To Fillet a Chicken

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By Fannie Merritt Farmer

Published 1896

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Remove skin from breast, and with a small sharp knife begin at end of collar-bone and cut through flesh, following close to wish and breastbones the entire length of meat. Raise flesh with fingers, and with knife free the piece of meat from bones which lie under it. Cut meat away from wing joint; this solid piece of breast is meat known as a fillet. This meat is easily separated in two parts. The upper, larger part is called the large fillet; the lower part, the mignon fillet. The tough skin on the outside of large fillet should be removed, also the sinew from mignon fillet. To remove tough skin, place large fillet on a board, upper side down, make an incision through flesh at top of fillet, and cut entire length of fillet, holding knife as close to skin as possible. Trim edges, that fillet may look shapely.