Chicken has a tasty meat, suitable for numerous dishes, from soups and salads to roulades, roasts, and even desserts. In stores we find pre-portioned chicken, so we can choose the parts we need for a certain dish. However, sometimes we also buy a whole chicken, either because we are not sure what we want to cook, or because it seems to look better, or because it seems cost-effective. We can cook the whole chicken in the oven or we can carve it ourselves. If you are a beginner in the kitchen and don't know where to start with carving, you don't have to worry. You don't need to have who knows what knowledge of avian anatomy or surgeon skills. We explain to you, step by step, how to portion the chicken correctly.
How to carve a whole chicken
To prepare tasty meals, choose a Fragedo chicken. Before you begin the actual carving, choose a sharp knife suitable for carving and a chopping board. Caution: after you finish portioning the meat, do not use the chopping board for vegetables or other ingredients without washing it first! Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Take the tender chicken out of the packaging and place it on the cutting board breast side up. Start with the legs. Pull a leg so that the skin stretches and cut at the joint. You will see that the knife blade slides right along the joint line. To detach the leg, snap the joint with a firm movement. Do the same with the other leg and set them aside.
- Cut the wings off, right from the joint at the torso. The wings come off more easily, so it doesn't take much effort.
- Carefully separate the breast from the back, following the natural lines that divide the muscles and bones of the breast from the dorsal part. Set the back aside.
- Turn the breast with the inner side facing up and cut it in half lengthwise. You need to apply a firm knife strike to break the bone holding the two halves together. Continue cutting until you separate the two pieces.
- I got 2 pieces of breast, whole thighs, and wings. Put the thighs back on the cutting board and cut them in 2. You need to place them face up and cut gently at the bone joint. You have obtained upper and lower thighs.
- You thought I was done with the wings? Well, no. You might have noticed that their tips are tough and have a hard protrusion, which is a remnant of a finger from their ancestors. Even though some restaurants don't remove these portions, they are unsightly and tough, so they are useless. Cut them off so the wings stay nice. Now turn them skin-side up and cut them in 2, at the joint. Congratulations, you've successfully butchered the chicken correctly!
Why eat chicken?
Chicken is a staple food for billions of people and represents a balanced source of nutrients. Poultry meat contains:
- quality protein;
- amino acids;
- low fat;
- vitamin A;
- Vitamin E;
- Vitamin K;
- thiamine;
- Riboflavin;
- niacin
- vitamins B6 and B12;
- essential minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium)
All these nutrients contribute to the health and optimal functioning of the body. For example, vitamin B6 helps form active molecules in the body, and zinc is important for the immune system and male fertility.
What kind of chicken to choose for savory dishes
There are several types of chicken on the market, whose culinary qualities differ. Taste, appearance, texture, and cooking method depend on the breed of the bird, its feed, available space, and the way it is raised. The best chicken meat is obtained on farms where the animals are raised with care, at their natural pace of development. Furthermore, the raising conditions must be exceptional, and the feed natural. Fragedo chicken, for example, meets all these conditions. Therefore, you can use it for any dish without worrying about its culinary and nutritional qualities.
Delicious chicken recipes
Chicken meat represents a separate chapter of cuisine, one where creativity coexists with simplicity, and the traditional with the exotic. If you want to eat a healthy dish, specific to our country, you must try the chicken borscht. You need fresh borscht, some vegetables and root vegetables, aromatic herbs, and top-quality chicken.
When you crave a hearty meal, you can cook chicken breast with mushrooms. Boneless, skinless chicken breast slices are ideal for combining with fresh mushrooms. Sour cream adds unity and flavor to the dish, and a few parsley leaves and bell pepper slices make it irresistible. Fans of Italian cuisine can enjoy chicken and vegetable pasta, a healthy and appetizing dish. For beginner cooks, we recommend breaded chicken breast, which is hearty and can be paired with various side dishes, from salads to potato, rice, or vegetable dishes.
A whole chicken represents a source of meat for several dishes. You can use the back for soup, the wings and thighs for stew, and the breast for schnitzel. Put your imagination to work and enjoy cooking and the flavor of the food!
