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Learn how to cut up a whole chicken to save money and take advantage of sales! Break down a chicken and learn how to use every part in the kitchen.
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How to Cut Up A Chicken

Learn how to cut up a whole chicken to save money and take advantage of sales! Break down a chicken and learn how to use every part in the kitchen.
Prep Time5 minutes
Active Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Keyword: Chicken Basics, whole chicken

Equipment

Materials

  • 1 Whole Chicken any size

Instructions

  • Wipe away any residue and trim off excess bits and pieces on the chicken. If there's a bag of giblets in the chicken cavity, remove and discard or set aside for other purposes. Lay chicken on a cutting board, breast-side up.
  • Pull one of the drumsticks away from the body, then cut through the skin attaching the leg to the breast. Bend the chicken leg backward, turning the chicken onto its side and popping the thigh out of its socket. Slice through the joint, separating the entire leg (thigh and drumstick) from the breast.
  • OPTIONAL - If you want to cook the thighs and drumsticks separately, first turn them skin-side down on the cutting board. You'll see a fatty white line where the two pieces meet at the joint--Cut through this and the skin to separate into two pieces.
  • Pull the wing away from the breast so you can see the joint. Slice through the joint and skin to separate the wing from the breast. Turn the chicken to the other side and repeat.
  • OPTIONAL - If you'd like "party wings," you'll want to separate your whole wings into three pieces each. Lay the chicken wing skin-side down on the cutting board and slice through each joint. The wing tip doesn't have enough meat to be edible, but the cartlidge and nutrients it provides is perfect for making chicken stock.
  • Turn the chicken so that it's upside down--The neck opening should be on the cutting board, rib bones up in the air. Cut down the rib cage and through the shoulder bones, separating the breasts from the backbone. Set aside the backbone -- It's another piece perfect for chicken stock. Lay the breast plate skin-side down on the cutting board. Swiftly chop through the center bone with your knife, separating the two breasts.

Notes

Giblets and backbone make great chicken stock supplies! Leave out the liver (it can give an unpleasant taste).