Butcher a Whole Chicken Into 8 Pieces

To butcher a whole chicken, you need a sharp 8-inch chef's knife, kitchen shears and about 10 minutes. Take off the legs at the hip joint, split thighs from drumsticks along the fat line, remove the wings at the shoulder, cut out the backbone with shears, then halve the breast. You end up with 8 pieces plus a backbone for stock.

Why the knife keeps getting stuck

You're leaning on the knife, it isn't moving, and the leg is starting to shred. That's not a dull blade or a weak wrist. You're trying to cut through bone.

Cut through joints, never through bone.

Every piece of a chicken is attached at a joint, and a joint is a gap the knife can slide through with almost no pressure. Bend the limb first until you feel where it moves, then put the blade there. If you're pushing hard, stop and reposition. The right spot gives way.

On the line, breaking down birds was a volume job, and nobody had time to saw through bone. The speed came from bending, popping and slicing, not from force. That habit is the whole skill, and it works the same at home on one chicken as on a case of them.

Set up before you cut

You don't need a cleaver. A sharp 8-inch chef's knife handles everything except the backbone, and kitchen shears do that part faster and cleaner. Sharpness matters more than the knife itself. A dull blade drags and tears, and it takes more pressure, which is how knives slip. If yours hasn't seen a stone in a while, sharpen it before you start.

• Anchor the board. Put a damp towel under a large cutting board. Chicken fat makes every surface slippery within a minute.
• Keep the bird cold. Straight from the fridge is best. Firm, cold meat holds its shape and cuts cleaner than a bird that's been sitting out.
• Don't rinse it. The USDA advises against washing raw poultry because it splashes bacteria around your sink and counters without making the meat safer. Pat it dry with paper towels instead.
• Have a plate ready. Move each piece off the board as you cut it. A crowded board forces bad knife angles.

Related: Chef Knife Grip: Why You're Holding It Wrong

The eight-piece breakdown

1. Dry the bird. Pat the chicken dry inside and out, and dry your hands too. A dry surface gives you grip.
2. Remove the legs. Set the chicken breast-side up. Pull one leg away from the body and cut through the skin between the thigh and the carcass. Bend the leg outward firmly until the hip joint pops, then cut straight down through the joint to free the leg quarter. Repeat on the other side.
3. Split thigh from drumstick. Turn each leg quarter skin-side down and find the thin line of fat running across the joint. Set the knife on that line and press straight down. It lands in the joint almost every time without forcing it.
4. Take off the wings. Pull a wing away from the breast and cut through the skin to expose the shoulder joint. Press the wing back to open the joint, then slice through. If you want flats and drumettes, bend at the elbow and cut through that joint the same way.
5. Cut out the backbone. Stand the chicken on its neck end. With shears, cut down one side of the spine from tail to neck, staying close to the bone, then down the other side. Set the backbone aside for stock.
6. Split the breast. Lay the breast skin-side down and score through the cartilage along the center of the breastbone with the knife tip. Press the breast open and flat with your hands, set the knife on the center line and press straight down to make two halves.

That's two drumsticks, two thighs, two wings and two breast halves. Expect the first bird to take longer than 10 minutes. By the third or fourth, it won't.

This sequence is built for an ordinary supermarket broiler. A large stewing hen has tougher joints and thicker skin, and you may need the shears for more of the work. A partly frozen bird won't let you feel the joints at all, so thaw it fully in the fridge first.

Related: Spatchcock Chicken: 30% Faster With Crispier Skin

What each piece is good for

Thighs and drumsticks carry more fat and forgive overcooking, so they suit braises, stews and high-heat roasting. Score the skin in a crosshatch before cooking and the fat renders faster and the skin crisps better. Breast halves are lean and need tighter heat control to stay juicy. Wings are a quick weeknight cook or a grill job.

Don't throw out the backbone. Bag it in the freezer along with wing tips and trimmings, and when the bag is full, turn it into stock. That's flavor you'd otherwise pay for in a carton.

If you're only ever going to roast the bird whole, stop after step 5 and spatchcock it instead. If you cook chicken parts every week, buy whole birds and break them down yourself.