Cutting Up A Whole Chicken Into 8 Yummy Pieces - Escoffier

Why are whole chickens so much cheaper than pieces? Because the store didn’t have to do a thing except bag the bird and place it on display. Being able to “fabricate” (cut up) a chicken into useable portions can save you quite a bit of money at the grocery store each week.

By cutting up your own chicken, you’re cutting out (no pun intended) the pesky extra costs commonly found at the market! While you may not be able to break down a chicken in 18 seconds on your first try, after a few practice sessions, you’ll be the fastest chicken cutter in the hood. “The key is to find and expose the joints and cut between them for easy separation.” – Chef Janet

Step 1: Loosen up: Remove the whole chicken from the refrigerator and let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes to warm up slightly. With the breast-side up, gently press on the bird to flatten and loosen joints.

Step 2: Wings: Grab hold of one of the wings and loosen the joints by gently pulling and twisting. Using a sharp boning knife, cut the skin and tendons on the wing bone – this will allow you to easily separate the skin and tendons

Step 3: Thighs and legs: Bend the thigh and leg backwards to pop the joint. Using your boning knife, slice the skin to expose the meat and bone. Using your fingers, gently pull the leg from the bones, being careful to keep the oyster attached.

Step 4: Breasts and tenderloins: Find the center breast bone. Run your knife along the side of the bone from the top of the breast to the bottom, until the breast is completely separated from the breast and keel bones. Using your fingers, gently pull the breast meat away from the bones.

Step 5: Save the bones! “Don’t throw away the chicken bones or carcass. Wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze once you have 3 or 4 saved up, use them to make chicken stock.” – Chef Chanel