If You're Looking For The Crispiest Chicken Skin Ever, Lose The Pan Lid Now

When it comes to chicken, we all have our preferences but there's one thing many of us can agree on: The skin is always the star of the show. Aside from holding all the delicious spices and seasonings, when it's cooked just right it crispens up and becomes groan-worthy with every bite. Getting that perfect crunch at home, though, can be tricky. If your roasted chicken isn't crisping up as it should, you might be making the mistake of keeping the lid on the pan while you're cooking.

It might seem counterintuitive, but covering the pan can actually work against you when you're aiming for crispy chicken skin. When you close the pan, you're essentially creating a steam room for the chicken to cook in. This can be great for some dishes, but it's definitely not ideal if you like your chicken extra crispy — all that steam is going to turn the skin soggy and mushy. The next time you're cooking chicken, try leaving the lid off. You'll be surprised at how much of a difference this small change can make.

Need a little bit more convincing? Let's take a quick look at the science behind crispy chicken skin. When you initially place chicken into a hot pan, the skin begins to render its fat and any residual moisture starts to evaporate. As more and more water evaporates from the skin's surface, the chicken's exterior undergoes a process called the Maillard reaction. This is ultimately what produces that irresistible golden-brown color and rich flavor we all love in a plate of homemade chicken.

You've probably noticed that water repeatedly evaporates from the chicken throughout the process. It's a critical part of the crispening process; in order for the Maillard reaction to play out right, the skin has to be moisture-free. This is exactly why you shouldn't keep the lid on if you're aiming for a crispy exterior. Covering the pan will lock in all the moisture released from the chicken and other ingredients. So long as there's still moisture around it, the chicken won't be able to crispen up at all. Your best bet is to release the steam by taking the lid off and allowing the chicken to cook uninterrupted in the dry heat.

Removing the lid while you're cooking chicken in a cast iron skillet is just one of the many tricks you can use to improve crispiness. Before you put it into the pan to cook, always make sure the chicken is as dry as possible by patting it down with paper towels to prevent excess moisture from interfering with the crispening process.

Additionally, if you shop for packaged chicken, you'll notice the meat isn't always neatly packed and the skin can be either bunched up or hang from the meat. If you cook the chicken as is, you may get poor results because it won't be able to cook evenly. Take a bit of time to make sure the skin is straight and taut on the meat, and if there's any patch that refuses to cooperate, don't be afraid to trim it off.

Once your chicken hits the pan, resist the urge to fiddle with it. Let it sizzle undisturbed for about five minutes. During this time the exterior crispiness develops — you don't want to disturb it by flipping the meat. Follow these steps and, of course, keep the lid off, and your chicken should come off the heat crunchy every time!