For anyone who loves crunchy snacks, these crispy fried chicken skins are a summer must—especially during BBQ season. They resemble chicken chicharrónes but are lighter in calories, and they’ve started appearing on appetizer menus at restaurants. I recently spotted them on an island menu, which shows this humble family snack is becoming more mainstream.
I usually cook Chinese-style dishes with chicken thighs. Boneless, skinless thighs aren’t worth the extra cost for me, so I buy bone-in, skin-on thighs. I de-bone the thighs, save the bones for stock, and collect the skins in a freezer bag until I have enough to make a batch of cracklings for a snack or party.
Tips for making crispy chicken crackling
Collect and store the chicken skins
Save chicken skins in a freezer bag and keep topping it up each time you remove the skin for a recipe. They accumulate faster than you expect. When you have a sufficient quantity, you can make a crisp batch for guests. For health reasons, enjoy these as an occasional treat—each ounce (28 g) of cracklings is roughly 90 calories. When the skins are frozen, thaw them in a colander so any excess water drains away; drier skins crisp better.
Seasoning the chicken skins
Like potato chips, chicken cracklings take well to many seasonings. A savory dry rub works beautifully. Sprinkle the rub evenly on both sides of each skin for balanced flavor. To do this easily, lay each skin flat on a cutting board or plate and season both sides. Once seasoned, stack the skins so they stay flat and are ready for cooking.
Season each chicken skin individually to ensure every piece gets good coverage. Stack the seasoned skins to keep them flat and ready for the hot surface.
Cooking the cracklings
Chicken skin contains a lot of fat. The key to crisp texture is to allow that fat to render and drain away so the skin dries and crisps rather than stews in its oil. Cook the skins on a hot, dry surface and periodically pour away the rendered fat into an empty can or heatproof container. The rendered fat, known as schmaltz, can be saved and used as a flavorful cooking fat in other recipes.
Avoid placing the skins directly on an open grill grate where they can stick or fall through. If using a barbecue, place a metal plate or sheet on the grate at a slight angle so rendered fat drains into a container. On a stovetop or electric griddle, preheat the surface to medium-high heat. Place the skins flat onto the hot surface; they will immediately shrink and crisp. Cook in batches without overcrowding so each piece gets direct contact with the heat and becomes evenly crisp.
Finishing and serving
Once both sides are deeply golden and crisp, transfer the cracklings to paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve immediately for the best texture. These cracklings are delicious plain with a squeeze of lime, served as an appetizer with a dipping sauce, or diced and sprinkled over salads for added crunch. They also make a crunchy substitute for crackers—try them with dips such as a plain yogurt dip, raita-style yogurt dip, smoky eggplant dip, roasted red pepper hummus, or a warm buffalo-style dip. Whatever you pair them with, the contrast of crisp skin and savory seasoning is delightful.
EASY CRISPY CHICKEN CRACKLING
Don’t discard chicken skins—turn them into a versatile crunchy snack. Save the rendered fat (schmaltz) to use later as a flavorful cooking fat.
Ingredients
- Chicken skins (collected and thawed if frozen)
- Savory dry rub (salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, or your preferred blend)
Instructions
- Defrost chicken skins in a colander, allowing any water to drain so the skins are as dry as possible.
- Sprinkle both sides of each skin with a savory dry rub. Season every piece for even flavor.
- Stack the seasoned skins flat while you finish seasoning; this keeps them ready and prevents re-flattening during cooking.
- Let the seasoned skins rest for about 20 minutes so the rub adheres and any surface moisture evaporates slightly.
- Preheat a heavy pan, griddle, or hot plate to medium-high heat.
- Place skins flat on the hot surface in a single layer. Cook without overcrowding so heat reaches each piece.
- When the underside is crisp and golden, flip each piece and cook the other side until uniformly crisp.
- As fat renders, carefully pour excess oil into a used can or heatproof container to keep the cooking surface dry.
- Transfer cooked cracklings to paper towels to blot any remaining oil.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce or use as a crunchy topping for salads and dishes.
These cracklings are best eaten fresh, but you can store cooled pieces in an airtight container for a short time—re-crisp them briefly in a hot oven before serving. If you try this recipe, experiment with different seasonings and dipping sauces to discover new flavor combinations.
