How to Butterfly-Cut Chicken

Use a butterfly cut to effectively cook a variety of chicken dishes.

Chicken can be prepared in a wide variety of ways, but if your chicken breasts are too thick, it takes longer for them to cook. When a recipe calls for thin pieces of chicken, a butterfly cut may be necessary. This is achieved by cutting the chicken down the center and opening it up like a book, allowing it to lay flat and cook quickly. Butterflying a chicken also allows you to stuff it with ingredients for a special meal, or roll it up for recipes like a chicken rollatini.

Things You'll Need

• Boneless chicken breasts
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Plastic wrap
• Meat mallet

Instructions

1. Remove a chicken breast from its packaging and place it on a clean cutting board with the skin-side down.

2. Remove the tenderloin with a sharp knife, then place your hand on top of the breast and cut into the thickest part of the chicken, slicing across it about halfway.

3. Stop cutting, and open the chicken up like a book. Do not cut all the way through the breast unless you'd like to create two thinner pieces of chicken.

4. Cover the breast with plastic wrap and pound the chicken using a meat mallet if you would like to make it even thinner. Pound it evenly to create one large, thin breast.

5. Cook the chicken according to your recipe.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash your hands before and after handling raw poultry, and thoroughly wash your cutting board, knife and any other surfaces touched in the process.

References

• Good Housekeeping: How to Butterfly Chicken Breasts
• Food Network: Butterfly a Chicken Breast