How to Break Down a Whole Chicken (Patreon)

Carving a whole bird can feel pretty intimidating—so intimidating that many home chefs avoid doing it, save for some major holidays in the winter months. It doesn't have to be this way!

Buying and breaking down a whole chicken is an economical choice that will save you time and money once you get into the swing of it. Plus, the horizon of the dishes you can make will only expand from there; you can break the bird down entirely (like in the video above) or partially (keep your eyes out for another video later this week) depending on your needs.

If you need a slower, more intimate breakdown of the process, you can follow along with this article on Serious Eats that gets into all the nitty gritty details. But the gist remains the same: With one good kitchen knife, and a little practice, you can be carvin' up birds like it's nobody's business.

Some Recipes To Try

This one-pan roasted chicken and potatoes is simple, delicious, and adaptable to whatever cuts of chicken you'd like to use.

For another one-pot dish, this chicken tinga is the ultimate taco filling (and fodder for leftovers) using the breast and/or thighs of the bird.

You know I'm an advocate for a mayo marinade—use this trick for the juiciest chicken.

This Peruvian-style grilled chicken is tender and slow-cooked with a vinegar and spice rub and, man, is it good. And, as a plus, it uses the whole bird.

Once your bird is broken down, keep cutting up the thighs into bite-sized pieces and heat up the fryer for some chicken karaage.

This braised chicken recipe leaves you with tender, juicy meat and crispy skin. (And you might be wondering, how can it be both crispy and juicy? Read the recipe to find out!)

And rounding it out with a weeknight classic, this roasted chicken breast with a simple pan sauce will take your Tuesday nights up to another level.