Using a sharp knife, find the backbone and create a slit on each side. This will be your guideline for the Poultry Shears.

Take the Poultry Shears and start cutting along the slit staying as close to the backbone as possible. If you find it too challenging to cut with one hand, use both hands on the poultry shears and continue to cut through the bones and cartilage.

If you find it too challenging to cut all the way through, turn the bird 180 degrees and start cutting at the other end of the guidelines. The backbone should come out easily then.

Once the backbone is removed, flip the chicken over (skin-side up) and spread it out.

Place your hands directly on the breasts, towards the middle, and press down until you feel a pop or crack*.

*To get it even flatter, while it’s still facing, backbone-side up, cut two small slits on either side of the breast bones before “cracking” the chicken. You can make a notch in the white cartilage part of the breastbone by the neck. You can go even further by creating a slit on each side of the breastbone and pop that out to have the bird be flatter.

At this point, prepare your bird for smoking, roasting, or grilling.