Crispy chicken: roasted, skillet-cooked or grilled

These techniques call for whole chicken legs or thighs with skin-on, although you can also opt for skinless depending on your preference for chicken cuts. We’re getting into the nitty gritty of cooking chicken so you have a perfectly browned and crispy exterior and steamy, succulent chicken from the inside.

Chicken takes on the flavors that you cook it with, so having the inside scoop on how to bake chicken, prep it on the stovetop and grill it well everytime will definitely be worth your while. A major plus to cooking with bone-in and skin-on chicken is that you will get a lot more flavor, while the skin will retain moisture and prevent dryness.

Just one thing to note: bone-in cuts take longer to cook because of how heat is conducted around the chicken meat. Before you get started, it’s also good to let your chicken reach room temperature instead of cooking it cold. This will ensure that the chicken cooks evenly once the heat is on.

Roasted
To get crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside roasted chicken, you’ll want to cook your whole chicken legs at a high temperature for a short time. You can also sear the chicken on the stovetop to brown it before popping it in the oven.

We recommend browning the chicken in a cast iron skillet with a bit of olive oil for about 5 minutes on each side before baking the whole chicken legs in the oven. Preheat the oven to 200°C. You can season the chicken with herbs and spices, or go for simple black pepper and sea salt. You’ll want to bake the chicken for about 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 74°C.

Stovetop
When making skillet chicken, we recommend rounding up a delicious marinade first. Try balsamic vinegar with Tuscan seasoning, or go for sweet and savory by combining olive oil, tamari sauce and honey with your favorite seasonings.

To get crispy skin, heat 2 tbsp of olive in a skillet on medium heat. Make sure the skillet is sufficiently heated. You’ll know it’s hot enough when you tip over the pan and hear a sizzle.  Add your whole chicken legs and sear on each side until browned. Cover the skillet and cook the whole chicken legs for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 74°C.

Grilled
The biggest tip for barbecuing chicken is to put it on the grill before burgers and steaks. Chicken requires medium heat at around 150℃, while beef needs a higher temperature. If you’ve prepared a special sauce, or herb mix, then save it for the last 10 minutes so it doesn’t char. You’re going for deliciously crispy skin for your whole chicken legs with a tender bite. To get grilling, place the whole chicken legs on the grill on medium heat. Turn the chicken over every 5 to 10 minutes. You’ll want to cook the legs for about 40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 74°C. Remember to add your seasoning and sauces 10 minutes before you take the chicken off the grill.

Give this homemade barbecue sauce a go next time you fire up your grill.

What you will need

• 1 ¼ cups ketchup
• ½ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
• ¼ cup molasses
• ⅛ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp mustard1 tsp sea salt

Try this with our great range of Cocorico chicken.