Chicken Skin Crisps

​What we in the US call “potato chips” are called “crisps” in England.  This recipe turns chicken skin into some of the best “crisps” you’ve ever tasted.

Sometimes I take a short-cut and buy a rotisserie chicken for dinner.  There’s no shame in it.  Even fancy chefs tout the convenience and economy of rotisserie chicken.  Here’s the deal, though.  The skin on the rotisserie chicken is almost never crispy.  Sometimes it is chewy, and sometimes it is downright flabby.  Don’t despair!  I have a great solution that will have you crunching on chicken skin in mere minutes.  And by the way, you can use this method on home-cooked chicken skin too.

Ingredients

Chicken skin (already cooked)
Butter
Salt

When I buy a rotisserie chicken, the first thing I do is cut it into six or eight pieces (typical servings of breast, thigh, leg, wing).  I put the chicken on a sheet tray and prepare to warm it for dinner.

BUT… before I warm the chicken, I carefully remove the skin from the breasts and thighs.  I try to get long sheets of skin, but if it tears, that’s okay.  Take off as much of the chicken skin as you can and put it on a paper towel to absorb any excess grease.

Prepare the chicken meat (breasts, thighs, etc.) according to your meal plan.  In the meantime, let’s get to the fun part.

In a skillet (I use non-stick), melt 2 tablespoons of butter (more if you’re using more than one chicken) over medium to medium-high heat.  Let the butter begin to bubble, and then lay the chicken skin in the butter with the outside surface of the skin against the bottom of the pan.  Let it sizzle for a minute, then flip, then repeat until you have a crispy chicken skin chip.  Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel, and sprinkle with a delicious finishing salt like Maldon, or even kosher salt will do.  Serve with your chicken.

This is the chip – or crisp – that will take your rotisserie chicken dinner from expedient to exciting.  You will have to ration the crisps if you are serving a big family… or buy two chickens!  Double the skin!  Make every part, especially the most delicious part of the chicken, count.

May 1, 2018