Chicken is one of the more versatile ingredients in the meat family, having a subtle and neutral flavor that is welcoming to a plethora of others. From spicy and fragrant creamy chicken korma to juicy and crispy Hong Kong-style sweet and sour chicken, this poultry can transform into pretty much any genre of dish.
Many people favor chicken breasts over other parts because it’s all meat and no bones. The breast is also leaner than darker cuts like the thighs or wings, and it’s packed with protein. So overall, it’s probably the healthiest cut on the bird. But have you tried slicing those chicken breasts into a uniform shape? The knife tends to slip and slide or snag a thread of chicken that then pulls your piece into weird and wonderful shapes. Getting a consistent look across your pieces can seem near impossible, and it ends up taking ages to get the job done.
There are a few hacks that we’ve come across in our chicken-cutting hunt, like using a fork — or your hand — to hold the chicken breast in place, and then cutting it with a very sharp chef’s knife. Or there’s the scissor trick where you get a good pair of kitchen scissors and snip your chicken breast into the pieces you desire — but this has the same issues as the knife technique. One of the best chicken cooking hacks by far though is to freeze your chicken breasts, and then slice or dice them quickly, neatly, and efficiently.
Freezing can help you quickly cut chicken
Simply pop your chicken breasts into the freezer for between 15 and 45 minutes, depending on how much time you have available. The flesh will firm up nicely, making it easier for your knife to slice through and get those even and neat cuts.
Half-thawed chicken breasts are easier to handle, as the icy flesh gives them a firmer grip and makes them less slippery when you’re trying to maneuver your knife through them. Because the chicken breasts are more solid, you’re able to cut more cleanly through them, which enables you to create more uniform shapes. This is great for stir-fries, chicken salads, fajitas, bakes like chicken Kiev that require sliced chicken, and even for chicken sandwiches where slices are more efficient and practical than shredded chicken.
A useful tip when slicing your chilled chicken is to place your chicken breast skin-side up on a chopping board. Find the grain (this is the direction in which your muscle fibers run), then turn your chicken piece to the side. This will allow you to cut across the grain, which helps to create breaks in the muscle fibers for juicier, more tender pieces of chicken. For safety, curl your non-cutting hand’s fingertips under the knuckles, then slice against the grain to your desired thickness.
