Everyone who cooks at home should know how to butterfly a chicken breast. To do this, cut the breast horizontally so it opens up like a book. This helps the chicken cook more evenly, keeps it from drying out, and makes it easy to stuff or roll. It only takes a few minutes and a sharp knife to turn a thick chicken breast into a thin, flat cutlet that goes well with many different types of food.
Why Butterfly Chicken Breasts?
There are a few key benefits to butterflying chicken breasts
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Cooks evenly: Chicken breasts have uneven thickness which leads to uneven cooking. The thicker side overcooks and dries out while the narrow side is underdone. Butterflying creates an even thickness so the entire breast cooks at the same rate.
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Cooks faster Thinner cuts cook quicker than thick pieces, Butterflying slashes cooking time so the chicken stays juicy and tender
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Easy to pound: butterflying the chicken makes it easy to use a meat mallet to pound it to a very thin, even thickness. This is perfect for chicken cutlets or schnitzel.
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Holds stuffing: The empty space lets you stuff the chicken breast with tasty things like herbs, cheese, or vegetables. Stuffing adds flavor and keeps the meat moist.
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Easy to roll: Once butterflied, the chicken breast becomes a large, thin cutlet that’s easy to roll up around a filling to make roulades or cordon bleus.
How to Butterfly a Chicken Breast
A sharp knife and a few minutes are all you need to butterfly a chicken breast. Here are the easy steps:
What You Need
- Sharp knife (boning knife ideal)
- Cutting board
- Meat mallet (optional)
Steps
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Place chicken breast skin-side down on cutting board. Hold it steady with one hand, fingers curled under for safety.
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Insert tip of knife into thickest part of breast. Cut horizontally through middle of breast, stopping about 1/2 inch before opposite side.
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Open breast up like a book to lay flat. If desired, cover with plastic and pound with meat mallet to desired thickness.
And that’s it! The chicken breast is now butterflied and ready to be stuffed, rolled, or pounded into cutlets.
![Butterflying chicken breast]
Tips
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Use a very sharp knife for clean cuts. A flexible boning knife works best.
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Cut slowly and carefully to avoid cutting all the way through.
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For cutlets, continue cutting all the way through to separate halves.
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Place chicken in a zip-top bag before pounding to contain mess.
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For ultra-thin cutlets, pound between sheets of plastic wrap.
What to Make with Butterflied Chicken Breasts
Butterflying opens up a whole range of recipes that weren’t possible with a thick breast:
- Chicken cutlets
- Chicken schnitzel
- Stuffed chicken breasts
- Chicken cordon bleu
- Chicken Kiev
- Chicken roulade
- Chicken saltimbocca
You can also bread and fry the thin chicken cutlets for chicken parmesan or chicken piccata. The possibilities are endless!
Here are some delicious recipes to try with your butterflied chicken breasts:
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Pancetta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts – Goat cheese and pancetta fill these saucy stuffed breasts.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu – A restaurant favorite made easy at home.
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Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken – A Greek-inspired combination of spinach, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes.
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Chicken Piccata – Quick pan-fried cutlets in a bright lemon-caper sauce.
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Chicken Milanese – Crispy chicken cutlets topped with arugula salad.
So grab a knife, pick up some chicken breasts, and try butterflying today. This simple technique will become one of your go-to kitchen skills for delicious chicken dinners all year round.
How to Butterfly a Chicken Breast
- Place chicken breast flat on cutting board. If the tenderloin is still attached, remove and set aside. It’s a thin strip of meat that comes from the side of the breast (see picture above). Make sure to remove any excess connective tissue.
- A sharp knife should be held straight out from the cutting board. Cut down the length of the side of the breast. Almost completely cut the food in half, stopping about 1/4 inch from the other side. Press down on the top of the chicken breast with your free hand to hold it in place while you cut it.
- Open the butterflied breast and stuff if desired. You can pat the breast down to make it flat after the breast opens up. See how much bigger it is than it was at the beginning? It should look like a butterfly. That’s it! Now you can put anything inside the chicken breast you want. Just fold the top over when done and bake.
Ever wonder why the chicken dishes you order at a restaurant often look much bigger than what you make at home? Is it more food? Not always. So whats the trick? Its simple. Its a process called butterflying, and you can do it, too. Butterflying is a way for butchers to cut food in half horizontally without cutting all the way through. Then, they open the food up like a butterfly’s wings. The most common reason for butterflying a chicken breast is so that it will cook evenly in about half the usual time, since its not as thick. Howard shows you how to butterfly a chicken breast in the short video above. You can use the same technique to butterfly pork tenderloin, thick steaks, even shrimp. And if a recipe calls for stuffing a particular food, butterflying it allows you to do just that. Check out our video above and the tips below on how to butteryfly a chicken breast.
Now that you know how to butterfly a chicken breast, you can stuff it with bacon and cheese that you can spread. Then top it with more cheese!.
This recipe is so delicious with a yummy veggie, a crispy coating, and a buttery lemon-herb sauce. You just need to know how to butterfly a chicken breast.
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How to Butterfly a Chicken Breast
FAQ
What does it mean to butterfly a chicken breast?
Butterflying a chicken breast refers to cutting it down the centre so you can unfold it like a book. This technique keeps the chicken juicy by creating one even piece and is easier than it sounds.
What does a butterfly chicken breast look like?
The two halves are then opened up so they resemble a butterfly shape. With a chicken breast, it’s more like cutting the chicken breast horizontally so it opens up like a book. Butterflying a chicken breast gives you thinner, more even pieces that will cook quicker and more evenly.
Do you butterfly a chicken breast first?
First, butterfly the chicken breast! Making cutlets from a breast is the best way to get evenly cooked, tender, juicy meat. Why? Here’s what you need to know and a quick guide on how to butterfly a chicken breast. You’ll be a master in no time! Why is this cooking technique so important?.
Is it better to butterfly or pound chicken breast?
Both butterflying and pounding chicken breasts offer advantages for cooking, but they serve slightly different purposes. Butterflying makes the meat thinner so it cooks faster and more evenly. Pounding, on the other hand, not only makes the meat thinner but also makes it more tender.
How long should chicken breast be butterflied in the oven?
Cooking Tips Cook the butterflied chicken breast for 6-8 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 75°C. Roasting: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Place the chicken on a baking tray and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until fully cooked.