How To Cut Chicken Breast Into Strips: 12 Steps (with Pictures)

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Cut Chicken Breast Into Strips PDF download Download Article Co-authored by Jillian Fae Downing

Last Updated: June 4, 2025 Fact Checked

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  • Slicing Chicken with a Knife
    • |
  • Using Kitchen Shears
    • |
  • Q&A
    • |
  • Tips
    • |
  • Things You'll Need
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This article was co-authored by Jillian Fae Downing. Jillian Fae Downing is a Private Event Chef, Chef Educator, and the Owner of Jillian Fae Chef Services based out of Temecula, California. With 12 years of experience, she specializes in menu planning and menu research and development. Jillian Fae holds an Associate of Science in Culinary Arts from Orange Coast College and a BA in Mass Communication and Media Studies from Arizona State University. She is also a member of the American Culinary Federation and the American Personal and Private Chef Association. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 318,339 times.

Packed with protein and low in fat, chicken breasts are a favorite food of healthy eaters. But whether you’re bored of eating the same grilled breast every day or simply want to speed up the cooking time, it’s fun to switch things up and cut your chicken breasts into strips. Follow the traditional method of slicing your strips with a knife or, for a safer option, use kitchen shears.

This article is partially based on an interview with Jillian Fae Downing, a Private Event Chef, Chef Educator, and the Owner of Jillian Fae Chef Services based out of Temecula, California.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 2:

Slicing Chicken with a Knife

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  1. Step 1 Choose a sharp chef's knife that’s 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) long. 1 Choose a sharp chef's knife that’s 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) long. The sharper the knife, the less chance you’ll have of injuring yourself because the knife won’t slide around as much. A longer knife will help you make smooth, clean cuts instead of having to make repeated cuts like a shorter knife would. A chef’s knife is also sturdy enough to cut through meat with just a little bit of pressure.[1]
    • An easy way to sharpen a knife is with a knife sharpener. Press the knife blade into the side labeled as “coarse” and pull it towards you a couple of times, applying gentle pressure. Then pull it through the “fine” side.[2]
    • Chef’s knives vary greatly in price based on quality and materials. Shop around at a kitchen store or an online retailer to pick one that you like and that’s comfortable to hold.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Chicken Breast Into Strips 2 Place the chicken breast on a plate in the freezer for 15 minutes. Since raw chicken is very slippery, sitting it in the freezer before you cut it will help firm it up so it’s easier to handle. You don’t need to cover the breast and you can either leave it in the packaging or remove it first.[3]
    • If you don’t want to wait for the chicken to get firm in the freezer, use a paper towel to pat the chicken dry before cutting. This won’t be as effective but will make the chicken a little less slippery.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Chicken Breast Into Strips 3 Transfer the chicken breast to a cutting board. Remove the breast from the freezer and slide it off the plate onto the cutting board or use your hands to pick it up and set it down. It helps to place the breast towards the center of the cutting board. If it slides around at all, it will stay on the cutting board instead of slipping off onto the counter and potentially infecting it.
    • If you use your hands to pick up the chicken and move it to the cutting board, don’t touch anything besides the cutting board, chicken, or knife. Raw chicken can have bacteria which you don’t want to spread around the kitchen.
    • Use a separate cutting board for chicken to avoid contaminating other food.
  4. Step 4 Debone the chicken... 4 Debone the chicken breast now if you are using a bone-in breast. Use the knife to trim around the ribs and breastbone, then pull the breast meat off the bone gently. Be sure to cut off the tendon at the bottom, too.[4]
    • Cut as close to the bone as you can without removing too much flesh from the chicken breasts.[5]
  5. Step 5 Hold the breast in place with your non-dominant hand. 5 Hold the breast in place with your non-dominant hand. Use whichever hand you won’t be cutting with. Rest your palm firmly on the piece of chicken and curl your fingers slightly under your knuckles. This protects them from getting cut by the knife as you slice.
    • For people who are prone to injury or don’t trust themselves with a super sharp knife, buy a pair of cut-resistant gloves online or at a kitchen store. They’re made from the same material as bulletproof vests and will keep your hands cut-free.
  6. Step 6 Slice the chicken against the grain. 6 Slice the chicken against the grain. Find the grain (the tiny white muscle fibers) and cut across it, instead of parallel to it. If the grain runs up and down, cut left to right. Make a long stroke with your knife, dragging it through the breast in one clean slice.[6]
    • Cutting against the grain makes your chicken more tender once it’s cooked.
  7. Step 7 Continue cutting uniform strips until you finish the breast. 7 Continue cutting uniform strips until you finish the breast. Make your strips as thin or as thick as you’d like, but keep them all equal size so that they cook evenly. Depending on the width of your strips, 1 chicken breast can yield anywhere from 5 to 7 strips.
    • Determine how wide you want your strips based on what you're using them for. Fajitas, for example, use thinner strips that are about 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) wide whereas fried chicken strips should be cut 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5.1 cm) wide.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 2:

Using Kitchen Shears

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Chicken Breast Into Strips 1 Choose a pair of detachable kitchen shears. Kitchen scissors are different from regular scissors in that they’re sharper and sturdier so they can cut through everything from meat to bone. Look for a pair that’s detachable (they may also be labeled as “2-piece”). With this type of scissor, you’re able to take the 2 halves apart to clean between the blades.[7]
    • Most kitchen shears cost between $10 and $20. Purchase them at a kitchen store or from an online retailer.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Chicken Breast Into Strips 2 Place the raw chicken breast in the center of a cutting board. Even though you can hold your chicken breast in the air while you cut it, that’s not recommended. Putting it on a cutting board gives you more control over the breast and helps you make straighter cuts.[8]
    • Another option is to cut the chicken in the pan that you’ll be cooking it in. Since you are using scissors instead of a knife, you don’t have to worry about cutting into the pan and it makes for one less dish to clean up!
  3. Step 3 Debone the breast... 3 Debone the breast first before cutting it into strips. Make small cuts around the ribs and breastbone while using your fingers to pull the meat away from the bone. Then cut off the white tendon.[9]
    • It might be easier to use a boning knife for this. Feel along the underside of the chicken breast as you're cutting, follow the bone, and make sure you cut away all the bones.[10]
  4. Step 4 Find the grain of the breast and position the blade of the shears across it. 4 Find the grain of the breast and position the blade of the shears across it. The grain is the small white muscle fibers running through the chicken breast. You'll cut in the opposite direction, so you're intersecting the grain instead of cutting along with it.[11]
    • Cutting with the grain makes chicken chewier and tougher.
  5. Step 5 Cut even-sized strips with the shears, running the blade along the board. 5 Cut even-sized strips with the shears, running the blade along the board. Use your non-dominant hand to hold the chicken in place on the cutting board while you use the other hand to cut through the breast with the shears. Lightly graze the cutting board as you cut to guide the shears through the meat in a straight line.
    • Depending on how large the breast is, you’ll likely need to make multiple cuts per strip. If the breast is really thick, make small cuts to get all the way through the breast instead of trying to do it all in one cut.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question Which way do you cut chicken breast for strips? Drew Hawkins1 Drew Hawkins1 Community Answer Use a sharp knife and place the chicken breast on a cutting board. If the chicken is on the bone, use your knife to trim around the ribs and breastbone and remove the breast meat. Slice against the grain by locating the tiny white muscle fibers and cutting across them instead of parallel. Continue cutting the rest of the breast into even strips. Try to cut through the meat in 1 clean slice to avoid shredding the meat. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 7
  • Question Do you cut chicken with or against the grain? Drew Hawkins1 Drew Hawkins1 Community Answer The best way to slice chicken is to cut against the grain, which gives you shorter muscle fibers, making the meat more tender. Find the grain by locating the tiny white muscle fibers that run in 1 direction. Use your knife to cut across them in 1 clean slice so the meat doesn't shred. This produces shorter strips, but makes the meat juicier and easier to chew when it's cooked. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 7
  • Question Which is better chicken breast or tenderloin? Drew Hawkins1 Drew Hawkins1 Community Answer A chicken breast is the meat attached to the chicken's ribs. The tenderloin is a strip of breast meat disconnected from the bone. They're much more slender than the breast, making them quicker and easier to cook. So, it depends on what you plan to do with the meat. If you want quick, grilled meat, the tenderloin is the way to go. But if you want to roast the chicken, the chicken breast is the better option. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 3
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Things You’ll Need

Slicing Chicken with a Knife

  • Plate
  • Knife
  • Cutting board

Using Kitchen Shears

  • Kitchen shears
  • Cutting board

Tips

  • Use boneless chicken breasts if you’re cutting them into strips. This avoids having to debone or butcher the pieces. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Always thoroughly wash your hands with warm water and soap before and after handling raw chicken so you don’t spread the salmonella bacteria. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.cordonbleu.edu/london/chef-knife/en
  2. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-sharpen-a-knife-and-hone-it-the-right-way-article
  3. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/freeze-meat-slice-thin-article
  4. ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/gh1504
  5. ↑ Jillian Fae Downing. Private Event Chef & Chef Educator. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ https://youtu.be/EILKIosmHl4?t=10
  7. ↑ https://www.fvtc.edu/news/story/dont-forget-the-kitchen-scissors
  8. ↑ https://www.taste.com.au/quick-easy/articles/how-to-cut-a-whole-chicken-into-pieces/2FktvIr9
  9. ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/gh1504
More References (2)
  1. ↑ Jillian Fae Downing. Private Event Chef & Chef Educator. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/heres-exactly-how-to-slice-meat-against-the-grain-and-why-you-should-be-doing-it-meat-basics-215798

About This Article

Jillian Fae Downing Co-authored by: Jillian Fae Downing Private Event Chef & Chef Educator This article was co-authored by Jillian Fae Downing. Jillian Fae Downing is a Private Event Chef, Chef Educator, and the Owner of Jillian Fae Chef Services based out of Temecula, California. With 12 years of experience, she specializes in menu planning and menu research and development. Jillian Fae holds an Associate of Science in Culinary Arts from Orange Coast College and a BA in Mass Communication and Media Studies from Arizona State University. She is also a member of the American Culinary Federation and the American Personal and Private Chef Association. This article has been viewed 318,339 times. 2 votes - 0% Co-authors: 3 Updated: June 4, 2025 Views: 318,339 Categories: Chicken Article SummaryX

To cut chicken breast into strips, use a sharp chef’s knife that’s at least 8 to 10 inches long. If you want to make your chicken less slippery and easier to cut, place it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then, hold the breast with your non-dominant hand and slice the chicken across the tiny white fibers instead of parallel to them. This will make your chicken more tender when it’s cooked. Keep your strips equal in size so they cook evenly. Alternatively, use a pair of kitchen shears. Like using a knife, cut them against the grain in even-sized strips. For more tips, including how to debone bone-in chicken breasts, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Jillian Fae Downing Co-authored by: Jillian Fae Downing Private Event Chef & Chef Educator 2 votes - 0% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 3 Updated: June 4, 2025 Views: 318,339

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