It can be hard and messy to get chicken off the bone. As a busy home cook, I’m always looking for ways to make weeknight dinners easier. Recently, I saw a video on TikTok that claimed to debone a rotisserie chicken in just 60 seconds. I put this to the test in my kitchen to see if it was the easiest way to debone a chicken ever.
Understanding the Viral Chicken Deboning Hack
This clever hack simply involves placing a warm rotisserie chicken in a gallon-sized zip top bag, sealing it, and massaging the chicken through the plastic to separate the meat from the bones. The steam from the hot chicken helps loosen the meat. Then you can easily pull clean chicken pieces out of the bag, leaving behind a neat pile of bones.
The quick method became popular on TikTok, where many home cooks showed how to do it. Videos showed users who were amazed pulling big pieces of boneless chicken out of bags in a matter of seconds. The mess-free simplicity of the approach made it intriguing. I was excited to try this quick fix because I’m a busy mom who buys rotisserie chickens every week for quick dinners.
Putting the Hack to the Test in My Kitchen
To evaluate if this viral hack truly delivered on its promises, I picked up two fresh rotisserie chickens from the grocery store. I tried the bag method on the first one and broke down the second chicken using my usual by-hand technique. Here’s how it went:
The Viral Bag Method
I started by placing my first whole hot chicken in a gallon zip top bag and sealing it. Then I vigorously massaged the bird through the plastic. Just like the TikTok videos showed, large pieces of meat easily detached from the bones after about a minute of forceful rubbing.
Next, I opened the bag and was able to quickly pull out slippery bones, skin, and cartilage, leaving behind boneless shredded chicken still in big juicy chunks. There was minimal mess, just some chicken juices inside the bag. The total time was around 5 minutes from start to finish.
My Regular By-Hand Method
For the second chicken, I used my normal process of pulling off legs and wings, then slicing off each breast half and removing other meat pieces with a knife. I tossed bones into one bowl and meat in another. This more tedious approach took about 10 minutes total.
Comparing the Results
The viral bag method delivered on its promises. It was faster, cleaner, and yielded chicken just as nicely shredded as my usual hand method. I did need to spend a little extra time fishing out small bones that broke apart in the massage process, but it was still quicker overall.
The only downside was having a greasy plastic bag to discard after. But the time and mess reduction were worth it. I decided that while the classic by-hand method certainly works, the bag shortcut is my new go-to for speedy rotisserie chicken deboning!
Tips for Trying the Viral Chicken Hack
If you want to test out this clever rotisserie chicken deboning method, here are some tips:
-
Use a warm, freshly cooked chicken – the heat helps loosen the meat from bones.
-
Start by removing the skin – this leads to “cleaner” shredded chicken.
-
Massage vigorously until meat easily falls off bones.
-
Watch for tiny bone fragments when removing meat.
-
Save bones to make stock later.
-
Portion shredded chicken into freezer bags for future meals.
Why This Shortcut Is so Handy
As a busy home cook, I’m constantly seeking ways to get dinner on the table faster. While I don’t mind putting in extra time on weekends, quick weeknight meals are essential. Having shredded rotisserie chicken ready to go in the fridge or freezer makes throwing together all sorts of dishes a breeze.
Shredded chicken can be used in a lot of different recipes, like tacos, casseroles, soups, and sandwiches. This is how I like to prepare a few Costco rotisserie chickens and divide the meat into servings. Then I have chicken that is ready to use all month for enchiladas, chicken salad, pasta bakes, and other things.
The bag-method requires minimal work for maximum payoff. Also, you won’t have to clean up any cutting boards or knives that are dirty. I can quickly rub a few chickens while reading emails or folding laundry nearby.
More Shortcuts for Easy Weeknight Chicken
In addition to shredding rotisserie chicken, there are other handy shortcuts for getting weeknight chicken dinners on the table fast:
-
Buy pre-cut chicken parts – breasts, thighs, drumsticks, etc. eliminate the need to break down a whole bird.
-
Use a slow cooker – toss in chicken parts + ingredients in the morning for shredded chicken ready by dinner.
-
Make a big batch of poached chicken – then use for salads, sandwiches, wraps all week.
-
Prep marinated raw chicken and veggies on weekends – ready for fast stir-fries or sheet pan meals on busy nights.
-
Double recipes and freeze half – cook once, eat twice for chicken casseroles, soups, etc.
This viral rotisserie chicken deboning method lives up to its promises and is my new go-to for fast and easy shredded chicken. The gallon bag hack is speedy, neat, and lets me quickly prep chicken for versatile weeknight meals my family loves. I’m so glad I tested this clever shortcut – it’s a total game changer that has become a regular time-saver in my kitchen. What easy chicken deboning tricks do you rely on for getting dinner ready fast? I’d love to hear any other handy tips!
I Tried the Viral Chicken-Boning Hack and It Has Not Changed My Life One Bit
I bought two rotisserie chickens, one for the method in question and the other for what I knew would be the better way to do it. I thought I was crazy for even trying it. Can you guess which method was better?.
Method 1: Boning Rotisserie Chicken in a Bag
What It Is: This hack purports to be the best way to shred and bone a rotisserie chicken. To do this, put a warm rotisserie chicken in a gallon zipper-lock freezer bag, close the bag, and then press down on the chicken all over to separate the meat from the bones. In social media videos that follow, people reach into the bag of flattened chicken and pull out bones while staring blankly. They then say that this method is easier, faster, and cleaner than any other.
Heres how it went:
- I knew I had to wash my hands before I could close the zipper lock after putting the chicken in the bag. It’s important to wash your hands after this supposedly easy method because you don’t want to touch the outside of the zipper-lock bag with hands that have just held a dirty bird.
- I then began to press down. As soon as I pressed on the bag, it popped open, forcing air out of it. My bag popped open a second time, even after I tried to flatten it and seal it again. I gave up trying to keep it closed and did my best to mash the bird without it spilling out onto the counter. Note: The bag popped open because air got trapped inside it. This means that you not only have to put a chicken in the bag, but you also have to press out extra air around the whole chicken’s uneven surface and hollow cavity. It’s not hard to do this, but supporters of the method don’t seem to notice this small but annoying detail. Maybe it was my fault that the bag opened twice, but I don’t think I’ll be the only one who has trouble keeping the bag closed while mash the bird.
- When I pressed on the chicken, the bones did come out easily, but I was left with a question: how could I tell if I had pressed hard enough, in the mess of chicken mash, skin, and bones? Note: The bones coming out easily isn’t a big deal; rotisserie chicken is cooked until it’s done, and the bones are always about to fall out. It’s also hard to tell what’s going on in the bag of squashed chicken with this sloppy method. This makes it more likely that your chicken will get over-smushed while you’re trying to debone it. Smushed chicken is of very limited utility.
- Once I thought I had pressed enough, I had to get all the bones out. But while I was breaking the chicken bones apart, I also moved the bird’s skeleton around and mixed its pieces into the mash. Bones and ribs that used to be in order were now broken up and buried in a pile of chicken mush. Keep in mind that this method of breaking up the chicken bones is not very organized, and you will have to search through the bag again to find all the bones. I had a hard time finding one of my bird’s needle-like fibulae that was usually in the drumstick. Later that night, when I ate my smushed chicken meat, I realized I had missed a few more small bones and had to spit them out onto my plate.
- When I was done, I had a zipper-lock bag that was too dirty to be washed and used again, greasy hands from searching for bones, an unappetizing mash of chicken in a wide range of shred sizes, and bone fragments that I hoped wouldn’t choke me or my kids.
Total Time: 5 minutes 30 seconds from bag stuffing through to giving up on bone hunting, and as it turns out, I shouldnt have given up when I did because there were still tiny bones mixed into the mashed chicken.
Best way to de-bone a rotisserie chicken. Quick way to de-bone a rotisserie chicken.
FAQ
How to quickly debone a chicken?
To debone a chicken quickly, start by separating the legs and wings from the body. Then, carefully cut along the bone and separate the meat from the bone using a sharp knife. For the breast, slice along the breastbone and separate the meat from the ribs. Finally, remove the back and any remaining cartilage.
How to make your chicken fall off the bone?
Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a flameproof 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Bake until the chicken is super moist and falling off the bone, about 2 hours.
Is it easier to debone chicken hot or cold?
3) It is much easier to debone a hot chicken than one that has been refrigerated. The skin doesn’t come off the chicken easily once it has been refrigerated. There is also more gristle, tendons, and fat to pick out if the chicken has been in the fridge.
How do you separate chicken from bones?
Seal the bag, and then just press down on the chicken through the bag to easily separate the meat from the bones. At first, it feels silly—like you’re giving the chicken a deep tissue massage. But the meat immediately starts breaking off into big shreds and chunks.
How do you cut a chicken backbone?
1. Lay the chicken breast-side down with its legs towards you. Locate the backbone running straight down the middle. 2. Begin cutting along one side of the backbone down the entire length of the chicken. Do the same on the other side to fully remove the backbone. 3. Make a 1/2” slit through the cartilage in front of the keel bone. 4.
How do you remove chicken from a chicken bag?
Remove as much air from the bag as possible and seal tightly. Use your hands to push on the bag, breaking apart the chicken. Flip the bag over a couple of times to ensure you are getting all sides of the chicken. The bones will pop out quickly and easily. Stop once you have the chicken broken down as you’d like it.
How do you remove a breast from a chicken?
After cutting the breast open, use a sharp knife to carefully separate the breast meat from the carcass. Go around the carcass and make sure the chicken is intact and you don’t accidentally cut the meat all the way to the skin. Note: Do not remove the carcass completely. Leave half of its body connected to the meat. 3.
How do you debone a whole chicken?
Our video walks you through how to debone a whole chicken step by step. 1. Lay the chicken breast-side down with its legs towards you. Locate the backbone running straight down the middle. 2. Begin cutting along one side of the backbone down the entire length of the chicken. Do the same on the other side to fully remove the backbone.
Does chicken fall off the bone in a slow cooker?
In a slow cooker, the chicken will often literally fall off the bone. Pay close attention and remove the chicken before bones begin to float away to the bottom of the cooker to prevent a choking hazard. Making succulent, fall-off-the-bone chicken requires neither formal cooking experience nor a lot of time in the kitchen.