Cooking a whole chicken is a great way to save money and feed an entire family. Not only can you eat chicken meat, but you can also use the remaining bones as a base for a soup. To cut a chicken into quarters, separate the light and dark meat, resulting in 4 equal-sized portions to grill, roast or cook in any way you like.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the Chicken
Step 1. Take the chicken out of the package and remove the offal
Most chickens on the market are packaged in a tight plastic wrap, which you will need to pierce with a knife and drain into the sink. Remove the chicken from the package and discard the plastic.
- The offal is usually in the chicken cavity. Identify and remove them. You can use them to make a rich chicken broth, or discard them.
- Contrary to popular belief, there is no need to wash raw chicken before preparing it. Rinsing it can spread bacteria in it into your clean kitchen, increasing the risk of disease. Cooking chicken at a temperature of at least 85 ° C is the surest way to kill all bacteria. If you cook it properly, you don't need to rinse it.
Step 2. Prepare the surface to cut it on
Chop the chicken on a suitable, clean and sturdy surface designated for the meat. Make sure you clean the surface and kitchen knife thoroughly before using them again or cutting anything else on them.
Step 3. Use a sharp and sturdy kitchen knife
Since quartering chicken requires cutting through the bones, it is important to use a sturdy kitchen knife that will allow you to do this. A good chef's knife or butcher's knife are essential for quartering chicken. Sharpen your kitchen knife well before you start, or have it sharpened.
Part 2 of 2: Cut the Chicken into Quarters
Step 1. Separate the chicken legs
Cut along each leg joint with a butcher's knife, through the skin. This should loosen, but not completely remove the leg.
Separate the legs from the body, rotating the thigh until the joint protrudes, then make another cut under it to completely remove the fuses and thighs
Step 2. Divide each leg into spindle and thigh
Place the chicken leg on a cutting board with the skin side down. Use a butcher's knife to find the notch at the top of the spindle where it meets the thigh and cut to separate them.
Alternatively, you can leave fused and thigh together in one larger piece if you prefer
Step 3. Remove the chest, keeping the wings attached
Place the chicken breast facing down, so that the hollow of the neck is facing you. Cut along one side of the spine towards the hollow of the neck, using the knife or kitchen scissors to cut the ribs. Then, cut through the breastbone, which separates the two parts.
- Remove excess fat and bone by cutting through where the ribs meet the breast meat, separating the back bones and discarding them, or using them for broth. Also remove the breastbone and the cartilage that connects it.
- Alternatively, some find it much easier to start with the chicken breast top. With your finger, press the center of the chest to find the hard cartilage and insert the blade into one side of it. Use the tip of the knife to start, then plant it to break through the front, separating the two halves of the chicken into more or less equal parts; so remove the ribs if you don't want them.
Step 4. Cut through the wing joint to separate the wing joint from the chest
Hold the edge of the knife tight into the body and pull the rear wing joint to pop the hairline out, then insert the knife and remove the wing.
Advice
- For the soup, cut the remaining bones in half between the breastbone and rib cage. This will provide two large pieces to put into the pot to make the chicken broth.
- Chicken can be quartered before or after cooking. Some recipes, particularly those to be cooked in the stove, suggest that the chicken be quartered and seasoned before cooking, so that it can fit properly in the pan.
- Consider wearing gloves while cutting the chicken. Handling raw chicken means having bacteria on your hands. If the chicken has just been taken out of the oven, gloves will protect you from the heat. Just remember to wash them well after using them for the chicken.
