What is the real secret to crispy chicken skin?

[Bakemehappy]

I am desperate to know. I had tried some advice from friends and blogs online but none of them seemed to work. I want to achieve that crispy crackly texture of the skin. I tried leaving them on the oven hanging for hours, salting, brining,steaming, is there anything that I can still do to make my chicken skin a hit?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

@Berties this could be one for you.
But I believe that you need to pull the chicken out part way through cooking, coat the skin with an oil (or butter) and put it back in for an hour or so?

 

[Morning Glory]

I am desperate to know. I had tried some advice from friends and blogs online but none of them seemed to work. I want to achieve that crispy crackly texture of the skin. I tried leaving them on the oven hanging for hours, salting, brining,steaming, is there anything that I can still do to make my chicken skin a hit?

Do you mean chicken skin on its own or chicken skin on the chicken?

 

[Diane Lane]

I'm interested to hear, as well. I believe she probably means on the chicken, or at least that's what I'm interested in hearing about. I love crispy fried chicken, but have never been able to perfect it.

 

[Morning Glory]

I'm interested to hear, as well. I believe she probably means on the chicken, or at least that's what I'm interested in hearing about. I love crispy fried chicken, but have never been able to perfect it.

I think @Bakemehappy probably does mean 'skin on', but there has been a trend for serving the skin separately. Because crackling was mentioned, I thought that might be the case. I could answer that! But I don't have a good technique for getting crispy 'on the chicken' skin. Please help @Berties.

 

[Corzhens]

I really cannot say what secret it is but our chicken has always the crunchy skin. When fyring chicken, we set it on low fire but when the chicken had turned brown, we would increase the fire for 2 minutes before the harvesting. When grilling chicken, it is natural for the skin to be crisp when the fire is in medium and the grilling is done until the skin is brown. I also like the chicken skin that is crisp to the bite, one of my favorites.

 

[winterybella]

Here's something I found online that left me open mouthed truthfully. Only yesterday I did some over fried chicken and it was crispy. I thought it had everything to do with me not covering it and leaving it in the oven for a little bit after I had turned it off. I actually thought it was crispy before that. Anyway, have a read of what a poster online had to on the same question.

"To be crispy, the skin has to start dry and stay dry. Patting it thoroughly with paper towels is a good start, but putting the bird in front of a fan for an hour will really do the trick. If you can hang it from a hook so the juices can drip out and the carcass can rotate freely in front of the fan, even better.

A sprinkling of kosher salt will tend to bring moisture to the surface, where the heat of the oven will evaporate it. And getting some separation from the meat from will also enhance crispiness. Rubbing butter under the skin is an easy way to do this, but some cooks will actually use a bicycle pump or air compressor to inflate the skin, forcing it away from the meat.

In the oven, any temperature between 300 and 450 can give you nicely crispy skin. But you have to make sure that there's nothing preventing air circulation. Use a shallow roasting pan and a rack that holds the chicken above the edge of pan. Start the chicken face-down, and flip it over about a third of the way through the cooking process.

Roasting a chicken isn't brain surgery. Follow a few simple rules, be willing to engage in trial and error, and you should have it down fairly soon. Good luck." I find this more than interesting.

 

[Berties]

the quality of the chicken is the first an air dried bird hand plucked non supermarket special will give the best results,
before starting pat any condensation with a paper towel, obviously i would not wash bird!
part the skin with your hand on the breasts and insert duck fat under the skin ,as butter contains water and we are trying to avoid this ,
nice seasoning of salt crystals and pepper and place on a wire rack 400 f till cooked,i use a
crispy chicken skin shards are a trendy snack at the moment and have seen cylinders made from skin for garnish

 

[Morning Glory]

i use a
crispy chicken skin shards are a trendy snack at the moment and have seen cylinders made from skin for garnish

Yes. That's why I wondered if the skin detached from the chicken was bing referred to. But I guess with your method it would work either way.

 

[Berties]

Yes. That's why I wondered if the skin detached from the chicken was bing referred to. But I guess with your method it would work either way.

Daniel clifford won main courses a few years ago on the great British menu competition with crispy chicken skin dish,he uses it quite a lot in dishes

 

[Morning Glory]

Daniel clifford won main courses a few years ago on the great British menu competition with crispy chicken skin dish,he uses it quite a lot in dishes

Oh yes, I remember. Daniel of Midsummer House. I'm often in Cambridge but haven't eaten there. Its very expensive. Some people I know in Cambridge have been there and actually weren't that impressed. But it could be that they weren't really into refined food.

 

[winterybella]

Daniel clifford won main courses a few years ago on the great British menu competition with crispy chicken skin dish,he uses it quite a lot in dishes

Berties is back and we have crispy chicken!!

 

[Berties]

Berties is back and we have crispy chicken!!

Had a holiday with dry poor internet on the island ,due to many tourists ,locals told me when they all go home they get their internet back,

 

[Bakemehappy]

and insert duck fat under the skin ,as butter contains water and we are trying to avoid this ,
nice seasoning of salt crystals and pepper and place on a wire rack 400 f till cooked,i use a
crispy chicken skin shards are a trendy snack at the moment and have seen cylinders made from skin for garnish

I think this is a helpful tip that I had never heard before. A duck fat instead of butter to give the skin some more crisp thanks for the tip @Beties.
Sorry for the confusion but I think it brought in more information to be learned as I was only going for the bird with skin on I did not realized that there is a trend now for chicken shards. I wish to hear more of the recipe

 

[Diane Lane]

the quality of the chicken is the first an air dried bird hand plucked non supermarket special will give the best results,
before starting pat any condensation with a paper towel, obviously i would not wash bird!
part the skin with your hand on the breasts and insert duck fat under the skin ,as butter contains water and we are trying to avoid this ,
nice seasoning of salt crystals and pepper and place on a wire rack 400 f till cooked,i use a
crispy chicken skin shards are a trendy snack at the moment and have seen cylinders made from skin for garnish

I do have some shortening, but no duck fat. @Berties instructions sound much more doable than the ones @winterybella found online, although they're somewhat similar. I definitely don't have room for any type of hook in my kitchen, other than cup hooks, and they're all full. For years here, the emphasis has been to take the skin off and discard it. To me, it's one of the best parts of the dish, so I'd never do that.