‘The Pioneer Woman’: Ree Drummond Calls Crispy Chicken Skins Snack Recipe ‘So Wrong, They’re Actually Right’
Ree Drummond developed an easy snack recipe that’s all about the best part of chicken — the crispy skin. The Pioneer Woman star’s crispy chicken skins recipe is quick to make and full of delicious flavor.
Ree Drummond dedicated an episode of her show to the best parts of food
Drummond dedicated one episode of The Pioneer Woman to an “incredible lineup of the absolute best parts of food,” which included her unique snack idea.
She called the crispy chicken skins “a culinary revelation,” noting, they’re “so wrong, they’re actually right.”
Drummond asked, “Have you ever noticed that with some recipes there’s one little part of it that tastes the best? I thought it’d be fun to pull out those elements and turn them into recipes themselves.”
Throughout the show, she teased the recipe for her “fabulous snack,” warning, “Don’t judge me — they are the best.”
She explained, “My very favorite part of a chicken, the crispy skin, doubles as an incredible snack and topping for a chicken lettuce and tomato CLT salad.”
How to make Ree Drummond’s crispy chicken skin snack recipe
Drummond’s recipe couldn’t be simpler. “I’ve got three of the best things ever out here,” she said, standing outside with a glass of wine and a snack. “I’ve got the best view, the best chilled wine, and the very best part of the chicken. These are crispy roasted chicken skins,” she explained. “Delicious flavoring and they’re really easy.”
The Food Network host shared the steps for making her recipe, beginning with mixing together salt, lemon pepper, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. She sprinkled the mixture over six chicken skins she had cut into thirds length-wise laid on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Drummond covered the skins with a second piece of parchment paper and placed another sheet pan on top to keep the skins flat while they baked.
The Pioneer Woman star baked the snack in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 35 minutes. She removed them to a paper towel-lined plate to cool and crisp.
“I tell you, once you start making these babies, you’ll see how versatile they are,” she noted. “I like to crumble them over soups, put them in sandwiches. And they’ll turn a BLT salad into the most wicked CLT salad you’ve ever tasted.”
The full recipe is available on the Food Network website.
‘The Pioneer Woman’ star’s CLT salad is a spin on a BLT
Drummond made an easy spin on a BLT with a salad that subbed her crispy chicken skins for the usual bacon in BLTs.
She made a simple ranch dressing by whisking mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, white vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. She stirred in minced parsley, minced chives, black pepper, and salt.
For the salad, Drummond sliced romaine lettuce and placed it in a bowl with halved grape tomatoes, avocado chunks, and some dressing, then tossed everything together.
She placed the salad on a platter and added “the crowning glory” on top — her crispy chicken skins, snapped into thirds and sprinkled over the salad. “Who needs bacon? Chicken skins rule,” Drummond said.
You can find the full recipe on the Food Network site.
