The key is transferring the points to a partner, not using the points to book with chase. Most often, this is the best method.
United transfers from Chase UR 1:1 in 1,000 point increments.
You can search award availability before transferring the points to ensure you don't waste the points.
Do some searching and play on the united site. You can often get more open jaws and stop overs than one might think without any additional points.