Chicken skin is growing in popularity for its crispy, fatty, umami-rich appeal. Once discarded as waste, chefs now prize this ingredient for making chicharrónes, schmaltz, confit, and other dishes. Home cooks are also discovering new uses for chicken skins, from adding crunch to salads to infusing flavor into stocks and sauces. But where can you buy chicken skin if you want to experiment with this versatile ingredient? Here are some of the best places to source quality chicken skins.

Specialty Butcher Shops

Your local specialty butcher shop is a great starting point when looking to buy chicken skin. Many butchers stock fresh chicken skin by the pound since they process whole chickens on-site. High-end butchers focus on sourcing high-quality chickens from local farms, so the skins will have even more flavor. The benefit of buying from a butcher is you can specify how much skin you want – some recipes may only call for a few ounces. Butchers can also give advice on the best preparation methods. The downside is chicken skins are often one of the more expensive cuts Expect to pay $150/lb or more for high-quality skin.

Good butchers to check with for chicken skins include:

• Mad Butcher Meat Co. – Sacramento, CA butcher selling 40 lb cases of chicken skin for $50. Great for large batch cooking.

• KK Meat Co – Online butcher selling chicken skins for $15/lb. You can order as little as 2 lbs.

• D’Artagnan – This national gourmet meat supplier sells chicken skins by the 1 lb bag for around $8. High-end, free range chicken.

Asian Supermarkets

Asian grocery stores often stock an assortment of chicken parts, including skin-on chicken feet, heads, and necks. For example, you can sometimes find packages of chicken feet for around $1.99/lb that include skin attached. The skin has a very concentrated gelatin and collagen content from being attached to the feet and joints. Asian markets also sell bags of whole chicken skin for making crispy skin or rendering into schmaltz. Prices are very reasonable compared to butchers. The only catch is the chickens are not usually locally sourced.

Some good Asian supermarkets to find chicken skins include

• 99 Ranch Market – This California chain carries chicken feet and whole chicken skins in the frozen meat section.

• H Mart – Chicken feet and assorted chicken parts can be found refrigerated or frozen. H Mart has locations along the East Coast and West Coast.

• Hong Kong Supermarket – In addition to chicken feet, some locations carry frozen bags of chicken skin. Popular in the Midwest and Texas.

Restaurant Suppliers

If you’re looking to buy chicken skins in larger bulk quantities (say 10+ lbs), then a restaurant food distributor is a good option. Food service packs of chicken skin run around $1/lb since it is considered an offcut. You can find even bigger bulk cases of 40+ lbs for maximizing savings. Just keep in mind storage space and the prep time needed to clean the skins.

Some suppliers to look into include:

• Webstaurant Store – Sells a 10 lb case of chicken skin for $16.95. Also has 40 lb and 80 lb options.

• Restaurant Depot – Chicken skin can be purchased by the case or in smaller 1-2 lb portions. Requires a business membership.

• US Foods – This national distributor has 5 lb packs of chicken skin for around $5/lb for bulk buyers.

Online Delivery Services

For quick and easy chicken skin delivery, check online grocery delivery services like Instacart or shopping apps. These let you order chicken skins and have them show up right at your doorstep without leaving home. Just type in “chicken skin” in the app search bar and see what pops up. The selection varies by region, but you can often find:

• Skin-on chicken thighs/drumsticks for pan frying into chicharrónes.

• Frozen bags of chicken skins ready to cook.

• Chicken feet that include ample skin.

It’s convenient but the prices per pound might be higher than other options. Paying a delivery fee also tacks on extra costs. Still, the broad reach of grocery delivery makes it easy to find chicken skins in a pinch.

Direct from a Chicken Processor

If you live near a chicken processing plant, you may be able to buy chicken skins direct from the source. Some large poultry suppliers sell cases of chicken skin to the public from their warehouses or have scratch-and-dent discounted products. This is essentially purchasing straight from the chicken processing line before the skin is removed and discarded. Going direct to the processor cuts out retail markups for big savings on bulk chicken skin.

The only catch is that finding a company willing to sell chicken skin direct to consumers can be challenging. Your best bet is to call local poultry processors and ask if they have a retail shop or public pricing for chicken skins and other offcuts. Developing a relationship with a processor is ideal for repeat purchases of ultra-fresh chicken skin.

Should You Make Your Own?

While buying chicken skin is convenient, you can also easily make your own at home. Whenever you cook bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, just trim off the skin before eating. Scrape off any excess fat, then store the skins in the freezer. Once you collect enough, use them for homemade chicken stock, schmaltz, dog treats, chicharrónes, or confit. You’ll save money and have control over the chicken’s quality.

The only downside to DIY chicken skin is that gathering enough for larger recipes takes time. Buying in bulk is quicker for big batches of chicken confit or stock. But making your own allows you to source from high-quality fresh chickens you cook with at home.

Tips for Prepping and Cooking Chicken Skin

Once you’ve sourced your chicken skins, proper prep and cooking are key to crispy, flavorful results. Here are some top tips:

Cleaning

Rinse skin under cold water and use a knife to scrape off any excess fat or tissue. Pat very dry with paper towels. The less moisture on the skin, the better it will crisp up. You can also soak the skins in cold water for 30 minutes to draw out impurities.

Scoring

Lightly score the skin side with a sharp knife in a crosshatch pattern. This helps the fat render and the skin cook evenly. Just don’t cut all the way through the skin.

Salting

Salt the skin generously and let sit for 30-60 minutes. Kosher salt or coarse sea salt works best – the large grains really crisp up the skin. Salting removes moisture and seasons the skin.

Low and Slow

Fry or roast the skin low and slow, around 300°F. High heat causes the fat to burn rather than render out. Gentle heat allows the collagen to break down slowly so the skin gets ultra crispy.

Wire Racks

Cook skin on a wire rack set inside a sheet pan. This allows the rendered fat to drip away from the skin as it cooks. The air flow also improves crispiness.

Multiple Frying

For extra crispy chicharrónes or confit, fry the skin twice. Fry once to render the fat, let cool, then fry again to get super crispy. The second fry really dehydrates the skin.

Rest Before Eating

Let just-fried skin rest on paper towels or a rack for 5 minutes after cooking. This helps absorb excess oil and keeps the skin from getting soggy.

Creative Ways to Use Chicken Skin

Beyond just a snack, crispy chicken skin can be used in many savory applications:

• Garnish for Salads – Top green salads, grain bowls, or kale Caesar salad with crispy chicken skin “croutons” for crunch.

• Crispy Skin Tacos – Rough chop skins and add to carnitas, tinga, or birria filling for street taco-style crunch.

• Schmaltz Replacement – Add crispy chicken skin bits to dishes you’d normally use schmaltz like matzo ball soup or latkes.

• Chicken Fat Rice – Infuse rice with flavors by sautéing it in rendered chicken fat with crispy bits.

• Grind into Breading – For the ultimate crunchy fried chicken, grind up skins into Japanese panko-style breadcrumbs.

• Flavor Popcorn – Toss freshly popped popcorn with crispy fried chicken skins, butter, and spices for a savory snack.

• Dog Treats – Dogs go crazy for crispy chicken skins as training treats or a special snack (in moderation).

The uses are endless once you have a ready supply of chicken skin on hand. Always save chicken skin scraps in the freezer until you collect enough for recipes. Experiment with cooking methods and flavor pairings to take advantage of chicken skin’s versatility.

Rendering Your Own Schmaltz

A bonus of cooking large batches of chicken skin is you can save the rendered fat for cooking. Collect all the fatty drippings and let them cool in the fridge overnight. Then scrape off the solidified schmaltz and use it for the richest sautés, stir fries, or roasting potatoes. Homemade schmaltz has bolder chicken flavor than store-bought.

Here are some tips for rendering your own high quality schmaltz:

• Low and Slow – Cook skin over low heat around 250°F so the fat has time to slowly melt out without burning.

• Strain – Pour the liquid fat through a fine mesh strainer to remove any crispy bits. Cheesecloth also works for straining.

• Cool and Skim – Let the fat cool fully in the fridge so it solidifies. Then scrape off and keep just the pure fat.

• Long Storage – Kept chilled, schmaltz can last 6 months. Freeze for longer term storage up to a year.

• Frying Oil – The high smoke point and chicken flavor make schmaltz an ideal frying oil.

• Moisture Barrier – Brush schmaltz on chicken skin before roasting to keep the meat extra juicy.

Don’t throw away those fatty drippings after cooking chicken skin – they are liquid gold for adding rich flavor to dishes!

Conclusion

From butcher shops to Asian markets, many sources provide an affordable supply of chicken skin. Look for high quality skin and buy in bulk for the best value. With proper prep and cooking, chicken skin delivers tasty crispiness, richness, and concentrated chicken essence. It adds flavor and texture to snacks, tacos, salads, rice, popcorn and more – get creative with recipes! Render the leftover fat into nutty schmaltz for an umami cooking boost. Seek out chicken skin at a store near you and discover the possibilities of this underused ingredient. Your cooking will reach new heights of crispy, fatty, chicken-y satisfaction.

Yes, you can buy chicken skin on its own. Several online retailers and some local butchers sell chicken skin separately from the rest of the chicken.