjoy nibbling on these bony pieces.

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