Crispy Fried Chicken Skin (Nang Kai Thot)
หนังไก่ทอด Nang kai thotSay it: nung kai TAWT
Nang kai thot is Thailand's crispest snack: pieces of chicken skin rubbed with garlic, white pepper and fish sauce, dusted with starch and fried twice until they shatter. Street carts and roadside chicken shops sell it by the bag, warm and salty, often next to sticky rice. The coating blisters into glassy bubbles, the centre stays faintly chewy, and the garlicky, savoury bite makes it dangerously easy to finish before the main meal arrives.
Crispy Fried Chicken Skin (Nang Kai Thot)
หนังไก่ทอด, Nang kai thot
Pronounced nung kai TAWT
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains fish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the chicken skin
For coating and frying
For the dipping sauce (nam jim kai)
To serve
Method
Rinse the chicken skin and pat it completely dry with paper towels, then scrape off any soft fat with a small knife. Cut the skin into rough 2-inch (5 cm) pieces and put them in a mixing bowl.
Pound the garlic, white peppercorns and salt into a rough paste, or crush them with the flat of a knife. Stir in the fish sauce and sugar, rub the mixture into the skin, cover and leave to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
Mix the tapioca starch and cornstarch in a shallow bowl, add the marinated skin and toss until each piece is lightly and evenly coated, with the garlic bits clinging. Shake off the excess starch and spread the pieces on a tray in a single layer.
Pour the oil into a wok or deep pot to a depth of about 2 inches (5 cm) and heat to 340°F (170°C); a scrap of skin should sizzle steadily the moment it goes in. Fry the skin in small batches for 2-3 minutes, turning once, until pale gold and the furious bubbling has calmed to a gentle fizz.
Lift the pieces out with a spider or slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack. Let them rest for at least 5 minutes while you fry the rest and make the sauce.
For the sauce, simmer the rice vinegar and sugar in a small pan for 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the liquid turns slightly syrupy. Take it off the heat, stir in the garlic, chillies and fish sauce, and let it cool to room temperature.
Raise the oil to 365°F (185°C) and return the skin, again in batches, for 45-60 seconds, until deep golden brown, rigid and crackling at the edges. Drain on the rack and sprinkle with a pinch of salt while still hot.
Pile the skin onto a plate and serve immediately with the dipping sauce, lime wedges and coriander leaves.
Regional variant: Battered chicken skin (Nang kai thot chup paeng)
Many street stalls dip the marinated skin in a thin batter of finely ground rice and cold water instead of dusting it with starch. Whisk 1/2 cup (80 g) ground rice with 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water until it coats a spoon like single cream, dip each piece, let the excess drip off, then double-fry exactly as above. The shell is thicker and crunchier and stays crisp for longer.
Cook's notes
- Dry the skin thoroughly and scrape off every bit of soft fat: trapped water and fat are what make fried skin go limp instead of glassy.
- Keep the first fry at 340-350°F (170-175°C). If the oil drops below 325°F (160°C) the coating drinks oil and turns greasy.
- Drain on a wire rack rather than paper towels so steam can escape from underneath, and fry in small batches so the oil keeps its heat.
Serve with
Sweet chilli dipping sauce and lime wedges, cold beer, or sticky rice if you are making a meal of it.
Make ahead and storage
Best eaten within the hour. Cool completely, keep uncovered at room temperature (never sealed or chilled) and re-crisp in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes.
