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How to Truss a Chicken
5 from 3 votes

How to Truss a Chicken

Learn how easy it is to truss a whole chicken so that it is more flavorful, juicy and tender when cooking and serving it up.

Prep Time
5 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 409 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French, American

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken for roasting or frying
  • 2 yards butcher’s twine
  • salt sea salt
  • black pepper sea salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Pat the chicken dry on all sides with a paper towel and lay breast side up on your cutting board.
  2. Season the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper.
  3. Fold each wing back behind the cavity of the chicken to help lay it flat.
  4. Place the long piece of butchers twine under the bottom part of the chicken, about 2” up from the bottom, and pull up on each side.
  5. Cross the twine over on the top side of the chicken legs and pull together to begin to close up the cavity and bring the two legs together.
  6. Making a figure 8 cross the twine back under the legs and pull to bring them together.
  7. Run the twine to the front side and over top of each leg.
  8. After running it over the legs begins to bring the rope downwards to the bottom side of the chicken.
  9. Flip the chicken over holding everything still in place and pull the twine upwards past the next bone.
  10. Make a knot just right above the neck bone.
  11. Pull the knot tightly together under that neck bone and then make another knot to secure it.
  12. Trim off any excess twine using scissors or a knife.

Notes

  • Chef Notes:
  • Make-Ahead: You can truss a chicken up to a day or two before roasting it.
  • How to Store: You can keep the chicken trussed and covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days before roasting it.
  • Be sure your chicken is patted dry with a paper towel before beginning to truss.
  • The reason you season the cavity first because once you tie it up its way too hard to get back in there to do it.
  • The reason you fold the wings back is so that it stabilizes the chicken and keeps it flat and does not rock back and forth.
  • If you notice in the picture where I tie a knot above the next bone, I fold over the twine twice, which is also called a, “French knot.” This will hold your knot in place better.
  • Once the chicken is done roasting, use a knife or scissors to remove the twine before slicing and serving.

Nutrition Information

Calories 409kcal (20%) Protein 35g (70%) Fat 29g (45%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Cholesterol 143mg (48%) Sodium 133mg (6%) Potassium 360mg (8%) Vitamin A 267IU (5%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 21mg (2%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 409

% Daily Value*

Calories 409kcal 20%
Protein 35g 70%
Fat 29g 45%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 143mg 48%
Sodium 133mg 6%
Potassium 360mg 8%
Vitamin A 267IU 5%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.