Why Pinning The Skin Is A Game Changer For Crispy Chicken

If you've ever roasted, fried, or grilled chicken, only to find the skin sliding off the meat with a soggy, slimy texture, you're not alone. Getting perfect, golden crispy chicken skin is something of an art. To make achieving crispy skin easier, there's a simple yet effective trick: pinning down the skin. Whether you're cooking a whole bird or individual pieces, taking a few seconds to pin down the skin will dramatically improve your results and get you a satisfying, crispy bite.

Securing the skin matters. Chicken skin is composed of fat, water, and protein, and when heated, things can go south quickly. The water in the skin evaporates and the fat renders out, causing the skin to tighten and shrink. This is also why the chicken skin can turn soggy, as the shrinking skin creates creases, trapping the evaporated water and turning it into steam — the enemy of crispy skin. The result? Slimy chicken with bunched up patches of skin. 

By gently stretching the skin over the chicken and securing it in place using three or four toothpicks or small skewers per piece, you'll prevent shrinkage and sogginess. The fat is able to render uniformly, with the small holes providing a place for it to run into, making the skin even more crispy and infusing it with flavor. Also, not only will pinning the skin level up the taste and texture of your chicken, it will also dramatically improve its appearance as the prevented shrinkage allows the skin to brown uniformly. 

If you're not pinning down your skin, don't worry. There are still other ways to make sure you get golden, crispy skin. Another important but often overlooked step for crispy chicken skin is that the chicken must be dry. Leaving surface moisture is a major mistake with chicken thighs or any cut of the bird, as it inhibits the process of browning and crisping via the Maillard reaction (the reason meat changes color as it cooks). After taking your chicken out of the packaging, make sure to pat each part of the chicken dry with a paper towel (if you're roasting a whole chicken, also remember to dry inside the cavity). Remember, the drier the chicken, the crispier the skin.

Another important tip to remember is that perfect chicken skin takes time. When cooking chicken in a skillet, an easy but avoidable mistake people often make is moving the chicken around too soon. This may feel like the right thing to do, but "Top Chef" star Carla Hall advises letting your meat sear in peace to avoid the skin sticking to the pan. So, no matter how tempting it is to move around the chicken when searing it, if you truly want mouthwatering crispy skin, you're going to have to wait about five to seven minutes before you even think about touching it. Also, when searing chicken, it's always best to use a high heat to facilitate a quick Maillard reaction, and start skin down to let the fat render.