1. Place chicken backbone side up on a cutting board.
2. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut along each side of backbone. Discard backbone or use to make soup.
3. Flip chicken over. With shears, cut through breastbone, dividing in half.
4. Pull one leg away from body. Use a knife and slice through skin between breast and leg.
5. Bend leg back till thigh bone pops out of socket. Cut around nugglet of flesh attached to centre backbone through skin and flesh to detach leg.
6. Repeat with other leg.
7. Cut through joints to separate drumstick and thighs.
8. Pull wings away from breasts and cut through joints to separate.
9. Cut breasts crosswise in half.
Makes 10 pieces if breasts have been divided.
