Crispy Oven Roasted Chicken Skins (Cracklings)

Crispy Oven Roasted Chicken Skins (Cracklings)

This crispy oven roasted chicken skin (AKA chicken skin cracklings) recipe makes a fast and easy snack. Oven bake chicken skin at 450F ~ 10 minutes.

6 crispy roasted chicken thigh and leg skins on a small rectangle wood cutting board with an orange square small serving dish of hot sauce.

Roasted crispy chicken skin / cracklings are a simple flavorful snack that's finger lickin' good. They are better and crispier when eaten right away but can be rewarmed at 300F in the oven ~ 6-8 minutes to try and get them crispy again.

What do you do with the leftover chicken skin from a recipe that doesn't use it?

Never throw away chicken skin! It's so tasty when crisped up and baked in the oven.

The drier the chicken skin, the more crispy the chicken skin cracklings will be.  Take the skin off the meat by pulling with a thick paper towel.  Pat the skin dry or put in refrigerator for an hour if you have time. Refrigerating the chicken skin will help dry it out.

Thigh and breast skin are the largest pieces and lay the flattest.  Drumstick chicken skin is smaller so there's not a lot of yield compared to the breast or thigh. Drum chicken skin is also thicker because of the way it is pulled off so may take a minute or two more baked in the oven.

Chicken skins shrink when cooked so season conservatively with salt, pepper, and any other spices. Other spices that would be delicious on crispy chicken skins are cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, thyme, and rosemary. Any spice (curry powder is also delicious) will work, just don't put too much on.

Raw Chicken Skin (Thighs and Drumsticks) on a baking sheet. Half of baking sheet is lined with aluminum foil.
Cook the chicken skins on a baking sheet. If cooking unlined the time will be less in the oven ~8-10 minutes total. If cooked on an aluminum lined baking sheet the time will increase to 12- 15 minutes total.

What Temperature do I Bake Crispy Cracklings At?

Everybody's oven is different! Some cook hotter or colder than others. Some bake better or hotter in the front or back or on the right or left sides.

Get to know your oven and rotate the pan if needed or reduce or increase the temperature if oven recipes consistently don't get desired results.

How To Make Chicken Skins in The Oven:

  • Pre-heat oven to 450F.
  • Dry the chicken skin on the chicken with paper towels.
  • Pull off the chicken skin from the breast, thigh, or drum with a paper towel.
  • Lay on an aluminum lined baking sheet and bake chicken skins in the oven for ~10-15 minutes at 450F.
Crispy browned chicken skins on a plate lined with white paper towels.
Place crispy cooked chicken skins (cracklings) on a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess grease.

Crispy Chicken Skin / Baked Chicken Cracklings FAQS:

Are cracklings the same as chicken skin?

YUP. Same thing, different name. Both crispy too 🙂

Can I use the schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) that's leftover from baking the chicken skins?

Yup! The chicken skins cook in their own fat and there will be leftover fat on the pan. Save it in a jar and place in the refrigerator or immediately throw some veggies on the sheet pan and roast them in the fat and chicken fond (little bits and pieces).

Do I cook the chicken skin on a lined or an unlined sheet pan?

Cooking chicken skin directly on the sheet pan (no aluminum foil) will make it easier to remove the chicken skin from the pan. It will also cook quicker. 

If you cook chicken skin on an unlined sheet pan, check chicken skins at ~9-10 minutes as they will be done faster. I prefer this method but aluminum foil is easier clean up.

6 crispy roasted chicken thigh and leg skins on a small rectangle wood cutting board with an orange square small serving dish of hot sauce.
Serve with hot sauce!

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Crispy Roasted Chicken Skins (Cracklings)

6 crispy roasted chicken thigh and leg skins on a small rectangle wood cutting board with an orange square small serving dish of hot sauce.
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EatSimpleFood.com

This oven roasted chicken skin (AKA cracklings) recipe makes a great snack and you also have no waste when you're using the meat for a different recipe.

  • Author: beckie
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 (2 each)
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: International
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

  • 8 chicken thigh, drum, or breast skins
  • salt
  • black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean up).
  • Pat dry the chicken and lay flat on the foil.  Lightly salt and pepper the chicken skins. 
  • Bake chicken skins for ~ 13-16 minutes or until crispy.  10 minutes may work for thighs, drums may be 12 minutes, breasts may be 16 minutes.
  • Lay on paper towels to soak up the grease (or a drying rack) and cool down.  Happy snackin'!  Beckie

Notes

  • Cooking chicken skin directly on the sheet pan (no aluminum foil) will make it easier to remove from the pan. It will also cook quicker.  If you cook chicken skin on an unlined sheet pan, check chicken skins at ~9-10 minutes as they will be done faster. I prefer this method but aluminum foil is easier clean up.

Keywords: Roast Chicken Skins, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Keto, Paleo, Whole 30, Snack, Low Carb

The post Crispy Oven Roasted Chicken Skins (Cracklings) appeared first on Eat Simple Food.

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