Techniques
How to cook crispy chicken thighs in a stainless steel pan
The short answer: dry the skin well, lay the thighs skin-side down in the pan and leave them alone for 12 to 15 minutes over a medium heat until the skin is deep golden and releases on its own. Turn them, then finish in a 200°C oven for 8 to 12 minutes, until the thickest part reaches 75°C. Rest for 5 minutes and make a sauce in the pan while you wait.
You will need (serves 2)
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 600 to 700g
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, plus pepper
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- A 26cm or 28cm oven-safe stainless steel frying pan
- A probe thermometer, if you have one
Prepare the skin
Crispness is mostly about water. Pat the thighs very dry with kitchen paper. If you have time, salt them and leave them uncovered on a plate in the fridge for an hour or overnight: the salt seasons the meat and the cold air dries the skin. This is the same dry-brining idea as in how to tenderise your steak. Take them out 20 minutes before cooking.
Cold start or hot start?
Both work. They suit slightly different cooks.
| Cold start | Hot start | |
|---|---|---|
| How | Thighs skin-side down in a cold pan with 1 tsp oil, then turn the heat to medium | Preheat the pan for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, add oil, then the thighs |
| What happens | Fat renders slowly as the pan warms, so the skin crisps evenly and thinly with very little spitting | Instant sizzle, quicker colour; the skin releases cleanly once browned |
| Best for | Thicker, fattier skin; anyone new to stainless steel | When you want it done a few minutes faster |
A cold start works in stainless steel because chicken skin carries its own fat, and as it renders, that fat fries the skin. A protein that does not release fat, such as a lean fillet or an egg, wants a hot start. Either way, the rule is the same: do not move the chicken until it lets go.
The method
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
Lay the thighs skin-side down, with a little space between each, and press each one flat for a few seconds with a spatula so all the skin touches the pan.
Render for 12 to 15 minutes over a medium heat. You want a steady sizzle, not a fierce crackle. If the fat starts to smoke, turn it down a notch. Pour off excess fat halfway through if it builds up, keeping it for roast potatoes.
Check the release. When the skin is deep golden and crisp, it will lift away from the pan easily. If it clings, give it another 2 minutes.
Turn skin-side up and move the pan to the oven for 8 to 12 minutes.
Check it is cooked: 75°C in the thickest part, next to the bone but not touching it. Without a thermometer, pierce the thickest part: the juices should run clear, with no pink.
Rest skin-side up on a board or warm plate for 5 minutes. Do not cover it, or the skin softens.
Remember the handle has been in the oven. Use dry oven gloves.
Make a pan sauce while it rests
Pour off all but a teaspoon of fat. Over a medium heat, soften a chopped shallot for a minute, deglaze with 100ml of white wine or chicken stock, scraping up the brown bits, reduce by half, then off the heat whisk in 20g of cold butter and a squeeze of lemon. A spoonful of Dijon mustard and a splash of cream turns it into a mustard sauce. Full method and variations in how to make a pan sauce.
The pan for it
Crispy skin needs even heat across the whole base, or the thighs at the edge stay flabby while the middle burns. The Season Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Frying Pan, £50 to £75, is stainless steel bonded around an aluminium core that runs up the sides, so heat spreads evenly and nothing catches at the edges. It goes from hob to oven, oven safe to 240°C, works on all hobs including induction, and has a 10 year warranty. The 26cm (18cm flat base) takes four thighs; the 28cm takes six. For more on sizes see what size frying pan do I need? Same pan, different meat: how to cook steak in a stainless steel pan.
Questions people ask
Why is my chicken skin sticking to the pan? It has not finished browning. Leave it another couple of minutes and it will release by itself.
Can I cook chicken thighs entirely on the hob? Yes. After rendering the skin, turn them and cook over a low to medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes until they reach 75°C. The oven is gentler and more even.
Do boneless thighs work? Yes. Render the skin for 8 to 10 minutes, turn, and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes on the hob. They usually do not need the oven.
Should I oil the pan for a cold start? A teaspoon helps the first minutes before the chicken fat renders. After that, the chicken supplies its own.
How do I stop the fat spitting? Keep the heat at medium, dry the skin well, and pour off fat as it builds up.
Cook it with
Cook like it matters.
From the cooks at Season, a London cookshop since 2005.