How To Quarter a Whole Chicken | Ideas For The Grill/BBQ

Try to quarter or halve a whole chicken next time you cook out. There are a number of advantages to using this technique. One is that it will help keep the chicken pieces in large pieces, keeping everything moist and juicy.

The presentation of a whole half chicken will certainly be a fun offering to your family and friends at your next cookout.

Learning to quarter a whole chicken is a great skill to add to your culinary repertoire. Not only can it save money, but it also allows you to tailor the meat's cooking method to its specific cuts.

If you've been hesitant to give it a go, here's a simple guide to help you get started on mastering this kitchen technique.

What You’ll Need:

You will need a sharp knife or a cleaver; a big knife and a cutting board are essential. You’ll also, obviously, need a whole chicken.

• Whole Chicken
• Cutting Board
• Sharp Knife

Watch How To Quarter and Half a Whole Chicken

Step 1: Prepping the Chicken

Before you start to quarter a chicken, ensure your working environment, especially your cutting board and knife, is clean. Position the chicken breast side up on your workspace.

Creating a clear working space will guarantee precision while cutting and will prevent potential injuries. The sharp knife is the key to a clean slice.

Step 2: Remove the Thighs

Looking at the underside of the chicken, inspect the leg and thigh. Locate the hip bone between the thigh and the leg joint. Invert the leg into a hyperextension to dislocate. This dislocation will create the space needed to place the knife to make the cut.

Grip the leg of the chicken and pull it gently away from the body to expose the hip socket. Identify the joint that connects the thigh to the backbone. This is the location to make the cut between the thigh and leg.

Once you start the cut at the hip joint, continue the cut along the backbone to remove the leg, thigh, and breast in one piece. This is a completely halved whole chicken.

Step 3: Remove The Breast From The Bone

Locate the center of the breast on the bird's backbone using your fingers. Using a sharp knife, cut along either side of the rib cage to remove the breast. The final cut is 90 degrees to the cut down the backbone at the bottom of the breast to remove in a whole piece.

• Locate the Breastbone: The breastbone, or sternum, is located down the middle of the chicken's chest. Feel for the ridge of the bone with your fingers.
• Start the Cut: With your knife, make a shallow cut along one side of the breastbone to start. This will give you a guide for your knife as you cut deeper.
• Deepen the Cut: Gradually cut deeper along your guide line, pulling the meat away from the bone as you go. Use your fingers to help pull the meat away if needed.

Step 4: Separate the Drumstick and Thigh

Separating the drumstick and thigh involves finding the joint connecting them. Once located, use your big knife to cut through it. Repeat on both sides.

Optional: Cut Breasts In Half

You can choose to cut the chicken breast into two halves, depending on the recipe you are using, or if you desire smaller, more manageable pieces. We suggest using a big knife for this action.

Optional: Remove the Wings

This step is also optional, depending on your preference. To remove the wings, simply locate the joint where the wing connects to the body and cut through it.

Tip For The Grill

Preparing the Grill | Use indirect heat

Make your bed of coals on one side of the grill. This will help ensure the chicken cooks low and slow and preserves its moisture.

Tip: Keep a spray water bottle on hand in case the fire flares up or gets too hot. When making the bed of coals, less is more in this case. Don't overcrowd with too much fire.

Tips for the BBQ Smoker

I like this style of cooking for a whole half-chicken.

Marinade your chicken overnight in a mixture of something along the lines of Italian salad dressing. The vinegar helps tenderize the chicken and adds incredible flavor; about 15 minutes before cooking, rub the chicken down with your favorite dry rub.

Bring your smoker temperature up to around 250-300 degrees. Cook away “Too Low and Slow” between 225 to 250 and you’ll be great.