# Silly question from an absolute beginner



## junior (Jan 31, 2008)

When a recipe calls for "4 chicken breast halves" and I go to the store and buy a package of "boneless chicken breasts", do I need to cut them in half or are they already halves?

And they say there are no stupid questions...yeah right!


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## TATTRAT (Jan 31, 2008)

Welcome to the Board.

I haven't put too much thought into it, I am going to say 4 lobes. The Full set has been halved to make 1 breast.


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## jennyema (Jan 31, 2008)

The recipe is calling for 2 whole breasts, each breast cut in half.  A whole breast has two distinct lobes to it with connective tissue joining them.

This is what they look like when they've been separated.

You want 4 of these.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 31, 2008)

Hi, junior. The only stupid question is the one not asked 

Here's a photo of 4 chicken breast halves: 






See the straight line down the right side of the breast in the front? That indicates it has been cut in half and the bone removed (some are cut more evenly than others). Whole chicken breasts are more rounded, and include the two halves on either side of the center breast bone. HTH.


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## suziquzie (Jan 31, 2008)

I'd have to say more often than not they come already halved. Unless I just never look for whole boneless ones.


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## junior (Jan 31, 2008)

Thanks for all of the replies.  I really appreciate it!


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 31, 2008)

junior said:


> When a recipe calls for "4 chicken breast halves" and I go to the store and buy a package of "boneless chicken breasts", do I need to cut them in half or are they already halves?
> 
> And they say there are no stupid questions...yeah right!


 
No! They are halved for you...either bone-in or boneless. The only time you will encounter a whole chicken breast is if you buy a whole bird.


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## pacanis (Jan 31, 2008)

suziquzie said:


> I'd have to say more often than not they come already halved. Unless I just never look for whole boneless ones.


 
I get them either way.  Sometimes I think it's already halved, just thick, only to find out it was a small breast tightly folded with a little bit of ice holding the halves together.  I hate when that happens.
I'll be flipping it on the grill and next thing you know it opens up and there's a whole nuther side that's not even cooked


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## jennyema (Jan 31, 2008)

Uncle Bob said:


> No! They are halved for you...either bone-in or boneless. The only time you will encounter a whole chicken breast is if you buy a whole bird.


 
Bob,

I buy whole ones all the time.  They sell both in my market.


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 31, 2008)

jennyema said:


> Bob,
> 
> I buy whole ones all the time. They sell both in my market.


 
I've never ever seen one. Breast bone etc still intact? What label/brand is that Miss Jenny?


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## jennyema (Jan 31, 2008)

Yes, bone-in. I usually buy Bell and Evans.

I'd post the pic but it's copyrighted. Here it is

Perdue sells them, too, but if I am making something that requires the whole breast I buy a better grad of chicken.


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 31, 2008)

Well I be dog-gone! Never seen that here in Mississippi. I used to have very close working relations with people at Sanderson Farms (Miss Goldy) here in Mississippi, and I don't think they did that! Learn something everyday!! Thanks for correcting me!!!


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## jennyema (Jan 31, 2008)

You need not be corrected, as it might be a regional thing.  We have no Miss Goldy here for example.


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 31, 2008)

jennyema said:


> You need not be corrected, as it might be a regional thing. We have no Miss Goldy here for example.


 

I do think it may be regional in nature. Tyson in Ark, and Sanderson Farms in Mississippi/Louisiana/Texas say they don't package a whole chicken breast. Since we don't know the "region" the OP is in...it is great information. They do exist in some areas!!! So thank you again!!


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## pacanis (Jan 31, 2008)

Just make sure that if you do need to cut your whole breasts in half......
That you don't use the same knife to prepare your salad.


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## suziquzie (Jan 31, 2008)




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## David Cottrell (Jan 31, 2008)

Hi Junior, I couldn't find the silly part of your question but I sure am going to pay more attention at Krogers next time. I think for boneless they only sell halved and now I'm wondering, do they sell just chicken breasts with bone in. How do they get all those bones out anyway I'm wondering.


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## jennyema (Jan 31, 2008)

You can buy whole boneless breasts.  Look in my pic.


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