Emily Carter
In this video, Christopher Gorham will teach you how to cut up a chicken. Knowing how to cut up a whole chicken is a basic culinary skill that every home cook should possess. It allows you to control whether your chicken is cut into six, eight, or ten pieces. Additionally, you can utilize every part of the chicken, including the leftover back, neck, and wings, to make a basic chicken stock. In this video, you will learn the essential techniques for cutting up a whole chicken, which can also be applied to cooked chicken. So, get your sharp knife ready and let's begin!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Morton's Steakhouse Chicken Christopher |
| Ingredients | Chicken breasts, salt, pepper, oil, onions, garlic, white wine, cream, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs |
| Accompaniments | Roasted vegetables (carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts), Juan Pollo Potato Salad, coleslaw, iced tea, Strawberry Lemon Drop Cocktail |
| Alternatives | Coconut cream or dairy-free cream substitute instead of cream, additional chicken broth instead of wine, dried herbs instead of fresh herbs |
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What You'll Learn
Morton's Steakhouse Chicken Christopher recipe
Mortons Steakhouse Chicken Christopher recipe
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- Oil
- Onions
- Garlic
- White wine (optional)
- Cream
- Chicken broth
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Fresh herbs (or dried)
Method
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, cook chopped onions for 2-3 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Pour in white wine, if using, and let it cook for 2 minutes.
- Add cream, chicken broth, and Parmesan cheese (if desired) to create a creamy sauce.
- Optionally, add fresh or dried herbs to the sauce.
- Serve the chicken breasts with the creamy sauce and your choice of sides.
Sides and Substitutions
Morton's Steakhouse Chicken Christopher can be served with a variety of sides, such as roasted vegetables (carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts), creamy Juan Pollo Potato Salad, or coleslaw.
For the sauce, coconut cream or a dairy-free cream substitute can be used in place of regular cream. If you prefer not to use wine, simply replace it with additional chicken broth. Dried herbs can also be used instead of fresh herbs, with the amount adjusted accordingly.
Cutting Up the Chicken
If you are starting with a whole chicken, you will need to cut it up into pieces before following the recipe above. Here are the basic steps:
- Turn the chicken on its side and bend each leg back until the thighbone pops out of its socket. Cut through the joint and skin to detach the legs.
- Pull each wing away from the body and cut through the joint to remove them. You can also remove the wing tips by cutting them off.
- Place the chicken breast-side down and cut downward through the rib cage and shoulder joints to separate the back from the breasts.
- Split the breast bone using a chopping motion, then slice through the meat and skin to separate it into two pieces.
Final Thoughts
Morton's Steakhouse Chicken Christopher is a delicious and indulgent dish that brings the flavours of Morton's Steakhouse to your home kitchen. It's perfect for a fancy dinner or any special occasion, offering a combination of tender chicken and a rich, buttery garlic sauce.
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Preparing the chicken
To prepare a chicken for cooking, 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 bones.
First, remove the wishbone, which is located at the neck opening. Using the tip of your knife, cut along each arm of the wishbone to detach it from the breast meat. Work your fingers behind the wishbone, separating any remaining flesh, and pull it out. Set the wishbone aside for stock.
Next, grab the chicken by a drumstick and pull the leg outward from the body until the skin is taut. Cut through the skin between the leg and the body, being careful not to cut too deep. Twist the leg downward, away from the body, until the ball joint pops out of the socket. Use your knife to cut through the exposed joint, detaching the leg completely. Repeat this process for the other leg.
Now, with the chicken on its side, pull each wing away from the body and cut through the joint to remove it. Repeat this for the other wing. If desired, you can remove the wing tips by cutting them off and saving them for stock.
Place the chicken breast-side down and use your knife or poultry shears to cut through the rib cage and shoulder joints, separating the breast from the back. The back can also be saved for stock. Finally, split the breast by placing it skin side down and cutting through either side of the sternum.
Depending on your preference, you can further divide the legs and breasts to end up with six to ten pieces of chicken. To divide the legs, turn them skin side down and cut through the joints, separating the thighs from the drumsticks. Similarly, to divide the breast, place it skin side down and split the centre bone, then slice through the meat and skin to separate it into two pieces.
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Removing the wishbone
First, you need to locate the wishbone. Place the chicken breast-side up on a clean cutting board. Gently pull the skin away from the breast area to expose the bone structure. The wishbone is a Y-shaped or V-shaped bone located at the neck end of the breast, extending down towards the lower breast area. You can feel its unique shape and texture with your fingers.
Once you have located the wishbone, you can start cutting. Make a small incision in the skin of the chicken next to the wishbone. Cut around the bone on each side and the top, being careful not to cut too deep into the flesh. You can use a paring knife or a boning knife for this step.
After you have cut around the wishbone, gently grasp it with your fingers or kitchen shears and wiggle it out. The wishbone should come out with a little gentle tugging. Be careful not to break the wishbone during this step. Check to ensure that no pieces of the wishbone are left behind in the chicken to avoid any choking risks.
Alternatively, you can remove the wishbone by cutting the breast into three pieces, one with the intact wishbone. First, run your index finger up and down the centre of the chicken breast until you feel the keel bone disappear and only soft tissue remains. Make a horizontal cut at this spot. With a smaller bird, you can cut completely through the breast with a chef's knife. For a larger bird, you may need to use poultry shears. You will be left with a U-shaped piece with the wishbone intact.
Now, turn the remaining piece of the breast over. Slice through the thin membrane overlying the keel bone and use your fingers or a boning knife to scrape the breast meat away from the bone on both sides. Continue until you reach the point where the keel bone is joined to the overlying skin.
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Separating the legs
First, grab the chicken by the drumstick and gently pull the leg outward from the body. This will stretch the skin between the leg and the body, which is where you will make your first cut. Ensure that this initial cut only goes through the skin and not too deep into the joint.
Next, grip the leg firmly and twist it downward, away from the body. Keep twisting until you hear a slight pop, indicating that the ball joint has successfully come out of its socket. This movement may require a bit of force but be careful not to tear the skin.
Now that the joint is exposed, use your knife to cut through it, completely detaching the leg from the body. Make sure to get to the little nugget of meat closest to the chicken's spine, known as the oyster, which is a delicious treat. Repeat this process for the other leg.
If you're aiming for a basic four-piece breakdown, you can stop here and proceed to cooking or further preparation. However, if you want to divide the legs further into thighs and drumsticks, continue reading.
Place each leg skin-side down on your cutting board. You will notice a line of white fat running along the joint between the thigh and drumstick. Using your knife, cut through this joint, separating the thigh from the drumstick. Repeat this step for the other leg, and you will now have eight pieces of chicken in total.
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Cutting the breast
To cut up a chicken, you'll 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.
Now, to cut the breast, place the chicken breast-side up and pull each wing away from the body. Cut through the joint to remove the wings. Repeat for the other side. If you want to remove the wing tips, cut them off now and save them with the backbone for stock.
Next, lift the chicken and cut downward through the rib cage and then the shoulder joints to separate the breast from the back. You may want to use kitchen shears for this step. 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.
If you're looking for four pieces of chicken, you're done! But if you want to continue breaking it down, read on. With four more quick knife strokes, you can turn that quartered bird into eight pieces: two bone-in breasts, two wings, two bone-in thighs, and two drumsticks.
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Frequently asked questions
Morton’s Steakhouse Chicken Christopher is a chicken recipe featuring soft and tasty chicken breasts in a creamy sauce with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs.
The dish is described as "cozy and guilt-free" and "fancy and tasty." The chicken is cooked just right, and the sauce is smooth and made with cream, chicken broth, and a bit of white wine.
Some side dishes that pair well with this dish include roasted vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, creamy Juan Pollo Potato Salad, and coleslaw.
Refreshing drinks like iced tea or a Strawberry Lemon Drop Cocktail can be great choices to accompany this meal.
To cut up a chicken, you'll need a sharp knife, such as a chef's knife or a boning knife. First, remove the wishbone by cutting along each arm and separating it from the breast meat. Then, grab the chicken by the drumstick and pull the leg outward, cutting through the skin and twisting until the ball joint pops out. Repeat this process for the other leg.
