Getting Perfectly Crispy Chicken Skin with Baking Powder

Crispy chicken skin is one of life’s greatest culinary pleasures. When done right, it provides a delicious contrast of textures – a shatteringly crunchy exterior that gives way to moist, juicy meat underneath. But achieving that picture-perfect crispiness can be elusive. Many home cooks struggle to replicate the crackly skin of restaurant-quality roast chicken.

Fortunately there’s a simple kitchen trick to help you get there baking powder. This humble leavening agent is the secret to unlocking next-level crispy chicken skin. Here’s how it works and how much to use.

What Does Baking Powder Do?

Baking powder is a chemical leavener that produces carbon dioxide bubbles when it reacts with moisture and heat. This causes baked goods to rise. For chicken skin, the baking powder reacts with the natural moisture in the skin, creating tiny air pockets.

When the chicken is roasted, these air pockets expand, separating the skin from the meat below. This increased surface area allows for greater airflow and evaporation, which dries out and crisps up the skin beautifully.

Additionally, baking powder raises the skin’s pH, allowing proteins to break down more efficiently during cooking. The alkaline environment weakens peptide bonds, making the proteins curl up tighter, squeezing out moisture, and resulting in extra crunch.

How Much Baking Powder for Chicken Skin?

The ideal ratio for crispy chicken skin is 1 teaspoon of baking powder combined with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. This quantity is sufficient to coat a 3 to 4 pound whole chicken or equivalent pieces.

For a spatchcocked bird or just chicken thighs or drumsticks, use 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 2 teaspoons salt. Adjust amounts accordingly for larger or smaller quantities of chicken.

Too much baking powder can give the skin an unpleasantly bitter taste. The 1 teaspoon per 1 tablespoon salt ratio provides ample crisping power without negatively impacting flavor.

Applying Baking Powder and Salt

Making baked chicken with crispy skin using baking powder is simple:

1. Combine 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add black pepper or other spices as desired.

2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Make sure the skin is as dry as possible.

3. Use your fingers to gently work the baking powder-salt mixture under the skin, covering all areas evenly.

4. Let the chicken rest uncovered in the fridge for at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours. This dry brining process draws out moisture.

5. Roast the chicken according to your preferred recipe, at 350°F to 375°F, until fully cooked.

The resting time is crucial, as the baking powder and salt need sufficient contact with the skin to effectively dehydrate it. Rushing this step leads to disappointingly flabby skin.

Crispy Chicken Skin Success Tips

A few additional pointers will help you achieve the crispiest results:

• Avoid washing raw chicken, which can make the skin soggy. Just pat it thoroughly dry.

• Let the chicken air dry in the fridge uncovered on a wire rack over a baking sheet. This improves air circulation and evaporation.

• Start with room temperature chicken, not straight from the fridge. Cold skin doesn’t crisp up as well.

• Roast the chicken on a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Elevating it allows air to circulate all around.

• Crank up the heat towards the end to 400°F or higher for 5-10 minutes. This helps render excess fat and finalize crisping.

• Resist the urge to baste or brush the chicken with pan juices. Keeping the skin dry is key.

More Uses for Crispy Skin Baking Powder

While roast chicken is the most popular application, baking powder can be used to get deliciously crispy skin on other poultry as well. Try it on:

• Turkey, especially just the legs and wings
• Duck or goose
• Chicken wings or drumsticks

The technique also works great for pork. Sprinkle a baking powder-salt rub on pork belly, pork chops, or roast pork shoulder.

For an extra flavor boost, infuse dried spices, fresh herbs, citrus zest, or garlic into the baking powder-salt mixture. Get creative and enjoy your newfound crispy chicken skin prowess!