Butterflying a whole chicken simply means you are removing the sternum and backbone of the bird so it can lay flat. This cuts the cooking time in half, looks fancy on a platter and can be done in three simple steps.
INGREDIENTS
Whole chicken.
Tools:
- Good kitchen shears
- Sharp paring knife
- Cutting board
METHOD
Step 1Prepare the bird by removing neck and giblets.Step 2With chicken breast side-down on the cutting board and working from the cavity to the neck, cut the chicken down both sides of the backbone and through the ribs with kitchen shears. Discard the backbone.Step 3With chicken breasts in each hand, open the bird like a book. The breast bones will crack as you expose the cavity. Use your sharp paring knife to cut out the soft triangular breast bone.Step 4Place the bird cut-side down (skin-side up) and flatten it with the heel of your hand; use both hands if you need to apply extra pressure.
