My Lazy, Rule-Breaking Trick for the Crispiest Chicken Thighs (It’s So Easy, It’s Magic!)
I’m forever a chicken thigh gal. Chicken breasts are rarely in my fridge or freezer, and I almost never have the patience to roast a whole bird. Thighs are more flavorful and juicy, and oftentimes more budget-conscious. My absolute fave is bone-in, skin-on.
My go-to method for cooking bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs used to always begin by searing the chicken thighs in a very hot skillet. What happened next would depend on what I was making. Sometimes it would braise for a bit on the stovetop in some sort of sauce, or I might throw it in the oven to finish cooking. But the first step was always the same: Sear in a hot skillet. It’s necessary for extra crispy skin (i.e., the best part), right?
WRONG. Two years ago my mind was blown when Cubby’s Editor-in-Chief, Faith Durand, swore to me that this method was not just unnecessary, but less than superior. She swore by the cold start method. I tried it immediately, and I’ve never gone back.
What Is the Cold-Start Method?
It’s pretty simple. Instead of pre-heating your pan to sear chicken (or there’s a slightly different cold-start method for steak!), you’ll add the chicken thighs skin-side-down to a cold cast iron skillet. And when I say “cold,” I actually mean room temperature — you don’t need to actually chill the pan before you start! Put the skillet over medium heat and let it cook until the fat renders quite a bit and the skin is crispy and brown. This can take about 15 minutes.
Once the skin is a gorgeous shade of golden, flip the chicken thighs and finish it in a 400°F oven until cooked through, another 15 minutes or so.
What Makes the Cold-Start Method So Good?
I can already hear the haters. Because really, you’re not saving much time. But I hold firmly that it’s easier because of how hands-off it is. No under- or over-heating your pan. When you add the chicken from the get go, the fat renders out from the skin more gently and evenly, making it less likely for the skin to burn or the meat to overcook. There’s also no need for any oil, which means there’s a bit less splatter.
I first tried the method by way of these lemon thyme chicken thighs. (The picture doesn’t do the skin justice — mine always looks way crispier!) But now I don’t even bother with a recipe — 15 minutes in the “cold” pan, and 15 minutes in the oven are all you really need to know.
This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: My Rule-Breaking Cooking Trick for the Most Delicious Chicken Thighs (It’s So Easy, It’s Magic!)
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