When you’re at the grocery store, have you ever compared the cost of a broiler pack of chicken and a whole uncut chicken? There’s a big difference, despite the equal amount of meat! While buying pre-cut chicken is more convenient, the cost may not be as budget-friendly because you have to pay for labor (someone had to cut that chicken apart). But you can have cut chicken to use right away or to freeze, if you cut it yourself. And the good news is that it’s actually fast and easy! So save money and learn How to Quarter a Whole Chicken!
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Whether you are just trying to use what you have on hand for a recipe, trying to save money on chicken, or just trying to learn a new skill, learning how to quarter a whole chicken is simple, easy, and can be done in under five minutes!
How to Quarter a Whole Chicken and Save Money
You will need:
A whole chicken, not frozen
Kitchen shears/scissors
Sharp knife
Paper towels
Cutting board
(Optional) Plastic gloves– some people are a bit squeamish about handling raw chicken. If this applies to you, wearing disposable gloves can help!
Directions:
1. Start by removing any packaged organs, or the neck if it was stuffed inside before packaging. Then just pat it dry with paper towels to minimize any mess.
2. Using kitchen shears, remove the tail and any excess skin that’s folded up around the edges of the chicken.
3. Cut the wings off with a sharp knife, and use the kitchen shears again to cut away any skin that’s in the way to make it easier.
4. Repeat the same process with the other wing, and this is what you should be left with.
5. Just above the top of the thigh meat (should be the center of the back) make a cut with your knife, and use your kitchen shears to cut the skin on the sides. Then cut down the center to separate the bottom half into two sections.
6. Once you have cut them both away, this is what you should be left with.
7. Cut the back of the chicken off of the front to make it easier to handle the breast meat.
8. Simply cut the breast meat in half, removing any unwanted ribs, bone, or skin.
And there you have it. A quartered chicken!
From here you can use your chicken portions for whatever you want! Crockpot meals, grilling, frying, etc. If you are not ready to use your pieces, you can store them separately in freezer bags until you need them. Then you can pull out which section you need, thaw in the fridge overnight, and save money on your cut of chicken. Plus, I haven’t even mentioned my favorite part of getting a whole chicken vs. boneless, skinless chicken: if you quarter a whole chicken yourself you get to keep the bones! With the bones you can make some really flavorful bone broth and save even more money when making things like soup, rice, or dry beans!
Have you ever quartered a chicken before?
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