De-Skinning Chicken

[Petal01]

What is the best way to do this IE hot/cold, cooked/uncooked. I bought some chicken last week and it was a nightmare trying to get the skin off and even when i did i wasn't sure it was all off I really grudge paying for the skinless when i can do it myself but last weeks disastrous attempt put me right off!

Any tips greatly appreciated.

 

[jaylou]

I do it uncooked as if I cook it i would eat it!

Slide a knife under the end of the skin until you get a loose bit, hold that end of the skin firmly and pull backwards sliding the knife along the chicken as you pull.

I trim any additional fatty bits off with scissors afterwards.

Takes a bit of practice, a bit like skinning fish too!

 

[foxxxiblonde]

I do it uncooked also. I'm assuming the chicken is already cut up. If so, then I usually clean it under running water. If the skin is still tricky, I will loosen it with my fingers then grab onto it with a dry papertowel and pull it off the rest of the way. The papertowel really helps you grip it. lol Sounds kinda gross as I type this all out! BUT, it does work

 

[Petal01]

Thank you both!

I skinned it uncooked as well (chicken thighs & drumsticks) but just found it sooooo much hard work!! I didn't think of cutting the fatty bits with scissors tho I just kepy cutting with the knife, and a paper towel sounds intriguing lol i'll have to try that!

 

[jaylou]

Ah, drumsticks are another story!!! Thighs I don't find too bad (well apart from my own!!) but drumsticks are a nightmare. I would cook them and then take the skin off. They are tricky, that's for sure!

 

[Petal01]

Ah, drumsticks are another story!!! Thighs I don't find too bad (well apart from my own!!) but drumsticks are a nightmare. I would cook them and then take the skin off. They are tricky, that's for sure!

Wouldn't the fat flow through to the actual chicken and syn it if i waited till it was cooked?

 

[jaylou]

Nope, it's like fish from the chippy - it's free if you remove the batter. KFC is free too if you remove the skin. Don't know why - they do say to remove the skin before cooking but if it's not possible then you can remove it afterwards.

 

[Petal01]

Ohhh don't tempt me with KFC lol! Thanks tho that's good to know.

 

[StaceyUK]

With drumsticks I pull the skin off and over the thin end as much as poss and then hold the skin down with my knife pressing really hard against the cutting board and yank against the drumstick. There's prob an easier way though as that was my first time doing it!

 

[KD]

When I needed skinless chicken for 'whatever' diet, I always cooked first.

It makes little difference to the fat content. An average chicken breast loses half it's grams of fat whether cooked with skin removed after, or vice versa.

I think it tastes much nicer if you remove it after though as the skin acts like an insulator and lets it retain it's natural water content.

The chicken may look fattier, but only because the moisture has stayed in.

There again, if you are like me...cook chicken, remove skin, eat skin, put skinless chicken on plate, then best to remove beforehand