Are you wanting to buy whole chickens from a local farm, but unsure how to break down a whole chicken for cooking?
When we first started cooking with whole chickens, I wasn’t sure what I was doing either. Usually I just relied on the beer can chicken method (which is delicious). The truth is, breaking down a whole chicken is not hard, and it opens up a lot of different options for cooking.
Our chickens come plucked and gutted, but you’ll have to do a little cutting yourself. Here’s a quick picture tutorial on how to break down a whole chicken.
Step 1.
Lay a whole thawed chicken on it’s back on a cutting surface of your choice. I like to use a big old cookie sheet to contain any liquids and make clean up easier. Just be careful not to scratch the sheet.
Step 2.
Grab a leg with one hand and gently pull it away from the body. Use a butcher knife to cut down between the body and the leg/thigh.
Step 3.
Pull the leg and thigh firmly downward to reveal the joint. Notice the white ball in the picture next to the knife. Slice cleanly between the bones of the joint to separate the leg and thigh from the body. Repeat on the other side.
Step 4.
Grab a wing with one hand and pull it away from the body. Locate the crease between the wing and the body and cut with your knife toward the body until you find the joint. Cut between the bones of the joint to separate the wing from the body. Repeat on the other side.
Step 5.
I like to use a sharp filet knife to remove the breast meat from the bone. Locate the breast bone and make a cut straight down along side the bone until you hit bone again.
Step 5a.
Follow the bone closely with your knife while peeling the breast away as you go. Repeat on the other side.
Step 6.
You will notice a loosely connected piece of meat on the back of the breast. Slice this off with your knife to cook separately from the rest of the breast.
Great Job!
Enjoy your meal of locally raised chicken!