Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Preparing the chicken
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Preparing a whole chicken is great value and you have enough for an entire family. Not only can you eat the meat of the chicken, you can also use the leftover bones as the basis for a soup. To quarter a chicken, separate the lighter and darker meat and end with about 4 equal sized pieces for grilling, broiling or cooking however you choose.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Preparing the chicken

1. Cut through the shoulder joint to cut the wings away from the chest. Press your knife firmly against the body and pull it back the wing to clearly see the root. Now cut through the joint with your knife and remove the wing.

Tips

• For soup, cut the remaining carcass in half along the sternum. So you have two large pieces to put in your stockpot for making chicken soup or chicken stock.
• You can cut a chicken into quarters before or after cooking. Some recipes, especially those cooked on the stove, state that the chicken should be quartered and seasoned before cooking so that it fits properly in the pan.
• Consider wearing gloves when cutting the chicken into quarters. It keeps the bacteria from getting on your hands and when the chicken just comes out of the oven, they protect your hands from the heat. Clean the gloves thoroughly after use and never use gloves that you have touched the raw chicken with to touch the roast chicken without cleaning them thoroughly in the meantime.

Warnings

• Caution: Do not place any other food on a surface that raw chicken has come into contact with. Bacteria can be easily transferred to other foods.

Necessities

• Whole chicken
• Butcher's knife
• Cutting board
• Gloves (optional)