Sophie Bennett
Knowing how to cut up a chicken is a useful skill to have in the kitchen. While it may seem daunting at first, it is actually quite simple. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to cut the wishbone out of a chicken. We will also provide tips on how to cut up the rest of the chicken to get the most out of your bird. So, whether you are a home cook or a professional chef, read on to learn how to cut a chicken like a pro!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | Lay the chicken on a cutting board with the neck facing you |
| Step 2 | Remove the wings and legs |
| Step 3 | Turn the carcass so the neck end is facing you |
| Step 4 | Cut an inverted "V" into the chicken breast to cut out the wishbone |
| Step 5 | Cut down the sides of the breast bone to remove the breast in one piece |
| Step 6 | Cut the breast into two halves |
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What You'll Learn
Identify the wishbone's location
To identify the wishbone, start by laying the chicken on a cutting board with the neck facing towards you. Turn the bird 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 on either side of the inner neck area. If you can’t find it by pressure, take your paring knife and scrape a little of the flesh from both sides of the inner neck cavity. The bone is only a fraction of an inch under the flesh.
The wishbone is situated in the middle of the chicken breast, about two inches in from the top. It is shaped like an inverted "V". To cut it out, you will need to make diagonal cuts down each side, towards the bird's shoulder. Pull this cut-out section away from the rest of the breast, and then cut through the joints on each side where the collarbone is attached to the breastbone.
You can also remove the entire breast by cutting along the breastbone and ribs until the entire breast can be removed. This will allow you to slice the meat more evenly without the bone getting in the way.
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Cut an inverted V into the breast
To cut an inverted V into the breast, start with the chicken's neck facing you. Imagine where the wishbone is situated and cut an inverted V into the breast to cut it out, along with some meat. Start cutting about two inches from the top centre of the breast, then cut diagonally down each side towards the bird's shoulder. Pull this cut-away portion of the breast away from the rest, then cut through the joints on each side where the collarbone attaches to the breastbone.
Now, you can cut out the two halves of the breast. With your knife, cut down along one side of the blade-shaped breastbone that runs down the middle of the chicken breast. As you cut, gently pull the breast meat away from the chicken. Slice the breast away from the rib cage by running your knife close to the bones until the breast meat comes away in one whole piece.
If your chicken is large, you may want to cut each breast half into two smaller pieces. You can also choose to leave the skin attached or remove it. Repeat the process on the other side of the breastbone to remove the other half of the breast.
Now, you will have 11 pieces of chicken and the carcass (with neck attached) left. You can make the carcass more manageable by cutting it into two pieces. To do this, make a cut about two inches deep on each side of the rib cage, cutting through the rib bones. Then, hold each end of the carcass and bend it backward to find the natural breaking point.
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Cut through the joints
To cut through the joints when removing a chicken's wishbone, you must first locate the wishbone itself. With the chicken's neck end facing you, imagine where the wishbone is situated. You will be cutting an inverted "V" into the chicken breast to cut out the wishbone, along with a nice portion of white meat.
Now, starting at the centre of the breast, about two inches in from the top, cut a diagonal cut down each side, toward the bird's shoulder. Pull this cut-away portion of the breast away from the rest of the breast, and then cut through the joint on each side where the collarbone is attached to the breastbone.
At this point, you can cut out the two halves of the breast. With the tip of your knife, cut down along one side of the blade-shaped breastbone that runs down the middle of the chicken breast. Gently pull the breast meat away from the chicken with one hand, and use your knife to slice it away from the rib cage by running your knife close to the bones. This will separate the breast meat from the rest of the chicken, giving you one nice whole piece.
If you are working with a large chicken, you may want to cut each breast half into two smaller pieces. You can also choose to leave the skin attached or remove it. Repeat the process by cutting down the other side of the breastbone to remove the other half of the breast.
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Pull the breast away
To pull the breast away, you can follow these steps:
First, lay the chicken on a cutting board with the neck facing towards you. You can choose to remove the skin or leave it attached. Using a sharp knife, cut down along one side of the breastbone, which runs down the middle of the chicken breast. Make sure to keep your knife close to the bone.
Next, gently pull the breast meat away from the chicken with one hand while continuing to slice with your knife. Cut through the rib cage, following the contour of the bones, until the breast meat comes away in one whole piece. This will give you a nice, clean slice of breast meat without any bones.
If you're working with a larger chicken, you may want to cut the breast piece in half across the middle to create two smaller portions. This is especially useful if you're frying the chicken, as it creates more manageable sizes for cooking and serving.
You can also remove the keel bone, which will give you two equal-sized portions of breast meat. Use your fingers or a paring knife to remove any remaining bones from these portions. This will ensure that you have boneless pieces of chicken breast that are ready for cooking or further preparation.
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Slice the breast meat
To slice the breast meat, you can either cut parallel to the backbone along the grain of the meat and remove slices, or you can remove the entire breast. To remove the entire breast, cut along the side of the breastbone and the ribs until the entire breast is free. You can then cut the breast into two halves by cutting down the middle of the breast bone.
If you are removing the wishbone, you will be cutting an inverted "V" into the chicken breast, along with a portion of white meat. Start by cutting diagonally from the center of the breast, about two inches from the top, down towards the bird's shoulder. Pull this cut-away portion of the breast away from the rest of the breast, and then cut through the joints on each side where the collarbone attaches to the breastbone.
If you are planning to fry the chicken, it is better to cut each breast half into two smaller pieces. You can also choose to leave the skin attached or remove it. Repeat the process on the other side of the breast bone to remove the other half of the breast.
Finally, use your knife to slice the breast meat away from the rib cage by running your knife close to the bones until the breast meat comes away in one piece.
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Frequently asked questions
Lay the chicken on a cutting board with the neck facing you.
Turn the bird so that its rump is pointed up. Slide the skin that covers the neck cavity aside and feel on the inside of the cavity for the wishbone on either side of the inner neck area.
With a paring knife, make a small slice in the flesh covering the bone. Then, cut an inverted "V" into the chicken breast, cutting down each side toward the bird's shoulder. Pull this cut-away portion from the rest of the breast and cut through the joints on each side where the collarbone attaches to the breastbone.
