Jointing a chicken

Dismantling a chicken is straightforward providing the job is done in the correct order and you remember to cut out the wishbone. The wishbone makes carving the cooked chicken difficult as well and needs removing even if you are roasting or poaching the bird whole.

Cut off the winglets at the elbow joint. Lift each leg back and away from the body until the bone snaps from its socket. This should now cut away quite easily. You can divide each leg in two by cutting across the thigh and drumstick.

Lift up the flap of skin surrounding the neck. The wishbone forms an arch around the cavity and can be cut out with little loss of breast meat.