How to break down a whole chicken (for Caribbean stews and curries)
This simple step by step for how to break down a whole chicken (for Caribbean stews and curries) will be your go to, I guarantee it. Using a whole chicken in a recipe is a great way to amp up the flavor. Butchering your own chicken is a great way to say money. This is a life skill and you won't regret learning how to do it.
Equipment
- 1 kitchen scissors
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 Large Bowl
Materials
- 1 Whole Chicken (about 5 lbs)
Instructions
Cutting Chicken into 10 pieces
- Place the chicken on a cutting board on a flat surface. Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors cut out and remove the back bone of the chicken and set it aside. Then cut the chicken down the breast bone. You should have two halves.
- Working with one half, cut the chicken leg quarter away from the half. Then remove the skin from the leg quarters by pulling it away from the flesh, then cutting off any excess. Cut the leg quarter into two separating the thigh and the drumstick.
- Cut the wings from the breast. Then cut off the wing tip and discard. Next cut the wings into flats and drums.
- Finally cut the breast bone away from the breast, then remove the skin from the chicken breasts. Repeat all of the cutting steps to this point for other half of the chicken. You now have1 0 chicken pieces.
Cutting Chicken for Caribbean Stews and Curries
- To further break down the chicken into manageable pieces for stews and curries, cut the thighs into halves. One half will be boneless and another will be bone in. No need to chop the bone.
- Add slits to the thickest part of the drumsticks. This helps it to cook evenly with all the other pieces of chicken. Then cut the breast into 2 inch chunks.
- Remove the skin from the chicken back you set aside earlier, by gliding your knife under the skin (between skin and bone) and carefully cutting away the skin and excess fat. Then cut the back bone into 2 inch pieces. The back bones are soft and jointed bones. Place the backbone on a flat surface, then press down with your knife to cut.
- Add your cut chicken to a bowl (a stainless steel bowl is perfect) and prep for your stews and curries.
Notes
- Secure your cutting board, but laying a damp paper towel under the bowl.
- You can choose to cut out the backbone first. I prefer to cut through the breast first, because the backbone provides a flat surface for the chicken to rest on while cutting.