Do yourself a favour right now and stop buying pieces of chicken that have already been separated. While it may be convenient, you can save a ton of money by buying the whole bird and butchering it yourself. Plus this way, you'll have the bones to make your own stock from scratch - something else that can save you a few bucks along the way.
Butchering a chicken isn't hard. And while there are a couple of different ways to do it, quartering the chicken is one of the easiest and the most popular. When quartering a chicken you're going to separate the breasts, wings, legs, and thighs (although these last two can be kept together as well). So get yourself a couple of whole chickens and start practicing. Soon enough you'll be butchering like a pro.
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1. Prepare the chicken
There's not a lot that needs to be done before you start butchering a chicken. Firstly, don't wash it. When chicken is prepared properly, the heat of the oven will kill any bacteria so there's no need to rinse it. But, patting it dry will soak up any juices left from the packaging and make it less slippery and easier to handle.
There's not a lot that needs to be done before you start butchering a chicken. Firstly, don't wash it. When chicken is prepared properly, the heat of the oven will kill any bacteria so there's no need to rinse it. But, patting it dry will soak up any juices left from the packaging and make it less slippery and easier to handle.
Also remember to remove the giblets that will be in a small bag in the cavity of the chicken. Not all chickens come with them, but give it a quick look to ensure you won't accidentally knick the bag and make a bigger mess while quartering your chicken.
2. Sharpen your knife
You should always be working with a sharp knife when in the kitchen but because you'll be cutting through bone when quartering your chicken, it's even more important. Don't have a sharpener? There's an easy way to do it.
You should always be working with a sharp knife when in the kitchen but because you'll be cutting through bone when quartering your chicken, it's even more important. Don't have a sharpener? There's an easy way to do it.
Find a coffee mug with a ceramic bottom and turn it upside down. Run the blade of your knife along the unfinished, non-glossy portion until you've gotten it as sharp as you'd like it. Then just rinse the blade (little shavings can get on it), dry, and you're ready to butcher!
3. Remove the wings
Wings are not only one of the tastiest parts of the bird, they're also one of the easiest to remove. Feel along the part of the chicken where the wing meets the rest of the body. Find the joint that attaches it and then pop it out slightly. Using your knife cut straight through this joint and remove the wing. For a fancier looking chicken breast, you can also cut the drumette (the part that attaches to the bird) in half so it stays partially attached to the breast.
Wings are not only one of the tastiest parts of the bird, they're also one of the easiest to remove. Feel along the part of the chicken where the wing meets the rest of the body. Find the joint that attaches it and then pop it out slightly. Using your knife cut straight through this joint and remove the wing. For a fancier looking chicken breast, you can also cut the drumette (the part that attaches to the bird) in half so it stays partially attached to the breast.
4. Cut the leg and thigh portion
With the chicken sitting breast-side up, place it so that the cavity is facing you. Using your hands, pull the leg gently away from the body and find the loose skin there. Using your sharp knife, cut this loose skin and continue slicing down the side of the chicken to separate the leg from the rest of the body.
With the chicken sitting breast-side up, place it so that the cavity is facing you. Using your hands, pull the leg gently away from the body and find the loose skin there. Using your sharp knife, cut this loose skin and continue slicing down the side of the chicken to separate the leg from the rest of the body.
Once the leg/thigh portion is detached, you can then separate these into two pieces by finding the joint between the two and cutting it. You can simply feel for this joint with your fingers, or you can pop the leg out a bit to expose the joint so you know exactly where to cut.
Repeat with the leg on the other side.
5. Remove the breast
Start removing the breast by using your hand to feel for the hard cartilage that runs down the center of the chicken, then run your knife just to the side of it. Slice down until you feel bone; this will be the ribcage of the chicken. Tilt your knife slightly and use that bone as a guide to continue slicing just above it. Repeat with the breast on the other side.
Start removing the breast by using your hand to feel for the hard cartilage that runs down the center of the chicken, then run your knife just to the side of it. Slice down until you feel bone; this will be the ribcage of the chicken. Tilt your knife slightly and use that bone as a guide to continue slicing just above it. Repeat with the breast on the other side.
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6. Pat the chicken dry
Quartering a chicken is a messy job, and a lot of moisture can get a lot of places. Again, don't rinse the chicken pieces but if you want nice crispy-skinned pieces of chicken, you'll need to pat it dry. And sometimes unappetizing parts of the chicken, such as blood vessels, can also move to parts of the chicken you'd rather they not be, such as on the skin. Patting the chicken dry will remove these and get those pieces perfectly prepped for cooking.
Quartering a chicken is a messy job, and a lot of moisture can get a lot of places. Again, don't rinse the chicken pieces but if you want nice crispy-skinned pieces of chicken, you'll need to pat it dry. And sometimes unappetizing parts of the chicken, such as blood vessels, can also move to parts of the chicken you'd rather they not be, such as on the skin. Patting the chicken dry will remove these and get those pieces perfectly prepped for cooking.