How to break down your whole chicken like a pro

Breaking down a whole chicken into sizable parts doesn’t have to be daunting or messy. It’s not about muscle or brute force—it’s about using the right techniques with precision. Food blogger Omoye Cooks shares a simple, foolproof method to break down your chicken like a pro, making the process smooth, easy, and stress-free.

Before you begin

Always work on a stable cutting board to prevent slips and ensure safety. Ensure your knives are sharp—this is key to making clean cuts through the skin. Also, keep kitchen shears within reach to make the process smoother. By following these steps, you’ll break down your chicken like a professional—clean, efficient, and without breaking any bones. The more you practice, the more intuitive the process will become.

Start with the thighs

Locate the chicken thighs. Hold the chicken and feel for the connection between the thigh and the body. Gently pull the thigh away from the body until you feel the joint. Using your knife, make a clean cut along the joint. Avoid cutting against the bone. Instead, let your knife glide along the bone for a smoother and cleaner cut.

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Remove the drumsticks

With the thighs separated, pull the skin and muscle away from the drumsticks to locate the joint. Slice through without cutting through bone. Aim to cut between the joints to keep the meat intact and achieve clean separation without wasting any meat.

Disengage the wings

Next, tackle the wings. Gently pull on the wings to feel for the joint where they connect to the body. Use your knife to separate the wings from the body by cutting through the joints.

Extract the boneless chicken breast

Finally, focus on the chicken breast. If you want a boneless chicken breast, this is your chance to master it. Cut through the flesh, feeling for the bone as you go. Cut along the chest to extract a boneless breast cleanly.