Chicken thighs that have been deboned are a very practical and adaptable protein. The most affordable option is to purchase bone-in chicken thighs and perform your own deboning.
Look for special deals at your local grocery shop. Depending on your needs, you may opt to utilize the chicken as you purchased it—bone in, skin on—or you may want to debone it.
You won't ever go back to buying chicken at a high price if you become used to deboning it yourself.
The Tools You Need
A boning knife is essential for easing the deboning process. The blade of this knife, which narrows and slightly curls to make it simpler to cut near to any bones, makes it clear that it is specifically made for boning. Since chicken thighs aren't too huge, you can bone them with an ordinary 6” kitchen or vegetable knife if you don't have a boning tool.
If everything fails, you can attempt deboning the chicken thigh with some poultry shears or sharp scissors, although they're difficult to use on something that small. Use what you have and feel most at ease with, but make sure it's sharp. Kitchen blades and cutters will make it harder and may even be deadly due to their propensity to slip.
To keep the knives and cutting boards clean, you will also need dishcloths and antibacterial spray. This is crucial while handling chicken, as are having clean hands both before and after. You can wear gloves, although doing so can frequently make it harder to feel for bones and muscles. Always have paper towels available so that any oil or fat may be removed promptly.
Steps On How To Debone Chicken Thighs
- Cut the bone's side in half. To separate bone from the meat is the primary step in filleting chicken thighs. You can touch the thigh bone going down the middle of the leg; to begin, gently run your sharp kitchen or boning knife down on either side of the thigh to release the skin and any small tendons. Be careful; you only need to cut through the skin or the meat to liberate the bone.
- Pinch the bone. To make it simpler to cut and remove, lightly scratch the bone's surface to identify its precise location. Try not to cut the skin as you scrape.
- Knife under the bone, please. After thoroughly cleaning the bone, carefully slide the knife's tip under the bone to release it. Rather than breaking the bone, you are just relaxing it. When you get to the end, carefully cut away the huge knuckle at the tip of the bone by moving the blade's sharp edge in the direction of the knuckle.
- The bone should be raised and removed. Now, the bone of the chicken thigh will separate from the meat. Ensure that there are no bones or cartilage fragments by gently pressing around the thigh with your finger; if you do, simply cut them out with your knife.
- Trim the extra fat and tidy up. Take a detailed look at the thighs and use your knife to trim away any extra skin and fat. However, don't chop away too much—some skin and fat provide taste and moisture to food.
You've just completed five simple steps to debone chicken thighs. Continue with the remaining thighs, then put each one in the refrigerator to keep it chilled and the board clean by spraying it with some antibacterial spray as you finish one.
