Robert Irvine's Easy Roast Chicken Carving Method Changes Everything
What dishes come to mind when you think of comfort food? Mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, biscuits and gravy? What about desserts like bread pudding and apple pie? We don't know about you, but one comfort food classic we love is a simple roast chicken. Boasting crisp, golden skin and juicy meat, a well-roasted chicken just feels homey and warm, like something you'd want to dig into on a chilly gray day.
One thing that's great about roast chicken is that it's fairly easy to make: At its most basic, you can grab a roasting chicken, season it generously, and pop it into a hot oven 'til cooked (via the New York Times). And even if you don't have the time or patience to roast a rotisserie chicken at home, reliably tasty ones are available in almost any supermarket and make a great option for a fast, easy dinner. But as easy as homemade or store-bought roast chicken is, carving a whole bird can sometimes be tricky. How do you cut it up and get the most meat off the bone without wasting it? Luckily, chef and "Restaurant: Impossible" host Robert Irvine shared some great tips for carving in a Food Network video.
Ya gotta twist the knife
Have you ever tried to carve a whole chicken (or turkey)? If so, you've likely found that it's not that easy. In order to get the most meat off the bone, you need to know where, and how, to cut into the bird. Typically, cooks will cut the legs and wings off first, then separate the breast meat from the bone and slice it (via The Spruce Eats). That's a reliable method, but sometimes getting that breast meat off the bone can be tricky. That's why Robert Irvine, chef and host of the Food Network's "Restaurant: Impossible," made a video addressing that very issue.
Irvine starts by carving the chicken in a fairly straightforward way: With the legs facing him, he slices off the wings in two pieces, cuts off the legs, and then cuts down the backbone. This is where he reveals his helpful trick: Slicing down one side of the breastbone, he twists the knife between the bone and the meat, which helps separate the whole chicken breast in one manageable piece. Removing the breast, Irvine repeats the knife twist on the other side of the breastbone, removes the other breast, and then slices the breasts into even pieces. Then he separates the chicken thighs from the drumsticks, piles all the sliced meat onto a platter, and voila! That chicken is ready to be accompanied by a couple of side dishes for a fast, easy dinner.