How to cut chicken legs. How to cut up a chicken

Irina Kamshilina

Cooking for someone is much more pleasant than cooking for yourself))

Content

Poultry is traditionally considered one of the most popular dishes in many national cuisines, and every person knows exactly his favorite piece: wing, leg, thigh or breast fillet. In order for everyone at the table to be satisfied, the hostess needs to be able to process the carcass quickly and deftly.

How to cut up a chicken

It is customary to cut the bird into six, eight or ten parts - the exact number depends on how large portions you want to serve. If baked or fried whole, the legs and thighs can be served as single legs, and the breast can be cut into two or four pieces. The size of the chicken also plays an important role, because a tiny gherkin can only be cut into quarters.

How to cut chicken into portions? If you accurately determine the places of articulation of the bones (joints), then separating the legs and wings from the ridge will not be difficult. To learn how to properly cut chicken into portioned pieces, it is best to work with a sharp knife with a large blade. Some housewives prefer special culinary scissors: if you cut along the joint, you won’t need to apply physical force.

Cutting chicken for barbecue

Chicken kebab is less popular than pork, but is popular with those who prefer more tender meat. Cutting poultry to prepare such a dish requires time and skill. How to cut chicken into portions? Do this:

1. Rinse the carcass.
2. Lay on your back.
3. Using a sharp knife, separate the wings. The last, outermost phalanx can be cut off and thrown away.
4. Chop off the legs. Cut the drumstick from the thigh (if the leg is large, you can cut it into four parts).
5. Separate the breast from the backbone and cut into 4 pieces. The back and throat are not used for barbecue.
6. Carefully pierce the pieces with a skewer, parallel to the bone, and string them tightly together.

How to cut fried or boiled chicken

A cooked whole bird is considered a holiday dish. So that everyone can choose whether they like a wing, white chicken meat or a leg, owners must know how to properly cut chicken. The algorithm will be simple:

1. Place the finished carcass on its back.
2. Using sharp kitchen shears (or a knife), cut along the center of the breast. You can immediately cut crosswise to get four ready-made servings of white meat.
3. Carefully cut off the legs. It is easier to separate the thighs from the drumsticks with your hands.
4. Cut off the wings last. You can leave part of the shoulder on them - white fillet.

How to cut chicken into pieces for pots

Many recipes involve cooking poultry or meat in a pot; such dishes with the addition of vegetables are especially aromatic. So that all guests can enjoy the hot food, you need to cook in small pieces. Each housewife can choose whether to buy separately prepared thighs or breasts, or learn how to properly cut a whole chicken. The specificity of dishes in a pot requires very small fragments, so you will need to cut the bone with a special hatchet. The process is quite simple.

The good thing is that it now takes less time to cut, the pieces have become neater, the breast turns out to be a separate whole piece, and there is much less physical effort when cutting.

So I decided to write an article with detailed instructions for beginners, so that they start right away correctly and don’t have to relearn later 😉, and not just beginners. Probably many housewives cut up chicken as usual, without thinking about how to make this process more convenient and faster.

What you need

• whole fresh chicken
• sharp knife
• cutting board
• PATIENCE)))

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Photos are clickable, click on them to enlarge

How to properly cut a chicken step by step photo

1. Cutting the chicken this way will give you 8 pieces. The first step, of course, is to wash it thoroughly and dry it lightly with a towel.

2. First, let's get the chicken legs. Place the carcass on the board, back down, grab the leg and pull it in the direction opposite to the carcass, cut the skin.

3 We hold the leg and thigh with one hand and the carcass with the other. We begin to separate, to do this we tear the thigh off from the carcass, turning it slightly upward. The joints should separate - the femur should come out of the joint.

4. The joints are no longer connected, so now you can easily cut off the leg with the thigh, make a cut, turning the thigh and turning the carcass onto its back, breast up. We finish separating the leg and cut it to the tail.

5. Cut off the second leg in the same way. Now we will separate the wings. By touch we determine where the shoulder joint is located, which connects the wing to the carcass, and cut along the joint.

6. It remains to separate the breast from the back. Look carefully at the photo, it shows the direction in which to cut.

The direction can be determined by the white fat line; they are connected by ribs and cartilage; cutting them is easy. We cut strictly in the indicated direction to divide correctly.

7. We cut off the breast only on one side, we cut it on the other.

8. For me this was the most difficult moment. But it’s already behind us, we’re happy if everything turned out well and we’re not upset if it’s not so good. ;-). Everyone knows that in any business you need to get good at it, you’ll definitely succeed next time!

In the middle of the breast, along its entire length, there is a piece of cartilage on a bone; you need to take it out. We lightly cut the upper part of the breast, where there are two bones, cut just between these bones until we come across a bone from the cartilage, which has a dark color.

9. To pull out the bone with the cartilage, you need to pry this bone with your thumbs; to do this, we begin to break the breast, as it were, into two parts, using little effort, we push the bone up and push our fingers under it.

11. We almost completely removed the cartilage from the chicken meat; it is held only on the bone and a little in the middle. We take hold of the cartilaginous bone and carefully, but with effort, pull it, and the cartilage will be removed after it.

12. We removed the cartilaginous bone and the cartilage itself.

Many of us are accustomed to not paying enough attention to cutting chicken. Therefore, the result is that the process is lengthy and also inconvenient. However, if you follow a number of rules, you can spend much less of your time, and the carcass pieces will turn out more neat. At the same time, it takes much less effort to cut, and the breast remains a single piece, which is very valuable.

There are two cutting methods. Both methods are good, but only for their own dish. In other words, the size of the chicken pieces depends on the cutting. The first method consists of small pieces, its feature is economical cutting; people also call this method “waste-free.” The other method involves cutting into equal pieces.

How to save up to 15% on buying chicken at the supermarket

We all go grocery shopping, and most often to the nearest store. And every day on supermarket shelves we see chicken in different versions. So, let's take a closer look at what they offer us. On the shelf with chicken meat we can find:

• Hips
• Wings
• Brisket
• Soup sets
• Whole chickens.

And probably everyone has noticed that whole chicken costs significantly less (by 15-20%). How so? But the fact is that supermarkets earn extra money on the lack of desire and skills in cutting chicken. Although our mothers and grandmothers did it as quickly as we brew tea. But all is not lost. Today we will learn how to properly cut a chicken. So, let’s remember what we need for cutting:

• Chicken;
• Board;
• Bowls for finished products.

Step 1 - wash the chicken

There are many recommendations on the Internet that there is no need to wash chickens. Main argument- with splashes, everything that is on the chicken will spread throughout the kitchen. It's up to you whether to believe it or not. If you bake a chicken in the oven, then all the bad things will probably fry on it. But what if you boil or stew it? In general, the decision is yours.

Step 2 – legs

Place the chicken on its back. Move the paw aside and cut the skin with a knife. You will immediately see where the leg is attached to the carcass. Feel free to cut between the leg and the chicken - there is a joint there. It can be easily separated with a sharp knife. We also easily cut off the second leg. Bottom line: these are your chicken legs. You can cut the legs in half - you will get the usual legs and thighs.

Step 3 – wings

The wings are quick to cook due to the fact that there is little meat on them and it is thin. But there is a trick here. It depends on you how much tender meat remains on the wings. Trim the skin as you did with the legs. There is also a joint there. Now carefully cut the meat, but do not cut it all the way. Try turning it by hand. As a result, you will get a wing, with a nice piece of shoulder meat.

Step 4 – Breast and Back

Now we are left with the breast, back and sometimes the neck. Place the chicken on its side and cut diagonally to separate the breast from the ribs. You will have a whole brisket (can be cut into two portions if desired), and a soupy set of backbone, hindquarters and neck.

I would like to draw your attention to the skin. Many people don’t like it and therefore simply throw it away. Take your time. You don't have to eat it to get the benefits. Add it to any dish made from chicken and a rich broth is guaranteed.

This completes the cutting of the chicken. We end up with eight to ten pieces of chicken. Plus, as a nice bonus, we get a soup set. Namely, the back of the chicken and the bones. To keep them safe, put them in the freezer.

How to cut chicken into portions?

Let's also take a separate look at the concept " portioned pieces". Step-by-step instructions for cutting a carcass into portioned pieces will help you learn how to correctly perform this procedure. This experience will be needed primarily by those who have avoided chilled chicken and always chosen sets of carcass parts.

For proper cutting, a sharp knife and kitchen scissors will be useful, the sharpness of which should also be taken care of in advance. What is most interesting, but, at first glance, difficult - cutting will seem lengthy to you, however, when you know and take into account all the features, this procedure will not take you more than 5 minutes. At home It is better to cut the chicken into eight equal parts. In addition, the back will remain.

Are you thinking the same thing as us? You can spend money once, and not every time go for a set of semi-finished products. As a result, from one or even three chickens you will get six drumsticks, six thighs, and the same number of wings. In addition, if you compare it with store-bought portions, you will get a whole pack of chicken fillet, three backs for rich broth. We freeze all semi-finished products and store them in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Experts assure that it is much more economical, practical and safer.

We all often prepare dishes from chicken. Moreover, the meat of this bird is suitable for both first and second courses, and for salads, and for baking, and for kebabs. Just let your imagination run wild by using different pieces. But few people risk buying whole carcasses. And in vain. Having learned to cut them correctly, everyone can easily obtain the ingredients for preparing a variety of dishes. We will tell you how to cut a carcass below.

How to choose a chicken carcass

It is best to choose chilled carcasses. In this case, you will only pay for the meat itself: careless suppliers pump the bird with water before freezing to increase weight. In addition, the quality of chilled meat is easier to determine.

Did you know? Chicken is the main meat consumed in Israel (67.9 kg per person), Antigua (58 kg per person) and St. Lucia (56.9 kg per person).

Express diagnostics of a chilled product:

1. Examine the carcass. If there are visible wounds or bruises on it, there are damage or dark yellow spots on the skin, it is better not to buy such a chicken.
2. Focus on the shade. The age of the bird is determined by the color of its skin. In young hens it is pale pink, with clear veins. Adult chickens have thick, yellowish skin.
3. Feel the chicken. After pressing the breast with your finger, the flesh will quickly return to its original shape. If, as a result of touching, a hole remains, this is an indicator of a low-quality product.
4. Take a sniff. Fresh chicken smells like regular raw meat. Those carcasses that emit the aroma of medicine or other side odors should not be chosen.

How to cut up a chicken

To quickly and easily cut a carcass into pieces, you should follow this plan:

1. First, cut off the wings. The carcass is placed breast side up and the area where the wing attaches is felt. Here an incision is made with a knife and the cartilage that binds the bones is located. Knowing this secret, cutting up chicken will be much easier. The other wing is separated in the same way. If this part of the chicken is going to be fried, then the wing tips are cut off and used for broths. And the wings themselves are separated by membranes.
   
2. When the wings are separated, you can start working on the legs. To do this, easily, without pressing, the skin is cut in the area where the leg connects to the brisket.
   
3. Putting the knife aside, turn the leg out and break it with your hands. This is done only until the tip of the thigh bone appears. Once the bone is separated from the breast, use a knife to trim the meat to the end.
   
4. The same manipulation is done with the second leg. Now we have individual pieces to prepare delicious dishes.

   Did you know? Chicken was first domesticated about three thousand years ago in the territory of modern Ethiopia.

5. If desired, the leg can be divided into shin and thigh. To do this correctly, the leg is placed so that its front side (it has more skin on it) is turned downwards. On the inside of the leg there is a noticeable shallow depression that divides the two muscles of the leg - the tibia and the femur. It is along this line that the incision is made - the bones are connected there.
   
6. Next, cut the breast. An incision is made along the chest ridge, pressing the knife against the frame. Helping with your fingers, carefully cut the meat from the bones. First on one side, and then on the other.
   
7. The frame can be broken into pieces for easy storage.

Important! Once you get the hang of it, the process of cutting the carcass will take 5-10 minutes.

As a result, we get the ingredients for various dishes:

• fillets, thighs, drumsticks, wings - for boiling, frying, baking, stewing;
• ribs, back, wing tips - for soups;
• fat - can be left for frying.

How to cut chicken fillet

The fillet is the best part of the chicken. The process of separating it seems complicated at first glance. Many people think that getting a beautiful piece is quite difficult. However, the instructions for separating the fillets will help in this difficult task. And if you get the hang of it, the process itself will take a little time.

So, take the breast and perform the following steps:

How to remove chicken from bones

Chicken roll is rightfully considered a real decoration for the holiday table. By adding signature ingredients to this dish, you can amaze your guests and loved ones with your culinary talents. However, many inexperienced housewives are afraid of separating the chicken from the bones. After all, in order to leave the carcass intact, you need to have skills, make a lot of effort and show dexterity.

An important condition for obtaining the desired result is a sharp knife. When cutting, you will have to make numerous cuts, so if the tool is not sharpened enough, a lot of effort and nerves will be spent.

So, the process of separating the bones is as follows:

The frame can be left for broths, and the cut up chicken can be stuffed or put into rolls.

Video: cutting chicken into rolls

Chicken legs are one of the most affordable products; they are accessible, cheap and tasty.
Usually they are simply fried. But, after spending just a few minutes, you can cut the bones out of the legs, and then the range of dishes prepared from this product will expand significantly. From the resulting chicken fillet you can make chops, rolls, or stuff them with some kind of filling. Yes, even just fried leg fillet is much tastier than an ordinary chicken leg.

It is not difficult to obtain fillets from chicken legs.
First of all, we cut off the spinal part. It is almost always present on chicken legs. There is little meat on it and you should not waste time trimming it; it is better to cook soup from these bones. Or give it to the dog.

Cut the meat from the bottom joint

And completely cut out the bones

As a result, we get a piece of chicken fillet and an almost bare bone.

You just need to feel the meat for any remaining small bones and cut them out.

You can make a bunch of dishes from the resulting semi-finished product. Here are some chicken recipes:

It's made from a whole chicken, but you can make mushroom rolls from the legs in the same way. It will turn out no less tasty, and less fuss.

Here, for taste, instead of wings, we put a piece of spinal bone, cut off at the very beginning of cutting.

To prepare this dish, legs cut up in this way were used.

Leg fillets are also suitable for preparing pilaf, stews, kebabs, and various dishes in pots. You don’t have to invent anything, but fry the fillet just like that, with minimal addition of seasonings.

And it will be much more appetizing and festive than ordinary, uncut legs. I don’t know what’s the matter, but meat removed from chicken legs is much tastier than the same meat cooked with the bone. So don’t be afraid to spend a little time and effort on cutting, I assure you, you won’t regret it.