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Deboning a Chicken Breast

By:   Allrecipes Staff

Happily, the process for boning a chicken breast is a very simple one: you'll master the method in no time at all!

1. The breast might have cartilage, bone, and tendons remaining from the original removal of the breast from the whole chicken.

    2. Remove the entire wing from the breast, being careful to leave as much meat as possible on the breast portion. We like to remove the wing tips (as shown in the photo), saving the tips for stock, and using the wings in another recipe.

    3. Next, separate the meat from the ribs. With the breast skin-side up, start at the breastbone and use your knife to make a cut along the length of the bone.

    Make short, scraping cuts very close to the ribs, while gently pulling the meat away with your other hand.

    Continue to cut with your knife close to the bone, and remember, never cut towards your fingers.

    Reserve the bones for making stock (keep them in the freezer in a zipper bag until you're ready to use them) or discard them.

      4. Remove as much skin from the breast as you would like. Keep in mind a skinless breast contains less fat than a breast with skin intact. However, a skinless breast will require a small amount of added fat to sear or fry it nicely. You can cut the chicken breast into small chunks to add to a stir fry, cut it into strips, or leave the chicken breast whole to be fried, barbequed, or seared.

      See also,

      Comments
      Jul. 18, 2009 7:17 am
      I think that the pictures are helpful, but they could be bigger, maybe video also to make the procedure more visible. Thank you.
       
      Jul. 18, 2009 10:54 am
      I agree with you Linda. The pictures need to be bigger!
       
      Missy 
      Jul. 24, 2009 2:01 pm
      A step-by-step video would be nice.
       
      Jul. 29, 2009 12:06 pm
      I want the video to show them pulling the bones from the breast...
       
      susie123 
      Jul. 31, 2009 10:14 am
      that looks good!!
       
      Charm 
      Aug. 10, 2009 10:23 am
      I agree I think that a video would be very helpful, after all seeing someone do it is much more helpful than just looking at pictures. Its kind of like hands on.
       
      cheska garcia 
      Aug. 10, 2009 7:31 pm
      it would be much better if u provide a video on how to debone a chix...
       
      EileenTietje 
      Aug. 13, 2009 8:07 pm
      I appreciate the thought, but I didn't learn anything. Too much going on with the recipes included. Would rather you stick to one subject. Thanks.
       
      Aug. 14, 2009 5:58 pm
      Thanks for the recipe ideas! Definitely added some flavor to a basic topic.
       
      Aug. 15, 2009 8:42 am
      Hmm.... "Deboneing a chicken breast" And yet it tells more about de-skinning a breast and other parts than the actual boning. Not helpful at all... and the pictures? wouldn't it be more helpful to actually show the breast being removed from the bone??? Call me crazy
       
      Aug. 19, 2009 4:40 pm
      you can always go to youtube to find a video until allrecipes puts one up.
       
      Aug. 26, 2009 8:37 am
      Not helpful at all for even the beginners in the crowd. Pictures were not helpful. Comments were not helpful. Pull it and re do it. You would be sent home in Hells Kitchen!!
       
      6LEGEND9 
      Aug. 27, 2009 6:39 am
      Bring on some video. These instructions & pics are near useless
       
      Aug. 30, 2009 7:45 am
      This was not helpful in the least. I quickly found a good reference video myself, however. Don't know if I can post a link here, but I will try. http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-debone-a-chicken-breast-264149/view/
       
      roda 
      Sep. 11, 2009 7:51 pm
      this is useful in teaching culinary subjects for hrm srudents
       
      spicymeataballa 
      Sep. 25, 2009 12:40 pm
      I too would have preferred a video. Thank you!
       
      Zap 
      Sep. 29, 2009 12:17 pm
      Hey folks - this is not "rocket surgery" :-) ... it's basically a matter of shoving your fingertips between the breastmeat and the rib cage and separating it manually (takes maybe 15 seconds at the most after a bit of practice) - a few little cuts with a boning knife will finish separating the meat&skin from the breastbones ... it's harder to describe and picture than it is to actually do ...
       
      lilly 
      Oct. 4, 2009 7:03 am
      yes ...show me the video
       
      Connie 
      Oct. 4, 2009 8:47 am
      How do you remove the rib bones?
       
      Oct. 25, 2009 12:42 am
      video pls...
       
      pokster 
      Nov. 9, 2009 8:09 am
      also need video showing the whole breast being pulled away from bone,I tried it but didn't get it off in one piece, and couldn't get it all off
       
      rachael 
      Nov. 17, 2009 2:18 am
      Video would be better
       
      JANET POMP 
      Nov. 29, 2009 10:40 am
      HAVE TO AGREE WITH SEEING THE CHICKEN COME OFF THE BONE. DO OU JUST TEAR IT OUR. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW THIS INSTEAD OF SPENDING SO MUCH ON CUTLETS
       
      Dec. 7, 2009 3:12 pm
      VIDEO PLEASE!!!!
       
      RobLavigne 
      Dec. 24, 2009 7:22 am
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9OR8SLFC10
       
      Jan. 4, 2010 5:24 pm
      Yup. From a newb perspective, this wasn't helpful at all! Love the site, but this was disappointing. A video is needed here.
       
      Jan. 13, 2010 10:54 am
      The tiny pictures accomplished nothing and should be pulled. To the person called "zap," you shouldn't insult those of us who have not done this. Nobody said it was too difficult, or in your words, "like rocket surgery." You have obviously done this before. What we are saying is, if we can't see the pictures clearly and the so-called directions don't explain the process, the reader is left with the same knowledge base that they had before they clicked open this "tutorial."
       
      Rocky4JC 
      Jan. 28, 2010 2:57 pm
      I echo what Mary said at Jan 13. 2010 @ 10:54 am
       
      Tina 
      Feb. 7, 2010 12:29 am
      I agree with Mary and Rocky4JC.
       
       
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