HOW TO...

As consumers, we’re quite used to buying separate pieces of chicken from the grocery store, and we pay for it, as the cost of separated pieces is generally more per kilo than a whole bird. But with a little practice, a sharp knife and a few simple steps, you can take back a skill of the past. The bonus? You can stretch your hard-earned food dollars by making up to three meals per family with one whole bird and you’ll have a backbone, or trimmings, to make most delicious chicken stock ever in your slow cooker.

CUT UP A WHOLE CHICKEN

1. Place chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. Using kitchen shears, trim off and discard any visible fat around cavity and neck.

2. Starting at body cavity, cut as closely as possible along both sides of backbone. Cut off wing tips. Reserve backbone and wing tips to make stock.

3. Turn chicken over; open slightly. Cut in half lengthwise through middle of breastbone.

4. Lift 1 leg at a time away from body and cut along contour through skin and meat to separate leg from body.

5. Bend back thigh and drumstick until joint pops. Cut through skin and meat at each joint.

6. Cut each breast in half, leaving wing attached to one half.

7. Trim excess skin and fat from chicken pieces; remove and discard any bone shards.

SKIN CHICKEN PIECES

To remove skin from a breast, thigh or leg, grip skin at 1 end. Using a paper towel to prevent your fingers from slipping, pull firmly on skin to remove it. For legs, you may need to cut around end of drumstick.

BONE A CHICKEN BREAST

1. To make 450 g boneless skinless chicken breasts, start with 3 medium bone-in skinon breasts.

2. If breast halves are attached, cut apart at breastbone using kitchen shears, sturdy kitchen scissors or a chef’s knife.

3. Place breast, bone side down, on cutting board. Using a sturdy sharp-tipped, thin-bladed knife (such as a paring, utility, chef’s or boning knife), make shallow cut along ridge of breastbone between meat and bone.

4. Holding knife flat against bone and using short strokes, cut between meat and bone to within ¼ inch of other edge, lifting meat away with fingers.

5. Open breast out flat; cut meat neatly away from edge of bone. Remove any wishbone. Discard bones or save for stock.

TRIM AND SEPARATE WHOLE WINGS

Everyone loves wings, and you can make absolutely fabulous ones that are way better than pub grub. Whole wings take a bit of prep but are cheaper to buy.

1. Cut off tip at end of wing, which tends to dry out and burn before rest of wing is cooked. Lay wing flat on a cutting board; using a sharp chef’s knife, cut off tip neatly through joint. (Save tips for stock.)

2. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, trim away any visible fat and excess skin at joint.

3. Lay trimmed wing flat on cutting board. Using kitchen shears or a knife, cut into 2 sections through centre joint.

CARVE APPEAL

Get everything ready before you begin to carve your roast chicken: Make sure the serving platter is well warmed and the accompanying gravy or sauce is piping hot. Transfer the chicken to the carving surface with ease by inserting a sturdy chef’s knife or long-handled wooden spoon into the cavity. Use tongs or another long-handled spoon to steady the bird while you lift it.

CARVE A LARGE ROASTING CHICKEN

1. Place chicken, breast side up, on a cutting board. Point legs to the right if you are right-handed or to the left if you are lefthanded. Remove skewers or string.

2. Gently pull leg away from body while cutting through joint that holds it to body. Place leg, meaty side up, on cutting board and cut through joint to separate drumstick from thigh. Repeat with opposite leg. Arrange legs on heated platter and cover to keep warm.

3. Gently pull 1 wing away from body while cutting through joint that holds wing to body. Repeat with opposite wing and add to platter.

4. Insert a long-pronged fork into ridge at top of breast to steady chicken. Using a sharp carving knife, cut slices parallel to side of chicken. Start about halfway up side to divide the skin equally. Overlap slices on platter. Repeat on opposite side.

CARVE A SMALL CHICKEN

1. Place chicken on a cutting board and steady with a long-pronged fork.

2. Using kitchen shears or sharp carving knife, cut chicken into quarters (2 breast portions and 2 leg portions). To make more than 4 portions, cut each leg at joint to make drumstick and thigh pieces, and through each breast to make 4 portions of white meat.