How do you cut up a chicken or bone one? You can’t always count on having the butcher do it, especially when you’re cruising on a boat. I’ve run across a couple of good PDF downloads on cutting up a whole chicken, as well as a nice diagram of the cut-up parts. I suggest downloading at least one of these, as you never know when the only chicken available will be whole!
The bottom download also includes information on boning a chicken breast, which I often used while cruising — with very limited freezer space, I always boned meat before freezing it as I wasn’t about to waste space on bones!
Learn how to cut up a chicken — you can either click on the link to view the document (and save it from there) or right-click and “Save File As” (or whatever your browser calls it) to just download it.
- How To Cut Up a Chicken from the University of Maine Extension Service. Detailed directions on cutting up a whole bird into halves, quarters or pieces with photos.
- See my video of how to bone a chicken breast.
Tools you’ll need (all available on Amazon):
- Heavy-duty knife – Victorinox 8″ Chef’s Knife
- Fillet knife: Rapala fillet knife
- Cutting board: Dexas Chop and Scoop (they make two sizes, check which fits in your storage area)
- Kitchen shears: Silver Armadillo
And here’s the YouTube video on cutting up a whole chicken:
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Simplify meal prep on board with proven strategies for provisioning, maximizing fridge space, and cooking delicious meals aboard your boat.
Nancy Wargo Kahlden on Facebook says
My chicken from the veggie boat in the West Lemmons was not frozen, but the head was attached. That was a shocker when it came out of the package. Something to know….the Kuna women will barter for the feet and head. A new mola could be in your future!
The Boat Galley on Facebook says
Great tip!!
Behan Fravel Gifford says
The chickens we get usually have head and feet attached. That’s pretty easy to take off (or ask the vendor to take off). What’s less easy is that they also often aren’t gutted. A really good addition for cruisers who hit parts of the world where a whole chicken really is a *whole* chicken includes a few more steps to help with more complete prep. The main issue is to avoid nicking the gall bladder, the icky green bit inside. Do that and you’ll contaminate the meat and make it terribly bitter! Ask me how I know. 😛