Best Chopping Technique for Chicken

When it comes to chopping chicken, there are a few techniques you can use depending on what you want to achieve. Here are three commonly used techniques:

1. Basic Chicken Chopping:

   • Start by placing the chicken on a clean cutting board. Ensure the chicken is fully thawed if it was previously frozen.
   • Use a sharp chef's knife or a boning knife to cut through the chicken. Hold the knife firmly with your dominant hand.
   • To chop the chicken into smaller pieces, apply pressure and use a rocking motion with the knife to cut through the bones and meat.
   • For boneless chicken, you can cut it into desired-sized pieces, such as cubes or strips.
     
     
     

2. Chicken Quartering:

   • This technique is useful when you want to divide a whole chicken into quarters, separating the breast, wings, and legs.
   • Start by removing the wing tips by cutting through the joint where they attach to the body.
   • Next, cut through the skin between the leg and the breast on one side. Bend the leg back until the thigh joint pops out, then cut through the joint to separate the leg from the breast.
   • Repeat the previous step on the other side of the chicken to remove the second leg.
   • Finally, cut through the skin between the breast and the back, and apply some pressure to separate the two.
     
     
     

3. Chicken Carving:

   • If you're dealing with a whole roasted chicken and want to carve it into individual portions, this technique is ideal.
   • Start by removing the wings. Cut through the joint where each wing attaches to the body.
   • Next, separate the leg and thigh from the body. Locate the joint where the leg meets the body and cut through it. Repeat on the other side.
   • To carve the breast, make a long, deep incision along one side of the breastbone. Use gentle, smooth strokes to slice the meat away from the bone, working your way down until the breast is fully removed.
   • Repeat the previous step on the other side of the breastbone to carve the second breast.
   • Finally, you can slice each portion into smaller pieces if desired.
     
     
     

Remember to always exercise caution when handling knives and poultry. Ensure your knife is sharp for clean cuts and practice proper sanitation by cleaning your cutting board and utensils thoroughly after handling raw chicken.