How to Truss a Chicken: Step-By-Step Tutorial with Photos

Tying the bird allows it to roast evenly and cook to perfection

Trussing chicken is a tried and true culinary technique that secures the bird's wings and legs tightly to its body using kitchen twine. By trussing the chicken, it retains its shape, cooks more evenly, and results in a beautifully roasted or grilled dish.

Trussing is particularly popular in traditional roasting methods, as it helps the chicken cook more uniformly, allowing the heat to penetrate all parts of the bird evenly. Whether you're a professional chef or a home cook, mastering the art of trussing chicken can significantly elevate the taste and aesthetics of your culinary creations.

Follow our reliable, straightforward, step-by-step guide for perfectly cooked, juicy chicken every time.

  • 01 of 10

    Trussing Helps a Chicken Cook Evenly

    How to truss a chicken for roasting
    Michael Marquand / Getty Images

    Simply stated, trussing a chicken ensures a successful meal for your family and guests. Once you experience the results, you'll use this method each time you roast a chicken.

    Trussing involves tying the chicken snugly with butchers or kitchen twine so the wings and legs are close to the body. This makes the chicken more compact, which helps it cook evenly. Trussing also helps prevent the tips of the wings from burning and makes the cooked chicken look more attractive when served. 

    Salt and pepper the chicken generously inside and out, then stuff the cavity with aromatics like half an onion, half a lemon or orange, and plenty of fresh herbs. Do this before trussing the chicken because the legs will cover the cavity once they're tied together.

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  • 02 of 10

    Measure the Kitchen Twine

    Start with three feet of cooking twine
    Start with three feet of cooking twine. Photo © Danilo Alfaro

    Kitchen twine is plain, unbleached cotton string readily available in most supermarkets. It's strong enough to hold a chicken together and won't burn or melt in the oven. Cut about three feet of twine for an average-sized chicken, and trim the excess when you're done.

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  • 03 of 10

    Position the Chicken

    How to Truss a Chicken - Tutorial with Photos- Step 2: Position the Chicken
    Photo © Danilo Alfaro

    Position the chicken, breast-side-up, with the drumsticks pointing toward you. Pass the twine under the tail, leaving equal lengths on either side of the chicken.

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  • 04 of 10

    Criss-Cross the Twine Around the Legs

    How to Truss a Chicken - Tutorial with Photos- Step 3: Criss-Cross the Twine Around the Legs
    Photo © Danilo Alfaro

    Secure the drumsticks by lifting both ends of twine and crisscrossing them around the drumsticks to form an X.

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  • 05 of 10

    Pull the Twine Tight

    How to Truss a Chicken - Tutorial with Photos- Step 4: Pull the Twine Tight
    Photo © Danilo Alfaro

    Pull the twine tightly on both ends so the drumsticks come together. 

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  • 06 of 10

    Wrap Around to the Front

    How to Truss a Chicken - Tutorial with Photos- Step 5: Flip the Chicken Over
    Photo © Danilo Alfaro

    This part gets a bit tricky, but after you do it once or twice, you'll be a pro. Run the twine along the sides of the chicken towards the neck. Be sure to trap the sides of the drumsticks and part of the thighs (near the joint) underneath the twine. Hold the chicken securely with your fingers while keeping the twine tight against the sides. Flip the chicken over so the breast is down on the work surface and the neck faces you.

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  • 07 of 10

    Secure the Twine and Tie a Knot

    How to Truss a Chicken - Step 6: Secure the Twine and Tie a Knot
    Photo © Danilo Alfaro

    Be sure the wing tips are under the twine, then tie a knot tightly under the neck to secure the bird.

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  • 08 of 10

    Trim Excess Twine

    How to Truss a Chicken - Tutorial with Photos- Step 7: The Final Trussed Chicken
    Photo © Danilo Alfaro

    Trim any excess twine and flip the chicken on its back.

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  • 09 of 10

    Ready to Roast

    How to Truss a Chicken - Tutorial with Photos- Step 8: Ready to Roast
    Photo © Danilo Alfaro

    The trussed chicken is ready to roast. 

    Feeling a little adventurous? Try this: Instead of making gravy, position a few slices of bread on the bottom of the roasting pan. The bread will soak up the drippings as the chicken roasts while turning brown, toasty, and delicious!

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  • 10 of 10

    Truss a Turkey?

    A turkey is much larger than a chicken and must cook at a lower temperature for much longer. Some believe an untrussed turkey results in faster cooking and crispier skin, while others believe a trussed turkey helps it cook evenly with more visual appeal when served. Also, trussing helps keep the filling in place if your turkey is stuffed.

    To truss or not to truss is a personal preference, so you should try both methods to see which works best for you. Be sure to report back to us!

Roasting a trussed chicken will result in a delicious and flavorful meal. Remember to use a meat thermometer to determine if the chicken is fully cooked. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the bird while avoiding the bone. The internal temperature should be 165 F.

Let the chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving to help redistribute the juices. This will ensure the juiciest results when serving.