How to Butterfly-Cut Chicken Breasts

The chicken breast is a popular cut of poultry that allows the cook to employ a variety of cooking techniques. The butterfly technique cuts the breast down the middle. Once butterflied, the chicken can be cooked more quickly. Additionally, the chicken breast can be stuffed to make a delicious meal. Butterflying chicken breast is a fairly simple process that can be completed in mere minutes.

Things You'll Need

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Sharp knife
• Meat tenderizer

Instructions

1. Place the boneless chicken breast on the cutting surface with its skin side facing downward. If the piece has any tenderloin -- a small piece of connected meat and tissue -- tear it away from the breast. Turn the breast back over and position it so that its tip is facing you and the thin side faces opposite of your cutting hand.

2. Place your non-cutting hand on top of the breast. Insert your knife into the thickest part of the breast. Using a sweeping motion, slice into the breast until the knife reaches the middle. Make sure that the knife is cutting through two equal thicknesses of the breast.

3. Place one hand on a side of the cut chicken breast and open it like a book. If the breast does not lay flat on the cutting surface, slice the inside of the breast slightly. Even out the chicken breast's thickness by pounding it all over with the meat tenderizer.

References

• The Lake Kitchen: How to Butterfly a Chicken Breast
• Food Network: Butterfly a Chicken Breast