Crispy Chicken Thighs - For the Carnivore Diet
This recipe delivers ultra-crispy chicken skin and succulent meat with nothing but salt and animal fat. The key is a dry surface, steady heat to render the skin, and a hot oven finish. It’s simple, satisfying, and fully carnivore-compliant.
Use bone-in, skin-on thighs and salt both sides, including a little under the skin for full seasoning. A short air-dry in the fridge helps the skin crisp, but you can cook immediately if you’re short on time. Render the skin gently in a skillet until deeply golden, then finish in the oven so the meat cooks through without burning the skin.
Cook in beef tallow, duck fat, ghee, or the chicken’s own fat. Avoid plant oils. Save the pan drippings for dipping or for cooking eggs or another batch of thighs—nothing goes to waste.
Serve hot with the pan juices and a pinch of finishing salt if desired. Leftovers re-crisp well in a hot skillet or air fryer.
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lb / 900 g)
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons fine salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon beef tallow, duck fat, schmaltz, or ghee (optional, for the pan)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels.
- Season both sides with salt, lifting the skin to lightly salt the meat underneath as well.
- Optional but ideal: Place the thighs uncovered on a rack in the fridge for 30 minutes up to 24 hours to dry the skin.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the animal fat if using.
- Place thighs skin-side down. Cook without moving, pressing gently with a spatula to keep full contact, until the skin is deeply golden and much of the fat has rendered, 12–15 minutes. Spoon off excess fat if it starts to pool too high (save it!).
- Transfer the skillet to the oven (still skin-side down) and cook 8–10 minutes, then flip skin-side up and cook 5–8 minutes more, until the thickest part reaches 175–195°F (80–90°C) and the skin is crisp.
- Rest 5 minutes. Spoon pan juices over the thighs and add a pinch more salt to taste.
- Alternate all-oven method: Place salted thighs skin-side up on a rack over a sheet pan and roast at 425°F (220°C) for 35–45 minutes until skin is crisp and meat is tender; broil 1–2 minutes if needed.