Learn how to cut a whole chicken with these clear, step-by-step instructions. With a cutting board, a sharp knife or kitchen shears, and about 10 minutes, you can break down a whole bird into useful portions. Cutting your own chicken saves money, lets you portion meat for multiple recipes, and gives you ingredients exactly the way you want them.
I use whole chickens often for roasted recipes and spatchcock roasting, but breaking a bird down into pieces is useful when you want to prepare different dishes, freeze portions, or stretch a meal budget. Whole chickens are typically cheaper per pound than buying individual parts, and with a little practice you can do the job quickly and confidently.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This guide shows how to cut a whole chicken into eight pieces quickly and safely using just a few tools.
- Breaking down a chicken takes about 10 minutes; the more you do it, the faster and more confident you’ll become.
- It’s a cost-effective skill—buying whole birds is usually less expensive, and you can divide the meat for many recipes.
- Keep the backbone and neck to make a flavorful chicken stock, or freeze parts for later meals.
Recipe ingredients and tools
The only ingredient is one whole chicken. Useful tools include a non-slip cutting board, a sharp chef’s knife, and a sturdy pair of kitchen shears. If you prefer, shears alone can handle much of the work.
Ingredient notes
- Whole chicken: Any size will work. Choose according to how many people you’ll feed and how you plan to use the pieces. Buying a multi-pack and breaking them down together saves time and money.
- Cutting board: Use a non-skid board or place a damp towel underneath to prevent slipping.
- Chef’s knife: A sharp knife makes cleaner cuts and reduces the effort required to cut through joints and breastbone.
- Kitchen shears: Sharp shears are an excellent alternative to a knife, especially for cutting through ribs and wing joints.
How to cut a chicken
Breaking down a chicken can feel intimidating at first, but it’s straightforward when you locate the joints and follow each step. If your knife meets resistance, you’re likely trying to cut through bone rather than a joint—adjust and find the joint to make the cut cleanly.
Pro tip: Use very sharp tools for the best results. If you’re not comfortable with a large knife, kitchen shears give you extra control.
- Remove any giblets from the cavity and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the bird breast side up on a stable cutting board.
- Remove the legs. Slice through the skin between the breast and drumstick, pull the leg away to expose the hip joint, and cut through that joint. Repeat on the other side.
- Separate drumstick and thigh. Lay the leg skin-side down, locate the joint between drumstick and thigh, and cut through it to separate. Repeat for the other leg.
- Remove the wings. Find the joint where the wing meets the body; pulling the wing away helps expose it. Cut through the joint with your knife or shears. Turning the bird breast-side down can make the joint easier to see. Remove wing tips if you wish and save them for stock.
- Separate the breast from the backbone. Turn the chicken on its side and cut along one side of the ribs with shears to detach the breast from the backbone; repeat on the opposite side and reserve the backbone for stock.
- Split the breast. Make a shallow cut along the top of the breastbone to help loosen it. Turn the breast side up and press down to crack the breastbone, then slice down the center to separate the two breast halves. You can also use shears to cut through the skin and breast before finishing with a knife through the bone.
- Optional: halve the breasts. Place each breast skin-side up and slice width-wise to make smaller portions or remove the bones and tenders for boneless breasts and tenders.
Recipe FAQs
Pat the chicken dry and work on a non-slip board. Remove the legs first, separate drumsticks from thighs, remove wings by cutting through the wing joints, cut along the ribs to free the breast from the backbone, and split the breast down the middle. Locating joints is the key—cut through joints rather than bones.
A sharp chef’s knife is ideal, but kitchen shears are an excellent and safer-feeling alternative for many home cooks. Shears provide control for ribs, backbone, and wing joints.
Turn the bird breast-side down to locate the wing joint more easily. Use shears to cut through the joint and around the wing. Remove the wing tips to use in stock.
After separating the breast from the backbone, score along the breastbone, press the breast to crack the bone, then cut down the center to split into two halves. You can split with shears or a knife and remove bones if you prefer boneless breasts.
Ways to use chicken
After breaking down your bird, you can use the parts in countless dishes. Thighs and drumsticks are excellent for stews, braises, and grilling. Breasts are versatile for baking, pan-searing, or shredding for soups and salads. Wings can be saved for appetizers or combined in the freezer until you have enough for a batch of wings.
- Fry or oven-fry pieces for classic fried chicken.
- Grill drumsticks and thighs for summer meals.
- Use thighs in stews, braises, or coq au vin-style dishes.
- Make shredded chicken from breasts for soups, tacos, and sandwiches.
- Freeze saved bones, necks, and wing tips to make homemade chicken stock later.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Always work safely with clean hands and a stable board. A sharp blade cuts more cleanly and reduces slippage.
- If cutting multiple birds, do them in batches and refrigerate or freeze portions promptly.
- Store raw cut chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze parts for up to 3 months.
- Save the backbone, neck, and wing tips in the freezer for making homemade stock when you’re ready.
More chicken recipes you’ll love
- Air fryer chicken breast
- Chicken Cobb salad
- Homemade chicken enchiladas
- Chicken piccata
- Chicken and vegetable stir-fry
- Curry chicken salad
- Instant Pot chicken and rice
Did you try this recipe? If so, leave a review below and tag @flavorthemoments on social channels to share what you made.
How to Cut a Whole Chicken
Equipment
- Large, non-slip cutting board
- Sharp kitchen shears
- Sharp chef’s knife
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
Instructions
- Place the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board, remove giblets if present, and pat dry.
- Remove the legs by cutting through the skin between breast and drumstick and working through the hip joint.
- Separate drumsticks from thighs by cutting through the joint with the leg skin-side down.
- Remove the wings by cutting through the wing joint; turn the bird breast-side down if needed.
- Use shears to cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it; save for stock.
- Split the breast by scoring along the breastbone, pressing to crack it, then cutting down the center.
- Optionally halve the breasts for smaller portions or remove bones for boneless cuts.
- Store cut chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Sharp tools and locating joints make the process much easier.
- Freeze backbones, necks, and wing tips for future stock.
- When in doubt, use kitchen shears for extra control.
Nutrition (approximate per serving)
Nutrition is estimated and intended as a guideline only.