 Generally , chickens are not fried whole ; instead , the chicken is divided into its constituent pieces . The two white meat sections are the breast and the wing from the front of the chicken , while the dark meat sections are the thigh and leg or " drumstick " , are from the rear of the chicken . These pieces are usually subdivided into the wings , the breasts ( the wishbone is often cut out first in home cooking ) , the legs , and the thighs . The ribs are sometimes left on the breast , but commercially they and the back are usually discarded . 
