How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken

Stop buying chicken parts at the store! Buy a whole chicken with all the parts. I’ll show you how to cut up a whole chicken into all of the individual pieces. You’ll save money by doing it yourself. Such a simple skill has been lost in our modern day world, but I’m here to start a revolution one chicken at a time!

Whole Chicken next to bags of cut up chicken

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Well That Was Easy

Our modern day world is all about convenience especially when it comes to our food. We can go to the store and buy boneless, skinless, chicken pieces. Somebody has done all of the prep work for us. All we have to do is season and cook the meat. Because of such conveniences many people no longer know how to cut up a whole chicken to get wings, breasts, thighs, and drumsticks.

It felt like a big step in life when we got a deep freezer. We were finally real adults with real food to keep in there. So we decided to try buying things in bulk and only shopping once a month. That also happened to be the year of the vacuum sealer. We started purchasing 10 pound logs of beef and dividing it up at home. So I thought why not do the same with chicken.

On our next shopping trip, I grabbed several organic chickens from Aldi. At home I watched some videos on how to cut up a whole chicken. I haven’t looked back since. That is now the only way we buy chicken. I remember thinking to myself, “Well that was easy.”

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Why Cut Up a Whole Chicken Yourself

If you are looking to save money on food, start purchasing the food that has been processed the least. It is an easy way to eat real food on a budget. After cutting up a whole chicken a few times, you’ll realize it’s very simple and doesn’t take much time.

Another benefit to purchasing a whole chicken is that you get extra pieces like the necks, giblets, and ribs. These make good bone broth. So now you’re able to save a little money by making that too. That money can be saved or used to purchase better quality food. Over time these little changes to your habits will add up.

How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken

If you wish to skin the chicken, start here. If not, move on to step 2. Start down by the opening at the bottom. Push your fingers under the skin and move up towards the neck. Now it’s like taking clothes off a baby. Pull the skin off of each wing and leg. Then pull away what is still attached to the body.
First of all, make sure your knife is sharp. It really does make all of the difference. If you skinned the bird, you can see white streaks along the joints. If the skin is still on, think about where the joints would be. Cut along the top of the thigh where it connects to the body. If you hit bone, you’re in the wrong spot. Pull the leg down away from your knife as you cut. This opens up the space, so you can see what you are doing. Do this to both legs.
Next you are going to separate the leg and the thigh. Same as before, find the joint and cut along it. Pull the pieces apart as you work. Do this on both legs.
Now you are going to cut the wings off. Honestly, I usually skip this because there is so little meat. They just become part of the bone broth. Cut along the joint, where it connects to the body. Pull the wing away from the knife as you cut.
Lastly are the breasts, which are the most difficult in my opinion. Lay the chicken on its back on a cutting board. Press down firmly with your palms on the center of the chicken until you hear a pop. Take your knife and cut straight down between the breasts until you hit bone. Then you are going to cut outwards at an angle. I tend to cut a little, then use my fingers to make sure I’m on the right path. It is easy to get off and lose some meat in this step. Do the same on the other breast. Now you’re done! The first couple of times, it is a bit time consuming. Once you learn where to cut and get a feel for the layout of the bird, it is very quick and simple.

Chicken Recipes

Bone Broth in the Instant Pot

Use the bones, skin, and giblets to make up a homemade bone broth. I love it because I can set it and forget about it in the Instant Pot. We keep it on hand for soups and any recipe that calls for cream of something soup. Plus it’s great for your body when you’re under the weather.

Chicken Parmesan Subs

These fun little sandwiches are so easy to make. It is a common weeknight dinner because it comes together quickly and with minimal effort. A little cheese and marinara with the chicken really make a delicious sandwich.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap

These wraps are a summertime go-to meal around our house. I often make them as a way to use up some leftover chicken or bacon. I’ll put leftovers in the fridge for an easy lunch during the week as well.

Chicken Enchiladas

With only 4 ingredients needed, we eat a lot of chicken enchiladas. Or as we call it “chicken stuff.” I’ll make a whole chicken in the Instant Pot and use it all. Then I’ll have some to eat now and some to freeze for later. It’s a perfect meal for those nights when I’m not home to cook.

Chicken Noodle Soup

We can’t discuss chicken without talking about chicken noodle soup. It is an American classic. Do yourself a favor and make it from scratch instead of from a can. The homemade broth does wonders for your body and if you feel really fancy, you can make your own noodles too.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

I love meals that I can dump in the Crock Pot before work in the morning. It makes my evenings so much smoother. Chicken tortellini soup is super easy to make. Plus there is enough leftover that I can freeze it for a simple meal another night.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Instead of takeout, try some homemade sweet and sour chicken. My husband claims to dislike Chinese food, but he will eat this up just fine. As long as I don’t call it Chinese food, that is.