How to Carve Roast Chicken Like a Pro Follow our step-by-step instructions to make the most of your cooked whole chicken. Close Credit: Marcus Nilsson Holiday turkeys get all the glory and spotlight, but a weeknight roasted chicken is a delicious dinner and can be just as impressive. Knowing how to carve a chicken into neat, easy-to-serve portions is simpler than you might think. Whether you've roasted it yourself or picked up a rotisserie bird from the market, this step-by-step guide will help you break it down beautifully and confidently. Cutting Up a Whole Chicken What You Need Having the right tools on hand makes carving much easier. Large, sturdy cutting board (ideally one with a groove around the border to catch the juices) Aluminum foil Kitchen shears Sharp knives (a standard chef's knife works, but boning and carving or slicing knives make it easier) Bowl or container (to save bones and scraps for making homemade chicken stock) Serving platter How to Keep Your Cutting Board from Slipping: A cutting board that slips and slides while you carve is risky business. To keep your cutting board from moving and your hands safe, place a damp paper towel or thin kitchen towel down underneath. Our Step-by-Step Guide to Carving a Chicken 1. Let It Rest Credit: decorvow Position the chicken breast-side up on the cutting board with the legs and cavity facing you. Loosely cover it with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes after cooking. Why It's Vital to Let a Roasted Chicken Rest: Resting allows the muscle fibers to relax, the juices to redistribute, and the temperature to even out, resulting in moist, tender meat. 2. Remove the Twine If the bird is trussed, use kitchen shears to snip off and discard kitchen the twine. 3. Remove the Legs Position your carving or slicing knife at the top of one drumstick and make a shallow cut where the skin connects the breast to the leg. Gently pull the leg and thigh outward until the joint dislocates with a "pop". Holding the leg down against the cutting board, cut cleanly in between the joints all the way through the skin. It should feel easy to cut through, without hitting any bones. Repeat with the other leg. 4. Carve the Legs Credit: decorvow To separate the drumstick from the thigh, work with the leg skin side down. Bend and overextend the drumstick from the thigh, breaking the connection to expose the joint between the two. Slice cleanly through, transfer the drumstick to the platter, and cover it with foil to keep warm. Find the thigh bone running vertically through the meat. Using your knife to gently cut alongside and around the bone, easing it out as you go; set the bone in the bowl for stock. Slice the thigh meat into pieces, transfer it to the platter, and return the foil. Repeat with the other leg. 5. Remove the Wishbone Turn the chicken so the neck faces you. Cut a small triangle of skin at the neck cavity to expose the wishbone. Run your knife along each side, then use your fingers to pull it out. Place it in the bowl for stock, but make a wish first! Don't Miss How to Cut Chicken Wings Into Flats and Drumettes How to Carve a Turkey Like a Pro—With Photos and Video Walkthrough 6. Remove the Breast Meat Credit: decorvow Run your carving or slicing knife down one side of the breastbone. Observe when your knife hits the rib cage—you can't cut deeper than this point. Angle your knife slightly outward, away from the breast bone, and follow the natural curve of the rib cage to release the breast meat from the carcass. Detach at the wing joint and repeat with the other side. 7. Slice the Breasts Credit: decorvow Place the breast on the board, skin side up. With your carving or slicing knife at a slight angle, slice the breast into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Shingle the slices attractively on the platter and return the foil. Repeat with the other breast. 8. Break Down the Wings' Drumettes, Flats, and Wing Tips While a chicken has two wings, each one is made up of three parts: the drumette, the flat (also called the midsection or wingette), and the wing tip. Chicken wing aficionados will argue endlessly over which reigns supreme—the hearty drumette or the delicate flat. The bottom line? Carvers rule the roost—and get their pick. Remove the wings from the body by cutting at the joint where they meet the breast. Separate the drumette from the flat by cutting in between the joint that connects the two. If your knife meets resistance, you are likely hitting bone—reposition your knife until you've found the sweet spot in between the joint, cutting through only skin and tendon. With the flat and wing tip portion of the wing on your cutting board, use your fingertip to find the joint between the wing tip and the flat, and cut between the two. The wing tip has very little meat; it's mostly skin and bone, so it's best in the bowl for stock. Repeat with the second wing and transfer the drumettes and flats to the platter. Ready to Serve Your chicken is now deftly carved and ready to serve. Any remaining bits of meat clinging to the carcass can be pulled off and added to soups, casseroles, and quesadillas. Use the carcass, the bones, and the wing tips to make a flavorful homemade stock. Explore more: Food & Cooking Cooking How-Tos & Techniques