Video: How to Break Down a Whole Chicken (2024)

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Contributed by Kathleen Donovan

768 days ago

Video: How to Break Down a Whole Chicken (1)

If you’re looking for ways to save money on your grocery bill, buy a whole chicken and break it down yourself. The chicken goes a lot farther, meaning it can be used for more meals and even providesbones for making chicken stock. Win-win.

It’s honestly not that hard to do if you take your time and follow these easy steps from Chef Keith Glover, instructor at Alfred State College’s culinary arts program.

The best knife for breaking down a whole chicken is a Boning Knife. Its sharp, flexible blade is easy to maneuver when slicing along bones and joints. An ergonomic handle that offers a sure grip is also important when cutting greasy, slippery foods, not only for control, but for safety.

Breaking down a whole chicken using this technique yields two breasts, two wing drumettes, two wing flats, two thighs,and two drumsticks.

  1. With the chicken breast-side down, use a Boning Knife to slice through the joint of the wings to remove them.
  2. Trim the wing tips from the wings, cutting through the joint (save the wing tips to add to stock) and then section the wings.
  3. Pull the drumsticks away from the body of the chicken and cut through the skin to loosen the legs. Twist away and downward from the body until the ball joint pops out of the socket.
  4. Cut through the exposed joint to remove the leg.
  5. Remove the leg from the thigh, cutting through the joint.
  6. Turn the chicken breast-side up and slice along the breast bone to remove breast meat.
  7. Use the bones for stock.
Video: How to Break Down a Whole Chicken (5)

About Kathleen Donovan

Kathleen Donovan has honed her cutlery expertise over her 20 years as Cutco's senior social media and public relations coordinator. She has extensive knowledge of the company's history and its products, and believes that food brings people together in a way that no other activity can.

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Video: How to Break Down a Whole Chicken (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to breakdown chicken? ›

But in a normal, omnivorous diet, the meat will complete its journey through your digestive system in 12 to 48 hours, along with everything else. Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts.

How to break down a whole rotisserie chicken? ›

Put your whole roasted chicken breast-side up on a cutting board and snip off the trussing string with kitchen shears. With the shears, cut where the chicken self separates first (thighs and legs), then pull them out of the joint. Turn the chicken breast-side down. Cut out the backbone and open up the breast plate.

How many pieces of chicken should you get when cutting up the whole chicken? ›

Here are 7 steps for cutting a whole chicken into 8 pieces: 2 breast halves, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, and 2 wings. Lay the bird on its back. Wiggle a wing to determine where the joint attaches to the breast. To separate the wing from the breast, use a sharp knife to cut through the ball joint where it meets the breast.

How do you slaughter a chicken step by step? ›

2. How To Butcher A Chicken Step-By-Step
  1. Preparation. Ensure your workspace is clean and sanitized. ...
  2. Secure the chicken. ...
  3. Remove the feet and legs. ...
  4. Separate the wings. ...
  5. Remove the backbone. ...
  6. Split the chicken in half. ...
  7. Trim excess fat and remove giblets (optional). ...
  8. Rinse and dry the chicken.

How do chickens break down food? ›

The gizzard is why chickens do not need teeth. It is a muscular part of the stomach and uses grit (small, hard particles of pebbles or sand) to grind grains and fiber into smaller, more digestible, particles. From the gizzard, food passes into the small intestine, where nutrients are absorbed.

How do you break down chicken fibers? ›

Pounding the chicken is one of the greatest do-it-yourself ways to tenderize chicken before cooking. This is because the pounding breaks the fibers in the chicken, allowing for faster cooking. Ensure you cover or wrap the chicken in plastic wrap or a sealable bag.

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