How to portion chicken correctly?

Globally, per capita poultry consumption rose significantly between 2000 and 2019, highlighting its immense popularity as a protein source. To make the most of this economical and healthy protein, understanding how to portion chicken correctly is an essential kitchen skill that ensures uniform cooking, reduces waste, and helps manage your diet.

Quick Summary

Master the art of portioning chicken for various recipes and dietary needs. This guide covers everything from breaking down a whole chicken to safely storing the cuts for meal preparation, helping you cook efficiently and control servings.

Key Points

• Start with sharp tools: A sharp knife or heavy-duty poultry shears are essential for clean, safe cuts.

• Locate the joints: When separating a whole chicken, always find the natural joint rather than trying to cut through the bone, which is both easier and safer.

• Measure for accuracy: Use a kitchen scale for precise portion control, especially for weight management, with a standard adult cooked serving being 3–4 ounces.

• Prevent cross-contamination: Use a separate cutting board for raw poultry and wash all surfaces, utensils, and hands thoroughly after handling.

• Store properly: Keep portioned chicken in airtight containers in the fridge for up to two days or freeze for up to a year for best quality.

• Tailor your cuts: Decide on your final recipe before cutting to ensure you create the right size and shape (e.g., strips for stir-fry, cutlets for frying).

• Don't wash raw chicken: Washing raw chicken can spread bacteria around your kitchen; patting it dry with paper towels is the safer alternative.

Essential Tools for Portioning

Before you begin, gathering the right equipment is crucial for safety and efficiency. A separate cutting board for raw poultry is non-negotiable to prevent cross-contamination. Your choice of cutting tool will also significantly impact the ease of the process.

Tool List:

• A large, sturdy plastic or non-porous cutting board designated for raw meat.
• A sharp chef's knife for larger cuts and a boning knife for precision work.
• Heavy-duty poultry shears for easier cutting through joints and bone.
• Kitchen scale for accurate portion measurement.
• Paper towels to pat the chicken dry, which provides a better grip.
• A rimmed baking sheet or bowl to contain the chicken and any juices.

How to Break Down a Whole Chicken

Breaking down a whole chicken is a cost-effective way to get various cuts for different recipes. The process involves separating the legs, wings, and breasts.

1. Prepare the workspace: Place the chicken, breast-side up, on your clean cutting board. Pat it dry with paper towels to ensure a firm grip.
2. Remove the legs: Pull one leg away from the body and use a sharp knife to slice through the skin between the leg and the breast. Bend the leg back firmly until the hip joint pops out of its socket. Cut through the joint to detach the leg quarter completely.
3. Separate thighs and drumsticks: For recipes that require separate cuts, place the leg quarter skin-side down. Locate the thin white fat line separating the drumstick and thigh. Slice through the joint at this line to separate the two pieces.
4. Remove the wings: With the chicken still on the board, pull a wing away from the body. Slice through the joint where the wing connects to the breast, not the bone. Repeat for the other side.
5. Remove the backbone: Flip the chicken breast-side down. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone from the tail to the neck. The backbone can be saved for making stock.
6. Separate the breasts: Turn the breast portion skin-side down. Make a shallow cut down the center of the breastbone. Using firm, downward pressure, press on the breast to crack the bone. Finish the cut with a knife or shears to divide the breast into two halves.

Portioning Individual Chicken Cuts

Even if you don't start with a whole chicken, you can still portion individual cuts for specific meals. For example, a large chicken breast can be flattened for a cutlet or diced for a stir-fry.

• For cutlets: Lay a boneless, skinless chicken breast flat. Hold it steady with your non-dominant hand and use a long, sharp knife to slice it horizontally into two thinner pieces. Pounding the slices gently between parchment paper creates uniform cutlets for faster cooking.
• For cubes or strips: Slice the chicken breast or thigh into strips of uniform thickness. Stack a few strips and cut them into cubes for stews, curries, or stir-fries. This consistency ensures everything cooks evenly.

Portion Control and Storage

Proper portioning is vital for health and meal planning. For adults, a standard cooked serving is 3–4 ounces (85–113 grams), which is roughly the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. A kitchen scale offers the most accuracy, especially for dietary purposes.

Comparison of Cutting Tools	Feature	Chef's Knife	Poultry Shears
Ease of Use	Requires more skill and control for clean, precise cuts around joints.	Safer and easier for beginners, as they provide better leverage for cutting through bone.
Precision	Offers greater precision for deboning and filleting breasts cleanly.	Less precise for deboning but ideal for removing backbones and cutting through small bones.
Best For	Experienced cooks breaking down a whole chicken for specific cuts, deboning, and filleting.	Beginners, spatchcocking, and quickly separating parts like wings and backbones.
Versatility	An all-purpose tool for a wide range of kitchen tasks.	A specialized tool primarily for poultry and other food preparation tasks like trimming fat.

After portioning, store the chicken properly to maintain freshness and safety. Use airtight containers or resealable freezer bags. Refrigerate raw portions for up to two days, and freeze them for longer-term storage. For optimal quality, use frozen chicken within 6–12 months.

Conclusion

Learning how to portion chicken correctly provides a mastery of kitchen skills that can save you money, time, and stress. By using the right tools and techniques, you can transform a whole chicken into multiple meal-ready portions or resize cuts for optimal cooking. This practice not only enhances food safety through controlled handling but also helps with dietary planning and minimizing food waste. For more detailed food safety guidelines, refer to resources like the CDC's food safety website.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a standard serving size of chicken?

A standard adult serving of cooked boneless chicken is about 3 to 4 ounces (85–113 grams), which is roughly the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. Using a kitchen scale is the most accurate method for measuring.

How do you portion a large chicken breast into cutlets?

To portion a large chicken breast into thinner cutlets, hold the breast flat on a cutting board and slice it horizontally with a sharp knife into two even pieces. You can then flatten these pieces further by gently pounding them between sheets of parchment paper.

Is it better to use a knife or kitchen shears for portioning chicken?

For beginners, heavy-duty kitchen or poultry shears are often safer and easier for cutting through joints and small bones. A sharp chef's knife or boning knife is better for more precise tasks like deboning and filleting.

How long can fresh, portioned raw chicken be stored in the fridge?

Portioned, fresh raw chicken should be stored in an airtight container or bag on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator and cooked within one to two days after purchase.

Can I portion and freeze raw chicken for later use?

Yes, portioning and freezing raw chicken is a great meal prep strategy. Wrap individual portions tightly in heavy-duty foil, freezer paper, or vacuum-sealed bags, squeezing out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. For best quality, use within 6–12 months.

What is the best way to handle chicken safely while portioning?

To handle chicken safely, use a separate cutting board for raw poultry, never wash the raw meat, and thoroughly wash your hands and all utensils and surfaces with hot, soapy water immediately after handling. Store raw chicken on the bottom shelf of the fridge to prevent dripping onto other foods.

How do you separate a drumstick from a thigh?

To separate the drumstick and thigh, place the leg quarter skin-side down. Locate the natural fat line that runs across the joint connecting the two pieces. Cut straight through this joint with a sharp knife or shears to separate them cleanly.

What can I do with the leftover chicken bones and carcass?

The backbone, wing tips, and any other bones can be frozen and saved for making flavorful homemade chicken stock or broth.