In this page, I will show you how to prepare a chicken “crapaudine” style, this allows a fast and easier cooking on the barbecue. This technique is, for exemple, wildly used in Portugal for the preparation of the Peri Peri Chicken, a very popular dish.
Warning: We are talking about flesh and bones here, some of the images and descriptions maybe graphic at times.
What will you need?
- 1 chicken for three to four persons
- 1 sharp chef knife
- 1 good pair of scissors (I use tailor scissors), or poultry shears.
The technique:
- Turn de chicken upside down, with the breast on the bottom and start cutting from the rear of the chicken towards the front. Place the blade of the scissor on on side of the vertebrae .
- Once it is open, turn it around, and spread it completely, pressing down on the breasts. Some small bones may crack.
- Turn it around, to have the skin on the board and the flesh towards you.
- Like a master surgeon, make incisions alongside the sternum
- Run your thumb inside the incisions to separate the flesh from the bone. Pull the sternum away from the flesh and cut it off.
- on each side, with a sharp knife, gently detach the rib cage. On the one side, it will still be attached to the vertebrae, cut it at the junction with the pair of scissors.
- Run your fingers on the flesh and remove any other small bones that you may feel, for exemple remove the wishbone.
- Cut of the last bone of the wings, after the radius, as it will likely burn on the barbecue.
- There you go, your chicken is ready to be seasoned and marinated, I assure you it will taste excellent, bon appétit!
Easy French Cooking 