Crispiest Fried Chicken Recipe Uses 1 Tablespoon of Oil & No Breading (3 Ingredients) by Donna John

If you love crispy fried chicken, but don't want to add breading (aka flour, panko, etc.), do I have a recipe for you. After making my delicious crispy chicken thighs with lime butter, I knew I found the perfect way to get the crunchiest fried chicken in a skillet without having to go through a dredging station. Not only that, but you only need 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. One!

In just a few simple steps, you can enjoy this no-breading, low-carb, gluten-free fried chicken for dinner tonight. The steps are simple, but important:

• Do not use olive oil for this fried chicken recipe. Olive oil has a low smoking point. Use vegetable oil or canola oil, which has a high smoking point.
  

• Season the chicken with salt and black pepper and let it sit for 10 minutes. The salt pulls excess moisture out of the chicken, creating a crispier crust. If you wanted, you could skip the black pepper, but the salt is a must in this chicken recipe.

• Let the pan preheat before adding the oil. Only add the canola oil after the pan is hot.

• Cook the chicken low and slow, and do not move it around in the pan unless you are gently lifting it with tongs to check the color. If the chicken gets too brown too fast, your fire is too hot. Reduce the temperature. The chicken cooks for 20 to 25 minutes on the skin side, and only about 5 minutes on the other side, or until it reaches at least 165 degrees F internal temperature on a food thermometer. (This may vary depending on your stove and the size of the chicken thighs.)

This crispy, high-protein chicken is delicious for dinner with your favorite side dishes. (Check out the health benefits of protein.)

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
• salt
• black pepper (optional)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil

Here's how to make it: 

1. Put the chicken onto a paper towel and sprinkle both sides with salt and black pepper. Let the chicken sit 10 minutes. (You could use other pieces of chicken, but I get the best results with chicken thighs. You could skip the black pepper, if desired.)
   
2. Pat the chicken dry with another paper towel to remove excess moisture.
   
3. Heat a skillet (I used a cast iron skillet) over medium heat until hot.
   
4. Once hot, add the cooking oil and swirl to coat the pan.
   
5. Put the chicken, skin side down, into the pan.
   
6. Lower the heat to medium-low.
   
7. Cook without disturbing for 20 to 25 minutes. Lower the heat to low if it starts browning too quickly. (I used tongs to lift the chicken occasionally to check on the browning.) Flip the chicken over and continue to cook until it is cooked through. (Chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F, but the NYT chef that created the original recipe says dark meat is best at 185 degrees F.)
   
8. Remove to a paper towel and serve hot. Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat as desired.
   

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