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crispy chicken skin

Crispy Chicken Skin in Minutes!

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Ingredients

  • Chicken skin, preferably large pieces, such as one from a whole chicken breast (with two sides) or from a leg-thigh combo.
  • Salt and pepper, or other seasoning of your choice

Ingredients and Kitchen Tools I Use


Instructions

In a small pot, bring about 1/2 inch of water to a boil. Add chicken skin and blanch for 15-20 seconds just until the skin is fully cooked. Remove and place on a piece of paper towel to absorb excess water.

Once the skin is cool enough to handle, pull off any big pieces of fat or meat that is attached to the skin. Pay particular attention to the edges of the skin, which is where thick chunks of fat like to live.

Transfer 2 pieces of chicken skin to another plate lined with 2 layers of paper towel, season with salt and pepper or any other seasoning you like. Cover loosely with 2 more layers of paper towel and microwave on full power for about 3 minutes or until golden and crispy (see "important tips" below). It will pop aggressively in the beginning; this is okay. If your chicken pieces are smaller it may take less than 3 minutes. You can tell it is done when the popping and spattering stops.

Remove from the microwave and let cool before eating. If there are corners that are still soft, you can try microwaving it a bit longer or just snip it off with scissors like I do!

IMPORTANT TIPS:

  • Every microwave is different, so the instructions above are for 1000-watt microwave. If yours has a lower wattage, you may need to do one piece at a time or microwave for a bit longer.
  • Do not microwave more than 2 (big) pieces of skin at once. You need intense heat in order to make the skin puff up and become light and crunchy. If you put too many in, the heat per-piece will be too low, and the skin will slowly crisp, which will cause them to be hard and dense. Trust me, I've done it!
  • If you have only 1 piece, you may only need to microwave it for less time—the best thing to do is listen for when the popping and spattering stops.
  • I suggest not putting a piece smack in the center of the plate because the center doesn't move around as the plate rotates, and it could burn more easily (like mine!).

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