How To Break Down A Whole Chicken

A great way to save money while on a Primal diet is to buy whole cuts of meat and break them down yourself. At Whole Foods Market a whole chicken is $1.99/lb and a boneless skinless breast is $8.99/lb. Plus I think its fun.

You will need:
1 Whole Chicken
1 Really Sharp Knife....Seriously sharpen before you start it will make your life so much easier.

Step 1.
Cut the skin and fat that stretches between the bottom of the breast and the top of the thigh all the way down to the backbone.

Step 2.
Break the joint connecting the thigh to the backbone. Then in long smooth strokes cut between the thigh and the backbone severing the first leg. Repeat on the other side.

Step 3.
Sever the wings by cutting around the joint. This takes some practice and you'll probably take out too much of the breast meat the first couple times you do it.

Step 4.
Set the chicken up on where its head would be so its ass up in the air. Cut down through the ribs between the breast and the backbone separating them. Use the backbone to make stock or give it to your dog. They can have raw chicken bones.

Step 5.
Spread the breast plate with your thumb and forefinger and slit it right down the middle to separate the breast halves. Sever the thigh from the drumstick at the joint.

Step 6.
De boning.
To de bone the thighs lay it skin side down and cut along the line of the bone. Continue cutting along the bone turning it and exposing more of the flesh.

To de bone the breast start along the inside where the bone meets the flesh. Slowly and carefully make simple slow cuts using the whole length of the blade. Don't saw it. Take your time and you'll have a clean boneless breast.