Stop paying extra dough for chicken that is already cut up for you – buy those fryers whole and learn how to cut up a whole chicken yourself! Not only will you save a ton of money, but you’ll also be able to cut portions that are tailored for your purposes. Best of all, you can salvage ALL of the leftover parts for flavorful broths and stocks! But if you’re still nervous about how to wrangle that bird, then fear not – this handy F.N. Sharp guide will break it down step-by-step!
Here’s what you’ll learn:
The F.N. Sharp Guide to Breaking Down a Chicken
Any recipe is only as good as its ingredients, but the best recipes are prepared with the best tools. At F.N. Sharp, we have a selection of quality knives that can help you tackle any kitchen task, especially when it comes to those expensive cuts of meat!
Getting Your Workspace Ready
Before we get into how to cut up a whole chicken, let’s talk tools and safety first.
The most important thing to remember in any kitchen, whether it’s a home or professional kitchen, is that safety and sanitation cannot be compromised. Nothing is worse than knife accidents or food poisoning.
When it comes to practicing kitchen knife safety, the first step is making sure your knives are sharp enough for the job. A dull knife can slip and slide all over your ingredients, requiring you to apply more pressure to make a full cut. This leads to higher chances of losing control over your knife and cutting into something other than your ingredients (like your fingers) – not to mention a clean cut from a sharp knife heals much better than a rigid cut from a dull knife. If you’re not sure your knife is up to the task, then check out these top signs of a dull kitchen knife
If you’re working with raw meat, then working on a clean, sanitized work surface (or cutting board, in this case) in a well-lit space with the proper tools will set you up for success. Also be sure to keep the chicken separate from other ingredients, like vegetables, and either use a different cutting board or sanitize between breaking down your bird and cutting up anything else.
Choosing the Best Knives for Cutting Chicken
To choose the best knives for the task at hand, first, determine how you want to ‘fabricate’ your chicken. Do you want the wings separate from the drumsticks or the thighs? Or do you want the thighs connected to the drumsticks for a casserole like Chicken Cacciatore? Always have your ‘mise en place’ (French for a mental plan before executing anything in the kitchen) ready so you can feel confident like a true chef! Now onto the best knives for cutting chicken.
The Chef’s Knife
The mainstay tool in any kitchen is the chef’s knife. Depending on hand size and comfort level, most professional and home-chefs alike prefer a chef’s knife for nearly all of their cutting needs. A solid chef’s knife has the right sized blade for cutting into larger chickens or even carving a turkey!
The F.N. Sharp Chef’s Knife, for example, is a stand-out not only for its sheer quality of design, but for its ease of use and performance – a must when breaking down a bird. Whether you’re cutting raw chicken or slicing a roasted-to-perfection bird, using the F.N. Sharp Chef Knife will give you 13.5” inches of high-grade performance.
Knife Knowledge 101: How to Use a Chef’s Knife
The Boning Knife
The ultimate knife for cutting raw chicken is definitely a boning knife. This specialty knife has the proper curve and blade thickness for cutting around joints and sinew, as well as removing fat. A boning knife also has the heft required for precision cutting but isn’t too big or heavy to hold.
For example, the F.N. Sharp Boning Knife blade measures 5.5 inches long with a max thickness of only 2 millimeters. With a full tang housed in a sturdy G10 handle, the F.N. Sharp Boning Knife gives you the stability and precision you need for cutting between the joints of chicken legs and wings.
Knife Knowledge 101: Top Uses for a Boning Knife
The Paring Knife
Due to its mini size and short blade, the paring knife is not only great for in-hand detailed work, like peeling apples and potatoes, hulling strawberries and coring tomatoes, but also comes in handy for trimming off extra fat and/or removing skin from chicken breasts, legs and thighs. It’s also great for cutting pockets into chicken breast to create a stuffed chicken dish.
Take the F.N. Sharp Paring Knife, for example: this handy little knife comes with a 3.375-inch blade crafted with the same quality materials and unique feathered Damascus steel pattern as its larger counterpart (the chef’s knife), making it a must for any kitchen.
Knife Knowledge 101: Top Uses for a Paring Knife
The Bread Knife
Did you know the bread knife isn’t just for bread? Granted it has the right edge, it actually comes with many other uses and may even be the best knife for leveling cakes, breaking up blocks of chocolate, slicing standing rib roasts, carving Thanksgiving turkey, and – you guessed it – cutting up a whole cooked chicken!
Often the only serrated knife included in a kitchen knife set, the bread knife blade features saw-like teeth (serrations) along the cutting edge, which is designed for cutting through tough ingredients with delicate interiors like crusty loaves of bread and dense fruits and vegetables. The serrations also differ from bread knife to bread knife, offering two different cutting edges: pointed vs. scalloped.
Pointed edges may be effective for cutting harder ingredients, but at the expense of ripping and tearing through your ingredients, whereas scalloped edges feature more rounded serrations that are spread further apart to offer a cleaner cut. Take the F.N. Sharp Bread Knife, for example: featuring an 8” scalloped blade, this is the best bread knife for cleanly carving meat into uniform slices while also retaining the flavorful juices.
Now back to the word – the bird.
Get All of the F.N. Sharp Essentials: The 6-Knife Set & Magnetic Knife Block
How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken
To begin cutting up your whole chicken, first make sure to remove any internal packages of giblets or organs before rinsing the chicken and patting it dry.
Next, place the bird breast-side up with the cavity facing towards you and get your knives ready, along with a clean, wet dish towel for wiping your blades as needed.
Also be sure your cutting board is securely placed on a towel on the counter so it doesn’t slip around. Cutting up a chicken will require a little muscle on your part, but you got this so let’s get started! Follow along with the video and/or steps listed below to start breaking down that bird like a pro!
Removing the Legs and Thighs
To remove the legs and thighs from the rest of the bird, follow these steps:
Step 1: With the chicken placed on your cutting board breast side up, grab onto one of the legs and use your chef’s knife to cut away at the skin to expose the joint.
Step 2: Set your knife down and use your hands to pull back on the thigh until the joint pops out of the socket.
Step 3: Using the natural curvature of the bird as a guide, use your knife to cut the thigh away from the popped joint. This will leave you with the leg and thigh still attached.
Step 4: Repeat the process on the other side.
Step 5: Separate the thigh from the leg by turning the leg upside down to locate the exposed bone, which will point in the direction of where it meets the joint.
Step 6: Using the natural curvature of the leg as a guide, start cutting down until your knife hits the joint, then you can either continue cutting through the joint slowly using gentle downward pressure – you should feel slight resistance, but the knife should effortlessly cut through the joint for you – or you can use your hands to pop the joint apart, then continue cutting to separate the leg and thigh.
Step 7: Repeat the process on the other leg, then set the four separated pieces aside to work on the next step.
Removing the Wings
To remove the wings from the rest of the bird, follow these steps:
Step 1: Grad the main part of the bird with one hand and grab a wing with the other, positioning your hand so that you’re grabbing underneath the wing where it connects and pop the joint.
Step 2: Grab your knife and start cutting away to expose the joint, then continue cutting while pushing the wing from behind, popping the joint up as you work your knife all the way through.
Step 3: Repeat the process on the other side.
Separating the Wings
To further separate the wings into drumettes and winglets (drums and flats), follow along with these steps and/or the video below:
Step 1: Lay your wing out on your cutting board and angle the blade of your chef’s knife along the natural path of the drum portion of the wing.
Step 2: Cut into the skin between the drum and wingette until you hit the joint and use slight pressure to cut through.
Step 3: Use the same process to cut through the joint connecting the wingette and tip and set the tip aside.
Step 4: You can either trim off any excess skin or leave it on for extra crisp.
Step 5: Repeat the process on the other side.
Check out this video to see how to break down chicken wings in action:
Removing and Separating the Breasts
To remove the breasts from the rest of the bird, follow these steps:
Step 1: Locate the curvature of the breast. You should see a fat line running down underneath the bottom side of the breast, which will be used as a guide for where to place your chef’s knife.
Step 2: Start cutting along the line of fat to remove some of the rib cage from the breast.
Step 3: Repeat step 2 on the other side to continue cutting away the rib cage to expose both breasts on either side, leaving the rib cage and backbone still attached to the breastbone.
Step 4: Next, you’ll separate the rib cage and backbone from the breastbone, which takes a little extra finagling. Pull the breasts back from the rib cage and use your chef’s knife to start cutting until you find a little give.
Step 5: Set down your knife and use your hands to gently pull the rib cage and backbone apart, then use your knife to cut away the skin to completely separate the breasts.
Next, you’ll want to separate the two breasts by following these steps:
Step 1: Turn the breasts so the breastbone is facing up, then use your chef’s knife to cut right down the middle. You’ll feel some resistance when slicing through the bone, so you’ll need to use a little pressure to push the knife down into the breastbone
Step 2: Slice away at the skin underneath to finish separating the two breasts.
Now you’ll have two bone-in breasts (also referred to as “split chicken breast”), along with your bone-in wings, legs and thighs. But if your recipe calls for boneless breasts or thighs, then let’s move on to the next steps!
Deboning and Butterflying the Breasts
Deboning your own chicken breasts is another great way to save some money, whether you buy a whole chicken or bone-in breasts, while butterflying is great for evening out the thickness of the breasts for more even cooking or for laying ingredients in between for stuffed chicken breast recipes.
Another option for stuffing boneless chicken breasts is using the tip of a knife to cut 3-to-4-inch “pockets” into the thickest part of the breasts so they stay together better while cooking.
To remove the bones from chicken breasts, follow these steps or check out the video below:
Step 1: Place the breasts on a cutting board with skin side up.
Step 2: Angle your knife horizontally to the breast and slide the blade between the meat and the ribcage, then make several long strokes to cut away the meat, pulling the breast away as you go.
Step 3: Trim off any excess fat and connective tissue from the breast and set aside to repeat the process on the other breast. and now you’ll have boneless chicken breasts!
If your recipe calls for butterflying your boneless chicken breasts, then follow these steps:
Step 1: Lay the chicken breast flat on your cutting board with skin side up.
Step 2: Locate the thickest part of the breast and angle your knife about halfway in between, then begin cutting horizontally while using your non-dominant hand to open it up as you cut.
Step 3: Repeat the process with the other breast.
Check out this video to see how to debone and butterfly chicken breasts!
Deboning the Thighs
Boneless thighs are great for cooking up all kinds of chicken recipes, from the oven, skillet or grill to the air fryer, pressure cooker or slow cooker. But you’ll pay a little extra for those boneless chicken thighs, of course.
Save yourself some money by deboning those chicken thighs yourself! With only one bone to remove, it’s super easy and worth the extra step.
To remove the bones from chicken thighs, follow along with these steps and/or the video below:
Step 1: Trim off any excess fat and skin to square off the chicken thighs into a pillow shape.
Step 2: Place the chicken thigh on your cutting board skin side down and feel for the bone that runs through the middle of the thigh.
Step 3: Using your boning knife, start cutting along the bone on either side, making several short strokes as you work right up against it.
Step 3: Once you’ve exposed most of the bone, angle your knife perpendicular to the bone and use your fingers to hold up one end up to cut away the meat underneath, again making several short strokes as you go.
Step 5: With the bone still attached at one end, pull the other end up vertically and make a few more cuts to remove it from the meat and voila – you’ve got a boneless chicken thigh!
Check out this video to see how to debone chicken thighs in action:
Winner Winner, Here Are Some Chicken Recipes for Dinner!
Need some ideas for what to do with that chicken? Here are some F.N. Sharp recipes to give you some inspiration and plenty of chicken-cutting practice!
Basil and Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breast
Debone some chicken breasts, practice your herb chopping skills and stuff some bellies with this stuffed chicken recipe!
Boneless chicken breasts, roughly chopped fresh basil, creamy ricotta cheese, grated parmesan, diced onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper all come together in this skillet-to-oven recipe!
Sheet Pan Sambal Chicken & Potatoes
Debone some chicken thighs and slice up some potatoes for this easy sheet pan meal!
This recipe combines boneless chicken thighs, gourmet purple potatoes, soy sauce or tamari, sambal oelek, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, and salt and pepper to deliver the perfect weeknight meal in just 30 minutes!
Chicken & Veggie Potstickers With Spicy Sesame Dipping Sauce
Skip the takeout and grind up some of that broken down chicken for this recipe for chicken and veggie potstickers with sesame dipping sauce!
Not sure how to grind up your chicken? It’s super easy – just grab your chef’s knife and check out this post from the Kinda Healthy Recipes blog for step-by-step instructions.
Instant Pot Asian Honey Chicken
Debone some chicken breasts and grab the Instant Pot for this sweet and spicy Asian honey chicken recipe!
Boneless chicken breasts, sliced carrots, halved brussels sprouts, chopped shallots and Asian spices all come together in this easy recipe that is totally worth skipping the weekly Chinese takeout!
Paleo Chicken Sauce Tomat
If you’re trying to eat a bit healthier but find yourself craving some Italian fare, then look no further than this deliciously healthy paleo chicken recipe!
Boneless chicken breasts, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, homemade tomato sauce and Italian spices all come together to create a deliciously healthy Italian meal!
Paprika-Spiced Velouté Chicken
Grab that boning knife and debone some chicken thighs for this recipe for paprika-spiced vermouth chicken with homemade velouté sauce!
This gourmet-at-home recipe calls for boneless chicken thighs, dry vermouth, homemade velouté sauce and spices to create a dish that takes the boring right out of weeknight meals!
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Grab some boneless chicken thighs and the Instant Pot for this easy butter chicken recipe!
Boneless chicken thighs, fire roasted tomatoes, heavy cream, butter, diced onion, diced ginger, diced garlic and spices all come together in this Instant Pot butter chicken recipe that gets dinner on the table in just 15-minutes!
Greek Lemon Chicken Kabobs With Talatouri Sauce
Grab some boneless chicken breasts, fire up that grill and transport your taste buds to the Greek islands with this chicken kebab recipe!
Cubed chicken breasts, red onion, English cucumber, Greek yogurt and spices all come together for these Greek Lemon Chicken Kebabs with Talatouri dipping sauce.
Grilled Chicken and Peach Saltimbocca Kebabs
Debone some chicken breasts, fire up the grill and add a fresh twist to a classic Italian dish with this recipe for chicken and peach kebabs!
Cubed boneless chicken breasts, fresh peaches, prosciutto ham and Italian spices all come together to create a chicken kebab version of one of Italy’s favorite dishes known as saltimbocca.
Instant Pot Arroz con Pollo
Debone some chicken breasts and spice up your weeknight meals with this Instant Pot recipe for Arroz con Pollo.
This chicken and rice dish combines boneless chicken breasts, diced poblano and bell peppers, diced red onion, basmati rice, tomato paste, baby peas, olives and spices for a flavorful meal made in just 30 minutes.
