Chicken Skin Chicharon

3.50 from 2 votes

Chicken Skin Chicharon is easy to make at home and seriously addictive. It's crispy, tasty, and delicious as a snack or appetizer. And keto-friendly, too!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Filipino

Servings: servings

Calories: 617kcal

Author: Lalaine Manalo

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken skin
1 cup water
¼ cup vinegar
4 cloves garlic, peeled and pounded
½ teaspoon peppercorns, cracked
1 teaspoon salt
lard or canola oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a pot over medium heat, combine chicken skin, water, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, and salt. Bring to a boil.
Lower heat and continue to cook until skins render fat and are softened but not falling apart.
With a slotted spoon, remove the skins from the pot. Remove any stray peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves, and discard.
Arrange skins in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator, uncovered, for about 1 hour or until completely cold.
Using a spoon, gently scrape away any subcutaneous fat. Cut into about 4-inch pieces.
In a 180 F oven, bake skins for about 2 to 3 hours or until dry with just a bit of flexibility.
In a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, heat about 3-inches deep of lard or canola oil to 350 to 375 F.
Add chicken skins and deep-fry until they begin to puff and start to float. Do not overcrowd pan and cook in batches as needed.
With a slotted spoon, remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Serve with spiced vinegar.

Notes

As an alternate method, you can dry the chicken skins in the refrigerator instead of in the oven. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
Lard is one of the best oils for deep-frying with a 375 F smoke point. If you prefer not to use lard, substitute with other high smoke point oils such as canola, safflower, or grapeseed oil.

Nutrition