A whole chicken is an affordable product, but parting out the chicken can be daunting. Here are some easy tips for how to cut up a whole chicken.
I was a young homemaker when I realized a whole chicken is cheaper per pound than individual cuts of chicken. But growing up, we never cooked with whole chickens. We usually only ate chicken breast.
I knew that to save money on my grocery budget, I needed to learn how to cut up a whole chicken.
Not only am I able to save money, I’m able to make the meat I get from a whole chicken last me for almost an entire week’s worth of meals and I’m able to use the chicken bones for chicken stock!
Whole chickens are an incredible ingredient to familiarize yourself with!
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Breaking Down Whole Chicken Costs
Whenever I see a cheaper option in the grocery store, I think the money I’m saving will pay me for the work I’m about to do.
And in essence, there’s some truth to that.
But when it comes to a whole chicken, the cost comparison truly can’t be beat.
Let’s take my area. Our largest grocer is Walmart and a chief meat supplier is Tyson Foods.
A Tyson whole chicken at Walmart in July 2024 is $1.46 per pound. In total, it’s about $7 for a 5 to 6-pound chicken.
Tyson bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are $1.77 per pound, and you’re getting the same amount of meat! the large, family-size trays are about 5 pounds. In total, the trays are about $8.
If you don’t like dark meat, a 3-pound tray of boneless, skinless chicken breast is $3.98 per pound. Wow! What a price difference! For two pounds less meat you’re paying the same price! An average 3-pound tray costs about $8.
Do you want to know what’s even crazier?
The organic whole chickens that are currently available at my Walmart are cheaper per pound than both the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, and the boneless, skinless chicken breast! Organic whole chickens are currently $1.67 per pound for a 4 to 6-pound bird. In total, you’re spending about $9 per organic whole chicken.
Why Are Whole Chickens Cheaper than Chicken Parts?
Whole chickens are cheaper than individual cuts of chicken because of processing.
You may see chicken breast as the most expensive cut of meat and something like chicken leg quarters as the cheapest. It’s all because of how much processing goes into creating the final product!
What Will I Need?
A large cutting board and a sharp, chef’s knife are the only things you need to cut up a whole chicken.
If you want to remove the backbone to spatchcock your chicken, you will need kitchen shears.
You can also use a boning knife, but in my opinion, they aren’t necessary if your chef’s knife is sharp.
How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken into Pieces
For a step-by-step, printable tutorial, check out the card at the end of this blog post!
For a cheap demonstration, I’m using a rotisserie chicken from my Sam’s Club.
Before cutting up your chicken, stabilize your cutting board by placing a slightly damp towel underneath it.
Use a very sharp knife for clean cuts.
Before cutting up a raw chicken, be sure to remove any giblets and necks from the internal cavity of your chicken. They will likely be in a sealed pouch. You can cook them up, save the chicken necks for chicken stock, or compost the giblets.
Let’s cut our whole bird into smaller pieces.
Place your chicken breast side up on your cutting board. Find the breastbone of your chicken.
Cut into the breast meat closest to the breastbone and as you cut through the breast meat draw your knife to the outside of the chicken, following the natural curve of the breast bone. Rotate your chicken on its side if you have to.
Repeat for the other breast.
Set your knife aside and find the joint of the chicken thigh. Turn your chicken breast side down and pull the chicken thigh back to pop that joint and expose it. Pick up your knife and cut through the joint.
Congrats! You have separated your chicken leg quarter from your chicken.
Repeat for the other chicken leg quarter.
Set your knife aside again and find the joint of the chicken leg. Turn your chicken leg quarter over and pull back on the chicken leg or thigh to pop the joint and expose it. Cut through the joint if the thigh and chicken leg didn’t separate.
Return to your chicken carcass and find the joint for the wing. Similarly, as the chicken leg quarter, overturn your chicken carcass and expose the joint of the chicken wing. Cut through the joint.
If you are processing a raw, whole chicken, reserve any fat or excess skin for later use. You can put them in a small saucepan over low heat and render the fat to strain and save it for future delicious recipes!
Whether you cook your chicken whole or in pieces, be sure to cook it to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Should I Wash My Chicken?
It’s not necessary to wash your chicken before handling it. If that’s something you do, rinse your chicken in cold water.
If you don’t wash your chicken but you’re concerned about how to handle it, pat your chicken dry with a paper towel.
How to Master This Basic Culinary Skill
Practice, practice, practice!
Practice is a great way to master both knife skills and processing a whole chicken.
If this is your first chicken to process, consider doing what I did and buy a rotisserie chicken. That way the only thing you need to worry about is processing a chicken. You won’t have to worry about cooking each piece!
The Best Chicken Recipes
Chicken is such a versatile protein! Embrace it as you work with it in your kitchen.
For a simple summer salad, check out this Italian grinder-inspired chicken salad. For a classic dinner, check out this spatchcock chicken recipe.
Are Basic Culinary Skills Necessary for Saving Money?
Basic culinary skills are an incredible way to save money! That’s what we’re all about here – nourishing our family with great food on a budget.
For more money-saving kitchen skills, check out my recipes tab! I answer questions like “Will grinding your coffee truly save you money?” and give you cheap ways to stock your pantry on a budget.
Check out even more money-saving homemaking tips by following me on Pinterest!
Step-By-Step Tutorial for How to Cut Up A Chicken
How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken
A whole chicken is an affordable product, but parting out the chicken can be daunting. Here are some easy tips for how to cut up a whole chicken.
Materials
- A whole chicken, raw or cooked
- A cutting board
- Damp cloth
- Sharp chef's knife
Tools
- Sharp chef's knife
Instructions
- Stabilize your cutting board by placing a slightly damp towel underneath it.
- Remove any giblets and necks from the internal cavity of your chicken.
- Place your chicken breast side up on your cutting board. Find the breastbone of your chicken.
- Cut into the breast meat closest to the breastbone. As you cut through the breast meat draw your knife to the outside of the chicken, following the natural curve of the breast bone.
- Repeat for the other chicken breast.
- Set your knife aside.
- Find the joint of the chicken thigh.
- Turn your chicken breast side down and pull the chicken thigh back to pop that joint and expose it. Pick up your knife and cut through the joint.
- Repeat for the other chicken leg quarter.
- To separate the chicken leg from the thigh, overturn the chicken thigh and pull the chicken leg back to expose the joint. Cut through the joint.
- Return to your chicken carcass and find the joint for the wing. Similarly, as the chicken leg quarter, overturn your chicken carcass and expose the joint of the chicken wing. Cut through the joint.
- If you are processing a raw, whole chicken, reserve any fat or excess skin for later use. Render the fat in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.
Notes
It's not necessary to wash your chicken before processing.
When you cook your chicken, be sure it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This goes for any part of the bird - breast, leg, etc.
You can use your reserved chicken fat for rubs on other cuts of meat, like roasts and pork butts.
For great chicken recipes, check out my Italian grinder-inspired chicken salad.
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