Preparing Whole, Dressed Chickens

In the case of whole, RTC chickens, the prep work usually begins with trimming excess fat. Then the wishbone is removed, because this facilitates removal of the breast meat, both raw (for scaloppine) and cooked.

The wishbone is a type of fused clavicle, an adaptation made by dinosaurs and ancient birds to assist with flight. Removing the wishbone is often one of the first steps in preparing whole chickens for cooking.

Pull out excess fat near the tail.

To remove the wishbone, push the skin back on the breast. Make a small cut on either side of the bone and scrape. Reach into the incision with your fingers, forcing the meat away from the bone. Gently remove the bone, working carefully to prevent accidental breakage.