How To Breakdown Chicken For Yakitori -Latest Edition-

Updated for 2021! This is a fresh new cut of the first Yakitori tutorial on the Chicken Breakdown. I've highlighted the most important information, added additional footage, and removed any video pauses to give you a hopefully easier video to watch every time you want to cut chicken at home for Yakitori.

Yakitori Equipment and Ingredients Amazon Shop:

This is the first video in the weekly How to make Yakitori at Home series. In this video I'll show you the steps and explain my method of breaking down a whole chicken. Whether making Yakitori or Chicken Curry, you can save money and also get the freshest chicken parts by breaking them down from a whole chicken.

In this video you will learn how to transform one whole chicken into two breasts, two tenders, two thighs, two drumsticks, two wings, as well are other parts such as the tail, neck, and shoulders that's used in Yakitori.

There are many ways to breakdown a chicken, and the methods are slightly different depending on the region or cuisine type. This video shows the method I came up with based on what I learned from my Yakitori masters in Japan and Chef Atsushi Kono in the US. Combining those learnings, I've adapted the steps and put together the easiest method for me, which I hope works for you too!

Feel free to adjust any of the steps to match your style as what I love about Yakitori culture is that it's a cuisine that promotes individual freedom of expression. Although I developed this breakdown method for my Yakitori cooking, you can also use these steps at home for all your recipes that call for chicken. So share this with anyone who likes to eat chicken!

When you first try to breakdown a chicken, don't be discouraged if it takes 20-30 minutes to cut off all the parts. But once you get the hang of it, you should be able to do it in about 5-10 minutes. After 2 years of cutting 100's of chickens I'm now at about 3 minutes per chicken. Keep practicing. It gets easier!

Equipment Used:
-Whole Chicken
-Sharp knife with a pointy tip
-Large cutting board
-Pot
-Pans, bowls, or food container with a cover
-Paper towels

I recommend using the best chicken you can find at the store. Ideally organic, free range. The few dollars more you pay in price versus a cheaper chicken really makes a difference in flavor. For the majority of my Yakitori, I use Mary's Organic Air Chilled Chicken which can commonly be found at Whole Foods and other natural markets.

Next Video: How to Make Negima

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Like what you're seeing? You can buy me chickens:
If you're enjoying the tutorials so far and interested in a way to support me, I've set up a Ko-Fi page where you can donate some chickens! Thanks!

[Burrfection]

this chicken breakdown tutorial is unlike others out there. so specific to yakitori. i love it.

[blablablabla]

The way the tenderloins come out.. so satisfying. Seeing how the legs go out leaving the oyster intact... fantastic.

[paulhuun]

Hey Yakitoriguy, started following you after my friend from Dallas posted a few clips of you grilling for her. Really appreciate the comprehensive breakdown: 1) carving out the oyster from socket 2) pulling the tenders away from the membrane, 3) getting the neck meat off from both sides. Awesome knowledge sharing.

[RiamsWorld]

I'll be honest, I came here just to find out how to debone the neck because I always leave it behind. The rest is intuitive but that is black magic to me. Did not disappoint!

[janetplatt]

Made it look so easy. I’ve broken down chickens (summer camp job making chicken Kiev) and I really appreciate the attention to detail so I can use every possible part!

[jjanevski]

Thanks so much for making this video! Binge watching your videos right now after finding your channel haha. Looking forward to more reviews and recipes / cooking tutorials! 👍

[troyfletcher]

Great stuff! Nice to see a trimmed down version

[wasabi_]

i’ve been breaking down chicken ever since I found out about you today I had my first freedom ranger chicken. buying a whole chicken really taught me to appreciate what a good chicken is thank you

[Ninjanugets]

excellent breakdown tutorial, very different than western methods. I love how yakitori finds a way to utilize many lesser known cuts of the chicken, i did not realize how much was being wasted per my method!

[moezaw]

Many years ago, I learned how to break down the chicken from French chef, Jacques Pépin. I gave same technique to my kids as well.
Watching your video today, I also picked up more from you. How amazing is the yakitori offered a variety of meat out of a chicken.
Thank you for promoting Yakitori in the U.S.
20 years ago or so, there was one Yakitori restaurant opens in Baltimore, Maryland.
However, people doesn't really know about Yakitori so sadly they have to close the door. I truly enjoyed watching your video. Keep up the good work.

[Sanderly]

I've been a chef for 26yrs before that I worked in a slaughterhall, I get so annoyed when you see people chopping through chicken with cleavers, it's nice to see a video demonstrating that you don't need to
Awesome video

[Acidfunkish]

Just a reminder: it is STILL cheaper to do this yourself, even if you mess up a bit, cut where you shouldn't, or make whatever mistakes. It is still cheaper, regardless. So don't think that you need a ton of practice before this becomes a worthwhile skill to practice; it is already more economical, even if you make a whole bunch of mistakes, to start!

If you do make mistakes, and cut through pieces, whatever, just save those for something else, where cubes or strips of chicken will work. It's not a big deal, at all. You can always find something in which to use them. Almost everyone loves chicken!

[michelhv]

Very cool. I worked for a butcher many years ago and our technique was different because we were cutting for customers but we ended up with similar cuts. However I learned something new with the neck technique!

[Johnnychi]

Thanks! Outdoor Chef Life sent me here! Aloha from Hawaii!

[marcfpv]

You are now my sensei. What an amazing and elegant way to break a chicken down.. i love it and i am never buying individual cuts again. Thanks a lot, you are the best brother

[greggshiu]

I have leveled up my poultry breakdown skills for Yakitori so much because of this video. If friends ask me for chicken butchery advice, I just usually end up directing them to your channel instead! 😂

[waitaminute-vwhf]

Thank you. I saw your collaboration with outdoorcheflife. Several years ago a friend gave me a Japanese chicken knife as shown in this video. I wondered what it was for. Thanks to you now I know. New subscriber!
I will definitely be using this method on my next whole chicken.

[hoursago]

Excellent video, thank you. I struggled to remove the neck meat, but otherwise I’m happy with the result. Very clear instructions, I love it.

[kenj]

Thanks for making the streamlined version! Really appreciate that you got there via tighter editing rather than decreasing the information content.
Are you planning to make a video focused on prepping nankotsu at some point?

[markingrivera]

konichiwa🙂
i liked your video
its very clear
and your amazing cutting skill
you have shown. thank you
very much.