Many people prefer to bone a chicken themselves as it is less expensive and you get more chicken. You may find it difficult at first but after a few times you will be able to remove the breasts, cut the wings and separate the legs without even having to think about it.
- Use a chef’s knife. By using a large blade you will be able to cut through the joints easily. Make sure the blade is very sharp. Raw meat can be tricky to cut if the blade is not sharp enough.
- Place the chicken on your cutting board so that the breast is facing upwards. This position will allow you to bone the entire chicken quickly and with ease.
- Remove the wings. To do this you must take the wing and pull it until the joint is exposed. Hold your knife firmly and cut the joint between the wind and shoulder. If you have found the joint correctly, this should be easy enough to do.
- Remove the thighs. This is done by taking the thigh and cutting through the skin that connects the thigh to the body. This will expose the connecting joint. Firmly hold the thigh and pull it outwards and backwards which will separate the joint from its socket. Use your knife to cut the thigh away from the body.
- Depending on how you are using the chicken you may wish to separate the leg from the thigh. To do this, use your knife to find the joint between the leg and the thigh and cut through it.
- Remove the two breasts. Do this by running your finger along the top of your chicken. You will feel a ridge down the centre, called the breastbone. Cut down one side of the breastbone until you hit the ribcage. Keep you knife flush against the ribcage and continue to cut. The entire breast should then be separated from the bone and ready to cook.
