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How to make crispy chicken skin

13 October 2017

Learn how to make crispy chicken skin with our helpful video guide.

How to make crispy chicken skin

Learn how to make crispy chicken skin with our helpful video guide.

There’s nothing quite like chicken skin. It’s arguably the best bit of any chicken dinner, so why not make it the star of the dish instead of the bonus by-product. Crisping up in the oven doesn’t take long to do and the resulting crispy morsels are super versatile; crumble over fish or seafood, whip through butter or use them to make delicious canapés for your next party.

Ask your butchers for a bag of chicken skins – if you’re lucky, they might give you them for free. Alternatively, remove them yourself from large, good quality thighs. The quality is important, as the lower the fat content, the less shrinkage you will get. Use the leftover thigh meat in curry or stew, or cook them confit and shred the meat for a rich pie filling.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

1
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
2
Using a small, sharp knife, lay the skins skin-side down and scrape off any excess fat and remaining meat. You should be left with just the thin skin
3
Lay the skins stretched out flat on a greaseproof-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt
4
Lay a second sheet of greaseproof paper over the skins then weigh down with another tray
5
Place in the oven for 10–15 minutes, after which time they should be golden brown and crisp. Be careful not to let them colour too much or they will taste bitter
6
Save the chicken fat gathered on the tray to whisk into butter. Place the skins on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt
7
Store in airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 5 days (they can be kept out of the fridge)
8
If you're looking for a quick snack, break the skins up into bite-sized pieces and serve with a bowl of hot sauce

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