Perfectly carved chicken can not only improve the presentation of your roast chicken but also help lock in flavours, so you can serve up deliciously tender and flavourful chicken for your Sunday roast.
Learn how to carve a chicken with our handy guide. We detail everything from carving the chicken to giving ideas on what to do with leftovers – waste not, want not! We also have a guide on how to carve a turkey, perfect for the festive season.
After removing the roast chicken from the oven, rest it for approximately 15 minutes. Resting the meat is important as it allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat, making it juicier and more flavourful. The meat also becomes more relaxed for an easier carving experience.
Place the chicken on the chopping board, legs facing you, and either use a carving fork or hold the chicken to keep it still. With a carving knife, cut between the chicken breast and leg, pulling the leg away while you cut through the joint. Repeat on the other side and serve the chicken legs separately, placing them on the serving platter.
We have plenty of quality carving knives and forks available, as well as carving trays and boards which are ideal for keeping the chicken still while slicing uniform slices.
Next up, take your carving knife and cut the skin between the breast and wing, pulling the wing away from the chicken and cutting through the joint. Repeat on the other side and either cut the wings in half or serve whole.
With your carving knife, cut down the centre of the breastbone. You can either remove the breast whole and slice, or you can carve the breast meat in slices while it’s still attached to the bone. Use your carving fork to keep the chicken in place while slicing. Repeat for the other chicken breast.
When carving, don’t forget to remove the wishbone. You can either make a wish at the dinner table or pull it with someone in the kitchen.
You may find that there’s still plenty of meat to remove, so spend some time slicing, cutting and picking off any leftovers. Place on the serving platter or save these bits for another recipe like a chicken pasta, for example.
Avoid throwing away the carcass as this can be used in a variety of other recipes. Chicken carcass is perfect for making homemade chicken stock, but can also be used for soups, gravies and sauces.
You should be carefully piling the sliced chicken, thighs and wings onto a platter as you go. Make sure to overlap the chicken slices as this can help keep the chicken warmer for longer.
ProCook is proud to be certified as a B Corp™, joining a select but growing group of companies committed to using business as a force for good.
Learn moreProCook is honoured to be recognised as a Which? Recommended Provider for Furniture and Homewares. When you purchase from us, you can rest assured that you're getting a truly exceptional product that has been carefully crafted to meet your every need.
ProCook is dedicated to supporting our long-term charity partner's mission to inspire action to reduce single use plastics. Together, we're striving to make a positive impact on the environment and create a sustainable future.
Learn more
Electricals
Coffee
Mixers and Blenders
Kettles and Toasters
Cooking
Small Appliances
Cookware & Bakeware
Pots and Pans
Cookware sets
Speciality Cookware
Baking
Roasting
Knives
Knife Sets
Single Knives
Knife Accessories
Tableware
Single Items
Dinner Sets
Serveware
Table Accessories
Kids tableware
Drinkware
Hot Drinkware
Cafetieres and Teapots
Drink Accessories
Accessories
Kitchen Utensils
Tools and Gadgets
Storage
Cleaning
Summer
Picnicware
Alfresco dining
Accessories
Offers
Clearance
Gifting
Gift Cards
