You can refer to the pictures above for visual help.

With the bird breast-side down and the open end of the bird closest to you, grab the end of the spine. Using the shears, cut down either side of the backbone and remove. This step is easier with a chicken's backbone, as it is smaller than a turkey’s.

Once the backbone is removed, open up the chicken with the legs closest to you (sorry, it’s not the prettiest of pictures). Exposing the inner bones and ribs.

There’s a soft, white, almost transparent piece of cartilage down the center that joins a bone. The best way to remove this is to cut either side so you can grab a hold of it and then cut around it. Just keep cutting away fat around it and pulling.

Flip the bird over (breast side up) and with the palm of your hand, press down on the center to flatten the bird. You may hear a pop.

The chicken is ready to be cooked whole, but if you want, you can cut the bird in half to portion it out. To do this, use a large chef’s knife and cut down the center.