Mia Patel
Cutting up a chicken is a basic culinary skill that every home cook should be able to tackle. It's easy, economical, and the best way to get the exact chicken pieces you want. You'll save a ton of money compared to buying pre-packaged chicken breasts, thighs, wings, and drumsticks. It's also a great way to get extra pieces like the back and neck, which can be used to make tasty homemade chicken stock. When cutting up a chicken, it is possible to use a variety of tools and techniques to achieve the desired result. You can use a strong, sturdy knife or kitchen shears, and the chicken can be cut into six, eight, ten, or twelve pieces.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Save money | Cutting up a chicken yourself saves money compared to buying pre-cut chicken pieces |
| Control | You can control whether the chicken is cut into 6, 8, or 10 pieces or even 12 pieces |
| Extra pieces | You get extra pieces like the back and neck, which can be used for stock |
| Customization | You can cut the chicken into pieces that may be hard to find in stores |
| Tools | You need a sturdy knife and a large cutting board; kitchen shears are also useful |
| Technique | Cut through joints and use the weight of the chicken to help release pieces like the wing |
| Cutting direction | Cutting against the grain makes meat softer, but with chicken breast, cutting with the grain is better for stir-fries |
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What You'll Learn
Save money by cutting up a whole chicken
Cutting up a whole chicken is a great way to save money. Buying pre-cut chicken pieces like breasts, thighs, wings, and drumsticks is often more expensive than purchasing a whole chicken. By cutting up your own chicken, you can also control the size and uniformity of the pieces.
Benefits of Cutting Up Your Own Chicken
- Cost savings: Buying a whole chicken is usually more economical than purchasing pre-cut chicken parts. You can get more meat for your money and avoid paying a premium for the convenience of pre-cut pieces.
- Customizable portions: When you cut up a whole chicken yourself, you can decide how many pieces you want. You can cut it into six, eight, or ten pieces, or even twelve pieces, depending on your preference and cooking needs.
- Extra pieces for stock: By cutting up a whole chicken, you gain access to parts like the back, neck, and wing tips, which are often not included in pre-cut packages. These extra pieces are perfect for making homemade chicken stock, adding more flavour and nutrition to your meals.
- Better uniformity: Pre-cut chicken parts from the store may vary in size and shape, impacting the even cooking of your meals. By cutting up your own chicken, you can ensure more uniform pieces that cook consistently.
- Avoid shattered bones: Pre-cut chicken pieces may sometimes contain bits of shattered bone, which can be unpleasant and dangerous. Cutting up your own chicken reduces this risk and gives you better control over the butchering process.
Tips for Cutting Up a Whole Chicken
- Use a sturdy knife and a large cutting board. Kitchen or poultry shears can also be helpful for certain steps.
- Start with a clean surface and remove the giblets from the chicken. Rinse the chicken thoroughly before transferring it to the cutting board.
- Cut the chicken into the desired number of pieces. You can separate the legs, thighs, breasts, and wings. Save the back, neck, and wing tips for stock.
- To separate the legs, slice the skin between the leg and breast, then cut around the oyster until you reach the bone. Bend and pull the leg away from the body, cutting through the joint if needed.
- For the wings, grab one wing and use it to tip the chicken on its side. Cut into the joint where the wing and breast meet, using the weight of the chicken to help release the wing. Repeat on the other side.
- To separate the breast from the back, cut through the ribs and along the line of fat that runs diagonally from the cavity end of the breast towards the wing joint. You can use kitchen shears or a knife for this step.
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Cut the breast into two halves
Cutting up a whole chicken is a basic culinary skill that every home cook should be able to tackle. It's a good idea to cut up a whole chicken yourself as it gives you control over the number of pieces you want. You can cut up a chicken into 6, 8, or 10 pieces, depending on your requirements.
To cut the breast into two halves, you can use a technique called butterflying. Place a boneless, skinless chicken breast on a cutting board and hold it flat with the palm of your non-knife hand. Using a sharp chef's, boning, or fillet knife, slice the chicken breast horizontally into two even pieces. Try to do this in as few strokes as possible so that the meat looks smooth. Position the chicken close to the edge of the cutting board so that the knife doesn't bump against it. Keep your fingers raised and out of the path of the knife.
Alternatively, you can cut the breast in half by first butterflying it and then slicing through the middle to create two chicken cutlets. This technique is useful for creating a more uniform thickness, which is perfect for recipes that call for stuffing or filling. It also makes the portion size more manageable.
You can also cut the breast halves into quarters by turning each skin side up and cutting in half diagonally through the bone. This will give you four pieces of the chicken breast.
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Remove the wings
When cutting up a chicken, it is possible to remove the wings in a few simple steps.
First, place the chicken on its side and pull each wing away from the body. Cut through the joint to remove the wing. Repeat this process for the other wing. You can then choose to cut the wing into three sections: the drumette, the wingette, and the wing tip. The drumette is the meatiest part of the wing and is made up of mostly dark meat. The wingette, sometimes called the flap, is the middle section composed of two bones running horizontally with meat in the middle. The wing tip, also known as the flapper, has very little to no meat on it and is often used to make stock or is discarded.
To separate the drumette and wingette, identify the joint between the two pieces. Place a sharp knife at the high ridge on the joint and push through. If there is a lot of resistance, wiggle the knife slightly until you feel less resistance, and then push the knife down to create a clean cut.
Alternatively, you can dislocate the joint between the drumette and wingette by bending the wing and forcing the joint apart. Hold the wingette and drumette in either hand so that they form a 'V' shape. Pull down on both portions until you hear a slight crack, indicating that the joint has been dislocated. Then, use a sharp knife to cut through the dislocated joint.
Now that you have separated the drumette and wingette, you can choose to further cut these pieces. To do this, press the blade of the knife down so that the sharp edge lightly touches the side of the bone. Push up on the meat, rotating it as needed to scrape up all sides. You may need to cut through several sinews during this process. Once the meat forms a tight knob at the end of the bone, use your fingers to pull it inside-out to secure the meat in place. Repeat this process for the wingette.
By following these steps, you will have successfully removed and separated the chicken wings into their respective parts.
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Separate the leg from the thigh
Separating the leg from the thigh is a simple process. First, grab the chicken thigh with one hand and the chicken leg with the other. Bend the chicken leg against the joint until it dislocates. You should feel and hear a crack. This will make it easier to cut through the joint with a sharp knife. Slice into the meat where you see it separate, and adjust your knife until you find the right spot. Then, put your knife between the bones and cut through the cartilage.
Alternatively, you can use a filet knife with a long, narrow blade to cut along the bones without damaging the meat. Bend the drumstick back from the thigh until you can see a white line of fat along the joint. Slice along this fat line to separate the thigh and drumstick. If you hit bone, move your knife over and try again.
You can also separate the leg and thigh by removing the bone. Place the chicken thigh and leg on a clean cutting board with a boning knife. Remove the rib bones using small strokes with your knife, scraping against the bone to get all the meat. Once the meat is mostly separated from the bone, use a petite chef's knife to remove it. Cut a slit through the thigh to reach the bone, making small strokes with your knife. When you reach the bone, scrape the chicken off with your knife blade. Locate where the thigh bone meets the leg bone and cut between them to remove. Grasp the bone and pull it out.
Always wash your hands, kitchen surfaces, and tools immediately after handling raw chicken to prevent food-borne illnesses.
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Use kitchen shears or a knife
Cutting up a whole chicken is a basic culinary skill that can save you money and give you more control over the size and shape of your chicken pieces. It's also a great way to get extra pieces, like the back and neck, which can be used for stock. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to cut up a whole chicken using kitchen shears or a knife:
Step 1: Prepare your workspace and chicken
Start by assembling your tools, including a strong, sturdy knife and/or kitchen shears, and a large cutting board. You'll also want a separate cutting board for meat to avoid cross-contamination. Remove any giblets from the chicken and set them aside for stock. Rinse the chicken and let it drip dry before transferring it to the cutting board.
Step 2: Remove the legs
Place the chicken breast-side up on the cutting board. Slice the skin between the leg and breast, keeping your knife or shears close to the leg. Turn the chicken on its side and hold onto the leg. Cut down towards the point where the leg meets the body, making a small semi-circle cut around the oyster until you reach the bone. Bend the knee and position the leg parallel to the spine, then pull it up and away from the body. You should hear a crack as the joint pops out of its socket. Cut through the joint and give it a firm tug to remove the leg. Repeat on the other side.
Step 3: Remove the wings
Grab one wing and use it to tip the chicken onto its side. With the chicken on its side, pull each wing away from the body. Cut through the joint to remove the wing. If you want to remove the wing tips, cut them off and save them with the backbone for stock. Repeat on the other side.
Step 4: Separate the breast from the back
With the chicken still on its side, use your knife or shears to cut downward through the rib cage and then shoulder joints to separate the breast from the back. You can save the back for stock. 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. You can also cut each breast half into quarters by turning them skin side up and cutting diagonally through the bone.
Tips for using a knife:
When using a knife to cut up a chicken, a sharp, sturdy knife like a small French Chef's knife can be very effective. Here are some additional tips:
- When removing the backbone, cut through the ribs on either side.
- To separate the breast from the back, look for a line of fat that goes diagonally along the side of the body from the cavity end of the breast towards the wing joint. Cut along this line, across the ribs, and through the small bones at the wing joint.
- When cutting the breast into two halves, lay the breast skin side down and use your knife to cut a slit in the bone towards the center line of the breast. Turn the breast over, skin side up, and use your hands to break the breastbone, then cut through the center line.
- To separate the leg from the thigh, look for a line of fat where the two meet and cut through it.
- If you're having trouble cutting through joints, try using a sawing motion with your knife.
- For a stir-fry, cut the chicken along the grain to prevent it from falling apart. For other dishes, cutting against the grain can make the meat softer.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, cutting up a chicken yourself saves money compared to buying pre-cut chicken pieces.
Yes, cutting up a chicken yourself ensures uniform pieces, whereas pre-cut chicken parts often vary in size and shape.
Yes, you can get the back, neck, and wing tips, which can be used to make homemade chicken stock.
Yes, you can cut the chicken into six, eight, ten, or twelve pieces, depending on your preference and recipe requirements.
Yes, while kitchen shears are useful, a sturdy knife can also be used effectively, especially when cutting through bones.
