Have you ever wanted to buy a whole chicken but were held back because you were afraid of trying something other than throwing it in the crockpot?
Today, I’ll walk you through cutting up a whole chicken in three easy steps, which will get you working like a real chef.
You can do this!
Below is the simple three-step method Tabitha uses here at home every week.
Start With a Good Chicken
Make sure you are getting your chicken from a farmer you trust.
We use our pastured whole chickens, raised with care and respect from day one.
A good chicken makes all the difference! Our customers tell us this all the time.
👉 Shop Whole Chicken from Liberty Ridge Farm
Watch The Video
You can follow along on the video as Tabitha shows you how to do it the easy way.
Step 1: Take Off the Legs and Thighs
Lay the chicken breast-side up.
Partially pick up the chicken by one leg and cut the loose skin between the body and leg.
As you cut, pull the leg back until you see the joint.
Slice right between the joint. If you’re doing it right, you don’t have to saw through any bones.
Repeat on the other side.
Now you already have two chicken quarters. Yay!
Step 2: Remove the Wings
Pull the wing away from the body.
Find the joint.
Slice right through it.
That’s it.
Step 3: Cut Off the Breasts
Find the breastbone in the center.
Slice down one side, following the curve of the ribs, gently peeling the meat back as you go.
Then slice down the other side.
As you slice, take your time and get the carcass as clean as possible.
Once you’re past the ribs, cut through the remaining meat in the front and back to finish separating the breast from the carcass.
Alright, now you’ve got two clean chicken breasts.
Optional:
If you want to separate the chicken tender from the breast, flip it over.
You will see a small peice of meat running the length of the breast. Pull on it to easily seperate it from the breast.
Step 4: Bag It All Up!
Label your freezer bags with your different parts. Fill them up and pop ’em in your freezer for some delicious eating later!
We often do multiple chickens at once, which makes the process even more efficient and useful.
For example, if you do three chickens at once, you’ll have six drumsticks, which you can turn into a whole meal for your family later.
Step 5: Save the Carcass
Don’t throw it away!
That carcass is gold.
Tabitha puts ours straight into the Instant Pot to make a delicious and nutritious broth.
The carcass can also get bagged and go into the freezer if you’d rather deal with it later.
Optional: Separate Legs and Thighs
If you want smaller pieces:
Find the joint between the leg and thigh.
Slice right between it.
Easy.
(If legs are your favorite, we also offer pastured drumsticks for simple meals.)
Why Learning This Skill Matters
It’s a way you can:
- Feed your family with confidence
- Stretch one bird into many meals
- Steward what God provides wisely
And after you do it once, I guarantee you’ll wonder why it ever felt intimidating.
Tabitha and I cut up as many of our chickens as possible when they are available fresh. This helps us stretch our meat out longer, giving her a lot of quick options later.
Like when it’s the middle of the week, and she needs to come up with something for dinner now!
If you don’t already have a whole chicken waiting in your fridge, don’t wait to try out your new skills.
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