Chicken wings are a party favorite and a crowd-pleaser because they’re delicious and simple to prepare. Learning how to Cut Chicken Wings is an essential skill for any cook, whether you prefer it moist and tender or with a crunchy flesh.
The procedure is straightforward, but it is critical to understand the proper techniques.
It only takes a few minutes to break down your own chicken wings into drumettes and wingettes. To see how and where to cut for success, follow these steps and watch the video!
What Says Game Day More than Chicken Wings?
Restaurant-Style Chicken Wing
To achieve that restaurant-style chicken wing, I always use fresh chicken wings rather than frozen ones. Plus, you’ll know you’re getting quality chicken rather than chicken from a plastic bag in the freezer section.
While there is nothing wrong with eating a whole chicken wing, I prefer to cut them up into smaller sections before preparing them for game day or appetizers. It truly is as simple as one, two, three!
Chicken wings can be purchased at your local grocery store, already cut up and ready to cook. However, the prices of these tend to be higher than those of chicken breasts and whole chicken wings. Thus, it is the right call, budget-wise, to slice up your own chicken wings.
There is no need to worry, since cutting up fresh chicken wings isn’t nearly as complicated as you think. Just follow the simple steps of my tutorial on how to cut chicken wings into easy-to-nibble portions.
Why Cut Chicken Wings
Cooking succulent chicken wings recipes or chicken meals in general begins long before they are placed in the skillet. Some recipes may ask to bread the chicken first for that crispy perfection, while others might require brining or trussing the chicken.
While cutting chicken wings is not always a necessary step, it will provide you with more chicken pieces to share with everyone on game day. The parts of a chicken wing are described below, as well as how to cut whole chicken wings into smaller pieces.
Know the Parts of a Chicken Wing
Drumette
Drumette is the meatiest and juiciest section of the chicken wing. Chicken drumettes have an irregular shape that resembles chicken drumsticks or legs. Hence, its name.
You’ll also notice that one end is more rounded and meatier than the other, and that it narrows in the middle. Despite being classified as dark meat, a chicken drumette has a texture similar to white meat.
Wingette or Flat Wing
Wingette or flat wing is the middle section of the wing. Chicken wingettes are made up of two parallel, thin bones. In order to eat them, you must first separate the bones to get to the meaty part.
Wingettes, which have dark meat covered in skin, may require a longer cooking time to tenderize completely. It’s also worth noting that chicken flats are smaller than drumettes.
Wing Tip
Wing tip is the tiny, pointy section at the end of the wing. It typically has less meat than other chicken wing parts. This section is mostly made up of skin, bone, and cartilage. Some people refer to the wing tip as the flapper.
How to Cut Whole Chicken Wings
First, hold the wing and flip over to locate where the wing tip is at.
Next, cut it cleanly with kitchen scissors and cut right through the joint. It should be much easier to this with kitchen scissors vs a kitchen knife.
Now, place the kitchen scissors between the flapper and the drumette and cut through.
Now you have pieces that are ready for your favorite recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The pointy end is usually cut off and discarded. But don’t get rid of it. Use it to make broth or stock. If you don’t need it right away, simply place the tips in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
No, most people do not remove the wing’s skin before cooking it.
It is usually a piece of breast meat or a tenderloin.
If you cut into properly cooked chicken and the juices run clear, the chicken is fully cooked. If the juices are red or pinkish, you need to cook your wings for a little longer.
Sure! Place your wings in the basket of the Air Fryer. Close the Air Fryer basket and cook the wings for 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, shaking every 5-7 minutes. Cook until the wings reach the desired crispiness and a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Best Way to Cook Chicken Wings
There are a surprising number of ways to bake crispy wings at home. They are like a blank canvas upon which simplicity and creativity can soar. Chicken wings can be cooked in one of three ways: baked, deep-fried, or air-fried.
Baked chicken wings are a great healthy option, but getting a super crispy skin requires a few tricks. Deep-fried wings have the crispiest skin but a lot of unhealthy oil. For me, air-fried chicken wings are the best option because they have super crispy skin and use very little oil.
Helpful Tips
Before cutting, thoroughly dry the wings. You don’t want to slip while cutting because the wings are slippery.
I also prefer to use the kitchen scissors and not the knife. It is an arm workout when using a knife, in my opinion. So this is the best way I found to properly and easily cut chicken wings.
Cut at an angle to aid in guiding the knife through the joint.
If you’re new to cutting chicken wings, start by moving the joint backwards until it pops, then cut the joint. This assists you in determining the best place to cut.
How to Cut Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- Chicken wings
Follow these Simple Steps
First, hold the wing and flip over to locate where the wing tip is at (refer to photos and videos on this blog).
Next, cut it cleanly with kitchen scissors and cut right through the joint. It should be much easier to this with kitchen scissors vs a kitchen knife.
Don’t toss the wings, use them to make stock with. You can even freeze them for later use to make stock.
Now, place the kitchen scissors between the flapper and the drumette and cut through.
You should have a clean cut. Now you have pieces that are ready for your favorite recipe.
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- Pea And Carrot Stew (Bazella W Roz)
- Blackened Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos
- Easy Chicken Curry With Vegetables
- Salmon And Tahini Salsa
- Middle Eastern Kafta Burgers
Perfect Way to Cut Chicken Wings
Equipment
Ingredients
- Chicken Wings
Instructions
- First, hold the wing and flip over to locate where the wing tip is at (refer to photos and videos on this blog).
- Next, cut it cleanly with kitchen scissors and cut right through the joint. It should be much easier to this with kitchen scissors vs a kitchen knife.
- Don’t toss the wings, use them to make stock with. You can even freeze them for later use to make stock.
- Now, place the kitchen scissors between the flapper and the drumette and cut through.
- You should have a clean cut. Now you have pieces that are ready for your favorite recipe.
Jean says
This seems much easier than i expected!! Will try to cut them my self next time
Lama says
Oh absolutely! Using a kitchen knife to cut chicken wings is so much easier!
Amal says
I used the kitchen scissors as you recommended and the process was so easy. Finished them in less than 5 min❤️
Lama says
This is the best way to do it! Agreed!
Fadia says
This seeme the most difficult task before I read your blog. Will try to cut them my self next time
Chantel Tenton says
Why haven’t I thought about using kitchen scissors before! 😳 Much easier. Thanks a lot
IntlRox says
Great way to cut chicken wings! Thank you for making it easy.
Lama says
Yay!! Glad you thinks so 🙂