How to Tie or Truss a Chicken

Stuff the chicken before you truss it.

Trussing or tying a chicken helps the poultry keep its shape while it roasts in the oven. Trussing a chicken means that you will tie the wings and legs with kitchen twine so that the chicken remains compact. After you properly truss the chicken, the twine remains on the bird until you are ready to serve the poultry. If you do not need the bird to retain its shape, avoid trussing. The trussing may cause the white and dark meat to cook unevenly. Does this Spark an idea?

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Cutting board
Kitchen twine, about 3 feet in length
Roasting pan

Instructions

- 1
  
  Place the chicken in front of you on a cutting board with the breast side facing up and the legs facing toward you.
- 2
  
  Stretch the twine out on a flat surface. Place the center of the twine under the tailbone of the chicken.
- 3
  
  Lift the twine carefully until it touches the bottom of the chicken legs. Loop each end of the twine around the legs. Cross the two pieces of twine above the tailbone to create an "X."
- 4
  
  Pull the twine ends tightly to bring the legs together. Pull the twine ends away from you. Move them around the front of the chicken over the wings on the side of the bird.
- 5
  
  Turn the chicken upside down so that the neck faces toward you. Hold the twine tightly and tie a knot on the front of the chicken under the neck.
- 6
  
  Trim the excess twine from the chicken. Turn the chicken so that the breast side faces up again. Roast the chicken according to your recipe.

Tips & Warnings

Trussing a chicken can result in longer cooking times and may cause the chicken to become too dry.
Wash your hands before and after handling the raw poultry to prevent a food-borne illness.