Session 7 — Breaking Down a Whole Chicken
← Block 1–2: Knife Skills & Kitchen Setup Overview
Skill: Buy a whole chicken. Read How to Break Down a Chicken first, then do it. You'll get two bone-in breasts, two thighs, two drumsticks, two wings, and a carcass. Put the carcass in a zip-lock in the freezer — that's Block 7 stock material. Follow the joints, not the bones. Let the knife find the natural seams.
Full Meal: Chicken Piccata (use the breasts) + Burst Cherry Tomatoes
Freeze the thighs, drumsticks, and wings in a zip-lock — they're perfect for Block 3–4's roasting (Session 10) or braising (Session 11) sessions, and you'll save yourself a grocery run. Save the carcass separately for Block 7 stock.
📖 Before you start piccata: How to Cut Chicken Breasts Into Cutlets — The breasts from your breakdown need to be sliced horizontally into thin cutlets before they'll cook evenly in the pan. This article covers the technique. Slicing a breast into even cutlets is a knife skill — treat it as the second skill of this session.
| Component | Recipe |
|---|---|
| Protein | Chicken piccata using the breasts you broke down and sliced into cutlets |
| Veg | Burst Cherry Tomatoes with Garlic and Olive Oil |
| Starch | Linguine — toss with the burst tomatoes and a splash of pasta water |
🎥 Compare Notes: POV How to Break Down a Chicken · 28-Second Chicken Breakdown — Watch the full POV version before you start. The short shows what the motion looks like fully internalized. You'll get somewhere between the two.