Emily Carter
Learning how to cut up a whole chicken is a valuable skill for any home cook. Not only does it save money compared to buying pre-packaged chicken pieces, but it also ensures even cooking when you know all the parts are from the same bird. With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, you can easily cut a chicken into 6 to 10 pieces, including legs, thighs, wings, and breasts. You can even use the leftover back, neck, and wings for a delicious homemade chicken stock.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Knife type | Long, thin blade; a chef's knife works but can be too wide |
| Knife condition | Very sharp |
| Chicken placement | Breast-side up |
| First cut | Slice through skin between leg and breast |
| Leg removal | Pull leg away from body and bend until thighbone pops out of socket; cut through joint to detach |
| Wing removal | Pull wing away from body and cut through joint to remove |
| Number of pieces | 6-10 |
| Leftovers | Back and neck can be frozen for stock |
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What You'll Learn
Removing the legs
To remove the legs, place the chicken breast-side up on the cutting board. Using a sharp knife, make a slit just behind the drumstick to separate it from the breast, cutting through the skin to expose the meat underneath. Pull the leg away from the chicken and bend the knee to position the leg parallel to the spine. You should hear a crack when the hip bone pops out of its socket. Cut through the joint to detach the leg completely. Make sure to get as much meat as possible, including the small, meaty "oyster" section next to the tail. Repeat the process on the other side to remove both legs.
To separate the drumstick from the thigh, cut along the white fat line, positioning your knife between the joints. If you feel resistance, adjust the angle of your knife until it slides through more easily. This will give you two drumsticks and two thighs.
You can now proceed to remove the wings. Place the chicken breast-side up with the wings facing away from you. To remove the wings, locate the joint and cut through the skin and joint, being careful not to cut through the bone. Pull the wing away from the chicken as you cut to maintain better control. Repeat this process on the other side to remove both wings.
At this point, you will have the chicken carcass with the legs, thighs, and wings removed. You can now proceed to debone the chicken breast or separate it into smaller pieces, depending on your preference and recipe requirements.
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Removing the wings
To remove the wings, place the chicken breast-side up with the wings facing away from you. Pull each wing away from the body and locate the joint. Do not cut through the bone, but cut through the skin and joint. If you encounter resistance, adjust your knife slightly until it cuts through smoothly. For better control, pull the wing away from the chicken as you cut. Repeat the process on the other side.
Now, pull the wing towards you and make a semi-circle cut around the back of the drumette. When the bone is exposed, pull the wing away from the body and pop the joint out of its socket.
You can remove the wing tips if you like and save them for stock.
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Cutting the breast
To cut the breast, first place the chicken breast-side up on the cutting board. Then, slice the skin between the leg and breast, keeping the knife as close to the leg as possible. Turn the chicken onto its side and hold onto the leg with your free hand. Cut down towards the point where the leg meets the body, making a small semi-circle around the oyster until you reach the bone.
Next, put down the knife and grasp the chicken by its knee. Bend the knee and position the leg so it is parallel to the spine. Pull the leg up and away from the body until you hear a crack when the joint pops out of its socket. Cut through the joint and give it a firm tug to separate the leg from the body. You shouldn't need to use your knife for this step, but you can cut downwards along the backbone if you're experiencing difficulties. Repeat this process for the other leg.
Now, to remove the wings, keep the chicken breast-side up and locate the joint where the wing is attached to the carcass. Pull the wing away from the body and cut through the skin and joint to remove it. Repeat this process for the other wing.
Finally, turn the chicken onto its side and use kitchen shears to cut along the fat line on the side of the carcass, snipping right through the rib cage to remove the breast. To divide the breast into two pieces, place the breast skin side down and split the centre bone using a chopping motion. Then, slice through the meat and skin.
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Using the right knife
When selecting a knife, opt for one with a long, thin blade. A chef's knife can work, but it may be too wide for the delicate cuts around the joints. A boning knife is a better option, and you can choose between inexpensive and more expensive varieties. For example, a Mercer Culinary 6-inch curved boning knife is a good starting point, and if you enjoy the process, you can upgrade to a Wusthof 6-inch boning knife.
Before you begin cutting, ensure your knife is sharp. A honing steel can be useful for this purpose. A sharp knife will glide through the meat with ease, reducing the risk of injury and making the process faster and more efficient.
When cutting up a chicken, it is also important to use the proper technique. Hold the knife as an extension of your forearm, not at a 90-degree angle. Pinch the blade between your index finger and thumb, with the handle running across your palm like a golf club. This will give you more control and precision when making cuts.
Additionally, always cut the chicken breast-side up when starting. This will give you better access to the joints and make it easier to locate them. Use your knife to slice through the skin and joints, being careful not to cut through the bone. Adjust the angle of your knife if you encounter resistance until it slides through smoothly.
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Making stock with leftovers
Firstly, collect the bones from your leftover chicken. You can also store the leftover back and neck in your freezer each time you cut up a chicken and use them for stock when you have enough. The more bones you use, the more flavourful your stock will be. You can also add a leftover chicken carcass or rotisserie chicken to enhance the flavour.
Next, you will need to prepare your vegetables. The vegetables used as a base for the flavour are usually yellow onion, celery, and carrots. You can also add any scraps from cutting vegetables that would typically be thrown away, such as celery leaves, carrot heads, and ends of celery.
Then, add your herbs and spices. Almost any herb works for stock or broth, but some good options are fresh rosemary, parsley, thyme, sage, bay leaves, or celery leaves. You can also add whole peppercorns to season your broth without overpowering it.
Now, you are ready to start making your stock. Place all your ingredients in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. You can also use a crockpot, pressure cooker, or instant pot. Cover the ingredients with water and bring them to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a medium-low setting and let it simmer for at least one hour and up to six hours. The longer you simmer your stock, the more flavourful it will be.
Once your stock is done, let it cool, and then strain it. You can now store your stock in jars or storage containers in the freezer or refrigerator. You can also freeze your stock in ice cube trays and then transfer the frozen stock cubes to marked freezer bags. This way, you can easily add a cube or two to your recipes whenever you need an extra burst of flavour.
Your homemade chicken stock can be used as a base for soups, stews, sauces, gravies, and many other recipes. It can also be used to enhance the flavour of rice, couscous, mashed potatoes, and pasta.
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