You can get crispy skin on chicken w/o frying and w/o waiting a day

last year

last modified: last year

This trick does what I thought an air-fryer would do - gives you crisp skin with frying. I only recently found that, despite all the instructions I have read, you don't need to start cooking a day in advance for this to work.

I am talking about using a mixture of salt and baking powder (3:1) on chicken skin, to make the skin on baked chicken as crispy as fried chicken.

I first learned about this when I made wings in fig balsamic glaze last month for cooking club. I had never made wings before. I followed these instructions to crisp the skin:

Simply combine one part baking powder with three to four parts kosher salt (about a teaspoon of baking powder per tablespoon of kosher salt will work), add some black pepper to taste, then sprinkle it evenly over the surface of the skin. Then—and this is key—let it rest, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. This resting period doesn't just give the baking powder time to form all those little bubbles; it also lets the salt do its thing, dry-brining the meat for more intensely flavored, better-seasoned results

So... Friday I was making a version of pernil with chicken thighs, and they were soaked in a marinade and then cooked at 425F. I decided to soak only the bottom (meaty side) in marinade, and leave the top dry. Then I spread the 3:1 salt and baking powder mixture over the skin and left them rest in the fridge uncovered. But I only had 40 minutes because it was for dinner that night.... would it do anything at all?

Answer- amazingly, they got very crisp! I finished them under the broiler for a little browning. Delish. The dish called for removing the meat from the chicken, shredding it, and pouring the pan juices over it and garnishing it with cilantro and lime. There was no info about what to do with the skin, but since mine was so crispy, i sliced it and used it like garnish, YUM

Chicken skin is a treat, but now that I know how easy (and quickly) this works, I may do it more often.

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nekotish

last year

I have tried that for wings and was astounded at how crisp they were.

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bbstx
last year
Mtn, chicken skin tacos? https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/crispy_chicken_skin_tacos_with_habanero_salsa/
mtnrdredux_gw thanked bbstx
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Kswl
last year
There is an informative segment on youtube on the ATK chanel that explains the magic of baking soda — which is the ingredient in baking powder that allows the skin to crisp. Adding it to rice or beans and other foods hastens their cooking time.
mtnrdredux_gw thanked Kswl
OutsidePlaying
last year
Thanks for the reminder about using baking soda. I forget it’s man6 uses, especially this one which is so useful. Your chicken pernil sounds delicious.
mtnrdredux_gw thanked OutsidePlaying
sheesh
last year
Delicious. We dry brine all poultry-turkeys, whole chickens, parts. Always worth the planning time. Anticipation! Sauces and gravies come together quickly while the meats rest. Perfection Perfection.
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
last year
Yes, but my main point is you don't need to wait 12-14 hours. I let it rest in the fridge 40 minutes!
Lyban zone 4
last year
Now i am confused, is it baking powder or baking soda.

i just put 4 pieces of chiclken in fridge prepared with the salt and powder, now wondering if ishould go add some soda.
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
last year
no no no

Baking pwoder

Baking soda can give it a metallic taste
Lyban zone 4
last year
Ok, thanks thanks. i am all set then.
mtnrdredux_gw thanked Lyban zone 4
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
last year
Hope it works well for you!
Kswl
last year
last modified: last year
Baking powder contains baking soda, cornstarch, and cream of tartar.

Using baking powder, as in Mtn‘s chicken recipe, does protect against the metallic taste and gives the added benefits of a chemical reaction between the soda and cream of tartar. The cornstarch is a buffer / substrate.
User
last year
yes, this is how my husband makes wings. we don't even add sauce or anything, it's so delicious all on its own!

@Kswl I have a huge crush on Dan Souza.
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
last year
A lot of places I read specifically say do NOT use baking soda, but you probably could if it were mixed with a lot of other seasonings and evenly distributed and not too much.

Seattle, how long does he let them rest? Until I tried it, I thought it had to rest 12-24 hours to give the reactions time to work.
User
last year
@mtnrdredux_gw he lets them rest overnight, so it is a slow method but worth it.
Kswl
last year
Seattleatthe— me too, he is the perfect mix of cute and geeky.…..my type 🙂
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
last year
Just sayin;, you may not have to.
User
last year
@mtnrdredux_gw -- interesting! maybe he'll try that in a pinch.

@Kswl did you know Dan told stories on the Moth a couple of times? they were weird and really funny.
Bunny
last year
He's adorable.
Judi
last year
I tried that method using Smitten Kitchen's baked buffalo wings recipe.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2019/01/baked-buffalo-wings/

I roast thighs in the toaster oven. The skin is always crispy.
mtnrdredux_gw thanked Judi
Bunny
last year
I have always baked chicken wings. Doesn't the salt and baking powder make the wings really salty, since they have a high skin to meat ratio?
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
last year
No, it shouldn't make it too salty. You put as little as possible on, just a very fine coating.
Kswl
last year
Seattle, i did not know that sbout Dan. Another checkmark for him!
User
last year
Just sayin;, you may not have to.

good to know! I brought it up with him last night. he said he didn't know that but might try it if he's in a hurry. he prefers the overnight method so the skin can dry out more, which helps it get even crispier.

Doesn't the salt and baking powder make the wings really salty

they're a little salty, in a good way. not overly so.
sheesh
last year
Well, here goes nuthin’. Isn’t poultry skin always crispy when baked in a hot oven? Mine is. I can see that adding baking powder and a quick dry could change things but a dry brine changes the skin to a crispness, lightness, tastiness that is distinct to dry brining. YMMV.

I’m not a very fussy cook. I love quick and easy, but also long roasts and simmers. I could never work in a tv kitchen and do the fussy cutting and detail work with only unusual and top quality ingredients they do. For me it’s isn’t usually necessary. Dry brining usually is, though I certainly pan fry plenty of chicken parts without it.

You can get crispy skin on chicken w/o frying and w/o waiting a day

nekotish

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You can get crispy skin on chicken w/o frying and w/o waiting a day

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