Chicken Skin Chicharon is a popular Filipino street food that is deep-fried chicken skin. It is best to eat with steamed white rice and serve with vinegar dipping sauce.
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Chicharon may not be healthy since it is high in cholesterol, but it is delicious. As long you eat them in moderation, then that will be fine.
The first time I tried this dish when I am living here in the Philippines. My cousin introduces me to a popular street food place here in the city, where they serve different kinds of finger food. In that place, they serve both pork and chicken skin, which I choose the chicken chicharron.
What is Chicharon?
Chicharon is a dish which is made from the skin of pork or chicken which is deep-fried in oil. It is so crunchy that is best to serve with Filipino spiced vinegar dipping sauce called Sukang Sawsawan.
This dish is similar to Puerto Rican, Mexican, and other South American Chicharon, except we use a bit different seasoning. For the Filipino version, we seasoned it with onion, garlic, salt, & peppercorn, and vinegar.
Furthermore, in the Philippines, there different kinds of this dish which include tuna skin, pork, and chicken intestine. But in this recipe, I will make my version of chicken skin chicharon.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the list of ingredients I used for my chicken chicharon.
Seasoning: To make sure the chicken skin is flavorful, I use garlic, onion powder, peppercorn, vinegar, and salt. I combine all of them while I am boiling the skin. Also, you can add the onion powder and salt again to the boiled chicken skin before frying in the oil.
Other ingredients: The skin I am using is from the thigh, leg, and breast. Make sure you clean them and remove the excess fats. And, I am using vegetable oil when frying the chicharon.
Cooking Instruction
Cooking Chicken Skin Chicharon is very easy and fast.
Firstly, in a cooking pot, I pour water and the chicken skin. When it started to boil, that is the time I am adding the salt, peppercorn, vinegar, garlic, and onion. Let it boil until the skin releases its oil.
After that, I remove the chicken skin from the pot and let it dry using the kitchen or paper towel. Next, pour vegetable oil into the pan and while I am waiting for the oil to become hot, I further seasoned the chicken skin with onion powder, and a bit of salt & black pepper. The reason I do that is sometimes seasoning in the water may not be enough.
Lastly, fry the skin until it becomes crispy and turns golden brown. When frying, it is expected it will reduce in size, but don't worry about it.
Notes: If you don't like frying the skin in the pan, you can use an air-fryer or bake oven instead. Full instruction is mentioned in the Frequently Asked Question Section
Recipe Frequently Asked Question (Faqs)
There are two types of dipping sauce I recommend: You can use the spice vinegar sauce that is mixed with chopped red onions, garlic, and a Filipino bird's eye chili called Siling labuyo. Or, the vinegar & soy sauce mixture with red onion which is easier and not spicy
Not necessarily. To me, I like to include my chicken skin chicharon along with other Filipino side dishes during dinner or lunch. Of course, you have to eat this with rice.
I like to eat this with Filipino-style BBQ chicken or chicken Inasal. Furthermore, I recommend vegetable side dishes like Ginisang Ampalaya or Vegetable Lumpia. And lastly, don't forget noodle side dishes like my Chicken Pancit Canton
You can use an air fryer or baking in the oven. In Air Fryer, just drizzle with vegetable oil and set the intensity in 400 F or 200 C in 10 minutes or until it becomes crispy. On the other hand, if using the oven, bake for 20 minutes using the same setting
To reheat the chicharon, I don't recommend microwave since it will make the skin soft. Instead, you can use Air Fryer which you will cook for 5 minutes at 400 F or 200 C. Or you don't have to reheat at all since this will keep the crispiness of the skin.
It can last up to 5 to 7 days. But, if you wish to put it in the freezer, it can last up to 1 month.
Related Filipino food recipes to Try
If you love Filipino fried and crispy foods, here are other related recipes to may want to try:
📋 Recipe Card
Chicken Skin Chicharon
Ingredients
- 500 gram of chicken skin
- 1.5 cup of water for boiling
- 2 cloves of smashed garlic
- 2 tablespoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a cooking pot, combine water and chicken skin
- Once it's boiling, add 1 tablespoon of onion powder, garlic, salt, peppercorn and vinegar
- Boil until the chicken is cooked and soft. You will notice the skin will release it's oil.
- Remove the skin from the pot and dry it out using the paper towel.
- Add vegetable oil in the pan to prepare for frying.
- While waiting for the oil to become hot, add pinch of salt & black pepper and 1 tablespoon of onion powder into the skin.
- Put into the the oil and let it fry in low heat till it turns golden brown.
- Transfer into the plate. Drain the excess oil using paper towel.
- Serve with rice and spiced vinegar dipping sauce
This recipe is so good. Chicken skin is my guilty little pleasure. So bad that it's so good lol.
That's so true Nart. It may not be healthy but it surely is delicious.
I can truly say I've never heard of this before. It was interesting to read about it.
This dish is similar to Mexican Chicharon. Give it a try. I am sure you will like it.
Love discovering new cultural recipes. Very inspiring! 🙂
Thanks Jac
Made this, with the spice vinegar sauce... it was delicious. Thank you so much for sharing!
I am glad to hear that Melanie. It definitely blends well with spice vinegar sauce
Thanks for introducing me to a totally new recipe. What an amazing way to turn chicken skins into something ever so tasty.
I couldn't agree more Mairead. Instead of disposing the chicken skin, you can make it something that is delicious.