How To Cut Up a Whole Chicken

We all know chicken. This meat has a mild enough flavor that can be used for several recipes from different cuisines, and sauces and condiments easily penetrate and flavor chicken meat. Once you’re done cooking your chicken, you’ll need to cut it up to serve. Here is how to cut a whole chicken and use most parts of the bird. 

How to choose the right-sized raw chicken

Before you can cut and cook a chicken, you’ll need to buy one first. To choose the perfect-sized chicken, you have to determine two things: the number of people and the cooking method. 

How many people are you cooking for?

By the rule of thumb, a 1/2 lb is enough for an average person (or 1l lb if they have a big appetite), so a 4-5 lb chicken should be enough for a family of 4, with some leftovers for the next day. 

The cooking method you will use

When you roast a chicken, experts recommend a 5-6 lb bird, which tends to be younger (around 8 months old) and therefore has more tender and juicy meat. For broiling and grilling, choose a bigger bird, as the flesh is more resistant and less prone to breaking.  

How to identify the different parts of a chicken

To know how you need to cut your chicken, you need to know the parts first. 

• Chicken breast is white meat and can be cut whole or into breast fillets. 
• The hindquarter is divided into the ham (what is usually called the leg or drumstick) and the thigh. There are, of course, 2 drumsticks and 2 thighs per bird. Other than the breast, the thigh is the meatiest part of the bird and has a stronger flavor. 
• The forequarter comprises the drumette, which is divided into the wingtip and the mid-joint wing. There are 2 drumettes, which are often eaten as “chicken wings.”
• Other edible parts include the heart, liver, gizzard, rump, and feet. The neck and bones are used to make broth.

How to cut a whole chicken into 8 pieces

Start with a sharp knife (and in some cases, a pair of kitchen scissors for the stubborn pieces). One thing to consider when cutting a chicken is the location of the joints, as cutting through them is much easier than cutting through bone, as they are made of cartilage. All cuts need to be made in a sawing motion if you have a kitchen knife, as you won’t be able to do it with 1 clean cut.

You’ll also need to cut the chicken with the bones in and the skin on. 

The 8 pieces that you will have at the end are 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 drumettes (chicken wings), and both breasts split in half across the rib bone. These are the steps to cut a chicken into 8 pieces:

• First, feel and identify the joints. 
• Cut through the joint that attaches the chicken wing or drumette to the rib bone, at the side of the breast area. Repeat on each side. 
• Cut through the joint that brings together the thigh and the body. Repeat on each side. 
• Cut through the joint located between the leg and the thigh. Repeat on each side. 
• Separate the breasts by cutting through the rib bone.

How to cut a whole chicken into 4 pieces

When you quarter a chicken, you basically separate the white and the dark meat. You will end up with the breast, 2 hindquarters (drumstick and thigh), and 2 wings. Here are the steps for cutting a chicken into 4 pieces:

• First, separate the 2 hindquarters from the chicken. Cut through the skin, meat, and joint but not all the way through. It should be loose but not completely separated. Rotate the piece and pull to separate it fully. You will have the thigh and drumstick together. 
• Second, remove the breast with the wings attached. To do this, place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. With a butcher’s knife, cut along one side of the backbone. You then need to slice through the breast bone. This will separate the 2 halves of the chicken. 
• Third, cut through the wing joint to separate the breast and the wing. 

How to cut up a rotisserie chicken

At the dinner table, it is important to know how to carve a whole chicken. These easy steps will help you feed your family and friends.

• Place the chicken breast side up on a cutting board. 
• Pull one of the hindquarters, but just enough so it does not come completely detached. Then cut it with the carving knife. Repeat on the other side.
• Separate the legs and thighs. 
• Cut along the breastbone, slicing from the front to the back of the chicken. At the same time, pull the meat away from the bone. 
• Slice the breast meat and separate the wings. 

How to shred rotisserie chicken quickly and efficiently

Once you’ve cut up a rotisserie chicken, you can also shred the meat to make it easier to eat. The first thing you need to do is to remove the skin and set it apart. Then you can separate the meat from the bones. 

• There is more meat in a chicken than you might think. Look into every crevice, until it’s almost completely clean. 
• If you wish to separate white and dark meat, you have to do it right at the beginning of the process.
• It is always faster to shred meat that is slightly warm. 
• Once you have the meat, you can shred it using 2 forks. This is both a faster and more hygienic method than using your bare hands.
• Another way to do it is by placing the meat in a big bowl and using a manual rotating beater or an electric beater on its slowest setting. You will be surprised at how effortlessly the meat comes undone. 

Winner winner chicken dinner

Now that you know cutting up a whole chicken isn’t as difficult as you thought it was, dinner just got easier. With the whole bird, you’re ready to meal plan for the week, wow your in-laws, or even give your local Renaissance Fair a run for their spit-roast money. Just add everything you need to your cart, choose same-day delivery at checkout, and an Instacart shopper will have your order delivered right to your home, hotel, vacation rental, or Airbnb.

Grab it now on Instacart:

Small Whole Chicken (per lb)

Free Range Boneless Skinless Fry Chicken Breast (1 00)

Chicken Thighs Value Pack ()

Chicken Wings ()

Gourmet Kitchen Scissors 8.5" (in)

Whole Chicken ()

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