How To Cut Your Full Chicken Like A Pro

THE TRADITION

It’s a tradition in my family that the only set of people allowed to kill and cut up a chicken into different body parts are the adults

It’s like a rite of passage the first time you hold down the chicken for your father when he is cutting up a chicken, turkey, or goat.

You also know it means you are coming of age and very soon, it would be your turn to handle the preparation.
It’s never taught. You look and put to mind every step and skill used in cutting it up.
It’s also a culinary skill you must learn in a good culinary school. So if you never had someone put you through, Here is Me showing you with love

How to cut up a chicken

* I always start with the laps. Make sure the chicken breast is side up and draw the laps out from the body (you might ask someone to help hold the other laps)

 

 

* Slice through the skin and work your knife around the laps (Note: A sharp knife will make your work much easier) to remove the laps.
If the joint becomes an impediment, hold the body and the lap that’s almost off and pull in an upward motion. The joint ball will come off and you can complete your cut.
* The same should be repeated for the other lap

* The next are the wings. Turn the chicken on its sides, pull away the wings, and cut through joints to detach the wings

* Then, remains the body. There are different ways to remove the chest from the backbone region.

1. Lift the chicken from the bottom (anus area) and slice up to remove the whole breast.

2. Place your knife in the middle of the right and left breast and cut straight down. Then work through the ribs to remove the two halves breast completely

* Another area to be removed is the chicken butt or Parson’s nose.

Place your knife in the middle and using the solid lower palm or carpals dislodge the bone there and cut through. Then, remove it easily.

The Carcass

 

The Carcass consists of the back part which consists of the backbone. Don’t throw away, cut into sizes, and store in the freezer as a base for soups or grills.

Let me know if you find this helpful on your next trials to cut your full chicken at home.
Don’t forget to drop a comment to to encourage me and share this post to families and friends.

I'm a passionate professional chef. I run a food company called Baker's Cafe. I seek food knowledge and love to dispense it for your benefit alone.