Crispy Chicken Skin Cracklings
Don't discard the skins when you're breaking down a chicken. When treated with patience and low heat, they transform into a snack that shatters upon impact and carries the pure essence of the bird.
Patience is your only ingredient
If you turn the heat up too high, the skins will burn before the fat finishes rendering out, leaving them chewy and greasy instead of crisp.
- heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet
- tongs
- wire cooling rack
What goes in.
- 8-10raw chicken skins, trimmed of excess meat
- to tasteflaky sea salt
Render, don't fry
Place the skins in a cold skillet before turning on the burner. This forces the fat to liquefy gradually as the metal warms, ensuring an even crunch without scorching the edges.
The method.
Prepare the skins
Lay the chicken skins flat on a cutting board and trim away any thick clumps of attached meat or gristle. A clean skin renders more efficiently.
Begin the render
Arrange the skins in a single layer in a cold cast iron skillet. Set the burner to medium-low heat.
Monitor the melt
As the skins shrink and the white fat turns into clear liquid, use tongs to move them around occasionally. Once they are submerged in their own fat, let them bubble steadily.
The golden finish
When the skins turn a deep, uniform bronze, remove them immediately. They will continue to darken slightly from residual heat once they hit the rack.
Drain and season
Transfer the cracklings to a wire rack to drain for two minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt while they are still hot so the crystals adhere to the surface.
Other turns to take.
Spice-dusted
Toss the finished cracklings in smoked paprika or dried chili flakes while the oil is still warm.
Citrus-zest
Finish with a fine grating of fresh lime zest to cut through the richness of the rendered fat.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Keep the rendered liquid fat in a jar in your fridge; it is superior to butter for roasting potatoes.
If the skins clump together, use your tongs to pull them apart so every surface makes contact with the pan.
Don't crowd the pan; if necessary, render in two batches to ensure even crisping.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I store leftovers?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will lose their crispness after 24 hours, but a quick two-minute toast in a hot oven will revive them.
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