Portioning a Whole Chicken

Google
Portioning a Whole Chicken, Step 1
1

Buying a whole chicken is much cheaper than buying portioned and to top of the savings you have the bones left over to make in to a chicken stock pot – (see other step by step).

Portioning a Whole Chicken, Step 2
2

Turn to the side, pull the leg away from the body and cut through the loose skin between leg and breast.

Pull the chicken round a little and cut through the flesh keeping the knife close to the bone.

Portioning a Whole Chicken, Step 3
3

Twist the leg back and snap of the ball joint from its socket. Then cut through the meat going round the oyster (the rounded piece of meat set in a indentation, just under the leg at the bottom of the carcass).

Portioning a Whole Chicken, Step 4
4

Cut the leg off, removing it completely. Repeat on the other side.

Portioning a Whole Chicken, Step 5
5

Place the chicken upright, breast on top, hole cavity pointing forward.

Cut closely along one side of the back bone from one end to the other in a long sharp cut, repeat going further down the carcass keeping the blade close to the bone yet cutting through the flesh.

Portioning a Whole Chicken, Step 6
6
Go down the carcass pulling the breast away as you cut. When you get to the bottom the breast will be attached to the winglet.

Portioning a Whole Chicken, Step 7
7
Wiggle the winglet to reveal a ball and joint socket – cut right through it to separate the breast and winglet from the carcass. Repeat the other side.

Portioning a Whole Chicken, Step 8
8

You should now have 2 legs and 2 breasts separated from the carcass. You can cut the winglets from the breast and skin the supreme/ breast by pulling of the skin.

The legs can be cut in half by placing upside down and cutting straight through the joint, marked with a line of white fat. If you want you can trim of the knuckle joint from the drumstick by simply chopping it off with a large knife.