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Crispy Skin Chili Crisp Chicken Thighs

Crispy skinned chicken thighs with homemade chili crisp
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Dry Brine: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 3 whole Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs
  • 1.5 tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt

Homemade Chili Crisp

  • 2 large shallots
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 large piece of ginger
  • 3.5 tsp Sichuan peppercorns cracked
  • 1/4 cup arbol chiles, crushed
  • 3 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp diamond crystal kosher salt
  • 1.5 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp MSG
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 stick Cinnamon
  • 2 cups avacado oil
  • 4 whole scallions, greens and whites

Instructions

A Day in Advance, Dry Brine the Thighs

  • Take chicken thighs out of packaging and pat dry.
  • Take 1/2 tbsp of diamond crystal kosher salt and apply to the skin side and meat side of each chicken thigh.
  • Put the salted thighs into your refrigerator, skin-side up and allow these to dry brine for at least 2 hours - ideally overnight OR a max of 2 days.

Make Chili Crisp

  • Take your veg - peel and fine mince.
    2 large shallots, 4 cloves garlic, 4 whole scallions, greens and whites, 1 large piece of ginger
  • Heat 2 cups of neutral cooking oil and fry sliced veg individually.
    Meaning, fry shallots, strain, and then reheat oil.
    Repeat with all veg and set aside.
    2 cups avacado oil
  • To a large pot, add your dry ingredients.
    1/4 cup arbol chiles, crushed, 3 tbsp sesame seeds, 1 tbsp diamond crystal kosher salt, 1.5 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp MSG, 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • To the oil add your cracked sichuan peppercorns, star anise and cinnamon stick.
    Allow to fry for 1 minute and then remove star anise and cinnamon stick.
    2 star anise, 1 stick Cinnamon, 3.5 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
  • Then pour hot oil into large pot with your dry ingredients.
    Mix well.
    Allow to cool before transferring to a storage container or mason jar.

The Next Day, Get Your Grill to 300-325F

  • The idea here is to elevate the meat above the hot coals so that it doesn’t burn.
    Any grill can work but I used my charcoal grill with an elevated grill grate.
  • Put chicken thighs skin side down for 1 hour.

After 1 Hour, Flip the Thighs

  • When you flip, spray the skin with some cooking oil – like avocado oil, olive oil, duck fat, beef fat, etc.
  • Allow the thighs to grill skin side up for 30 minutes.

Take the Thighs Off the Grill When ALL of them are 200F+ Internal

  • Then rest for 5-10 minutes.

Top with Homemade Chili Crisp

  • I find 1 tbsp per thigh works best.
    Enjoy!