Jake Harper
Cutting up a whole chicken is a useful kitchen skill to have. It can save you money and give you more meat for your buck. You can use a sharp chef's knife or boning knife to cut up a chicken, or you can use kitchen shears. To cut out the backbone, start cutting on one side of it with your shears or knife, being careful not to cut into the bone itself or cut too much meat off. Then, take your knife and cut through the chicken to free the bone on one side. Repeat on the other side. You can now use the backbone for stock.
Characteristics and Values Table for Cutting the Back Out of a Chicken
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tools | Sharp chef's knife or boning knife, clean cutting board, bowl or ziplock bag for meat, sharp shears (optional) |
| Process | Use sharp shears or a sharp knife to cut close to the backbone, avoiding cutting meat or bone. Cut through the rib cage and shoulder joints to separate the breast from the back. Remove the backbone and flatten the chicken. |
| Tips | Cut the wing tips and save them with the backbone for stock. Be careful not to cut yourself when cutting through bone. |
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What You'll Learn
Use sharp shears or a knife
To cut the back out of a chicken, you can use sharp shears or a sharp knife. Here's a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Start with Sharp Shears
Begin by using sharp shears to cut on one side of the backbone. Make sure to cut close to the bone, avoiding both the bone itself and cutting through too much meat. This initial cut with the shears will help you create a starting point for the knife.
Step 2: Switch to a Sharp Knife
Once you've made the initial cut with the shears, take a sharp knife and carefully cut through the chicken to free the bone on one side. As you cut, gently push the meat away from the bone to avoid cutting into the meat. Always cut away from yourself to ensure safety.
Step 3: Repeat on the Other Side
After freeing the bone on one side, repeat the process on the other side of the backbone. Cut through any remaining meat or connective tissue to completely free the backbone.
Step 4: Remove the Backbone
Once you've cut through both sides, the backbone should be removable. Be gentle and careful during this step to ensure that you don't tear the meat. You can save the backbone to make delicious chicken stock later on.
Tips:
- It's important to use sharp tools, whether shears or a knife, to ensure clean and precise cuts.
- Always be mindful of your cutting technique to avoid cutting yourself. Try to avoid cutting into the bone with your knife, as this can be dangerous.
- Don't worry if you don't get it perfect on your first try. With practice, you'll develop a feel for the proper cutting technique and angle.
By following these steps and using sharp shears or a knife, you can successfully cut the back out of a chicken.
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Cut downward through the rib cage
To cut downward through the rib cage, you will need a sharp chef's knife or boning knife and a clean cutting board. You may also want to use kitchen shears for this step.
First, lift up the chicken and cut downward through the rib cage and then the shoulder joints to separate the breast from the back. Be careful not to cut into the bone, as this can be dangerous. You can save the back for stock.
Next, place the breast skin side down and split the center bone using a chopping motion. Then, slice through the meat and skin to separate it into two pieces. Some cooks prefer to use shears to cut the breast into two pieces.
If you want to cut the breast halves into quarters, turn each skin side up and cut in half diagonally through the bone. This step is optional.
Finally, if you want to divide the legs, turn each skin side down and cut through the joints to separate the thigh from the drumstick. You can find the joint by cutting down until you hit the bone and then cutting the flesh all the way around the leg.
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Separate the breast from the back
To separate the breast from the back of a chicken, you can use a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Start by placing the chicken breast side down. If you are using a knife, bring it to the side of the breast, where you can see it connects with the breastbone. Slice along the bone cleanly, following the shape of the breast. As you reach the middle, bring your knife up over the breast and slice along to separate it. You can also cut through the rib cage and shoulder joints to separate the breast from the back.
If you are using kitchen shears, lift the chicken and cut downward through the rib cage and shoulder joints. Then, place the breast skin side down and split the center bone using a chopping motion. Slice through the meat and skin to separate the breast into two pieces.
You can also remove the wings before separating the breast from the back. To do this, cut underneath the wing to reveal the joint and slice through it. Repeat on the other side.
Once the breast is separated from the back, you can cut it into smaller pieces. To do this, place the breast skin side up and cut it diagonally through the bone. You can also remove the wishbone by cutting an inverted "V" into the chicken breast.
Remember to be careful when handling sharp knives and kitchen shears, and always cut away from yourself.
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Avoid cutting into bone
To cut the back out of a chicken without cutting into the bone, you'll need a sharp knife or a pair of shears. Start by placing the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board. Cut the skin between the thighs and body. Then, grasp one leg in each hand and bend back the legs until the bones break at the hip joints.
Now, you can remove the leg-thigh from the body by cutting from the tail toward the shoulder between the joints, staying close to the bone but not cutting into it. Repeat this process on the other side. It is important to stay close to the bone but not cut into it.
To separate the thighs and drumsticks, locate the knee joint by bending the thigh and leg together. With the skin side down, cut through the joints of each leg. With the chicken on its back, remove the wings by cutting inside the wing just over the joint. Pull the wing away from the body and cut from the top down through the joint.
Finally, separate the breast and back by placing the chicken on its neck end or back and cutting through the joints along each side of the rib cage. You now have successfully cut the back out of the chicken while avoiding cutting into the bone.
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Flatten the chicken
Flattening a chicken is a technique called spatchcocking, which helps the chicken cook more evenly. It involves removing the backbone and flattening the chicken before cooking it. Here is a step-by-step guide to flatten a chicken:
Step 1: Remove the Backbone
To remove the backbone, you can use sharp shears or a sharp knife. Start cutting on one side of the backbone, ensuring you are close enough to the bone to avoid cutting into the meat. Cut through the chicken to free one side of the bone, being careful not to cut into the bone itself. Push the meat away from the bone as you cut to avoid wasting any meat. Repeat this process on the other side of the backbone. You can save the backbone for making chicken stock.
Step 2: Prepare the Chicken for Flattening
Once the backbone is removed, flip the chicken over and ensure that the skin is covering the legs. This step is important to protect the legs from burning during cooking.
Step 3: Flatten the Chicken
Place the chicken breast-side up and press down on the breastbone gently but firmly to flatten the chicken. You may need to press down a few times to ensure the chicken is evenly flattened.
Step 4: Tuck the Wings
Tuck the wings under themselves to prevent burning. The wings have less meat and are more prone to burning during cooking.
Step 5: Season and Cook
At this point, your chicken is ready for seasoning and cooking. You can bake, roast, or use any other cooking method you prefer.
By following these steps, you will have a spatchcocked chicken that is ready for cooking and will result in a more evenly cooked meal.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a sharp chef's knife or boning knife, a clean cutting board, and a bowl or ziplock bag for the meat.
You can use sharp shears or a sharp knife. Start cutting on one side of the backbone, close to the bone, being careful not to cut into the meat or bone. Then, take your knife and cut through the chicken to free the bone on one side. Push the meat away from the bone as you cut. Repeat on the other side.
You can save the backbone to make chicken stock.
Removing the backbone helps the chicken cook more evenly and makes it easier to cut up and portion.
