Chef Kelly Scott, who has 1.2 million followers on TikTok, has shared a simple frying pan technique for cooking chicken thighs with juicy meat and perfectly crispy skin. The method relies on starting the chicken in a cold pan, a modest adjustment that she says makes the dish her most popular recipe.
Scott regularly posts recipes on the platform and cites her crispy chicken thighs as the one people love most. In a video showcasing the dish, she said: "I've had a lot of viral recipes, but the one that people love the most is these crispy chicken thighs, which is funny because it's also the easiest chicken recipe maybe ever and never fails."
How to cook the chicken thighs
The recipe begins with skin-on chicken thighs, with the bone removed and salt generously applied to taste. The thighs should rest skin-side down on kitchen paper for at least 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
After that, place the thighs skin-side down in a cold cast-iron pan and gradually bring the heat to medium. Scott explained: "Doing it in a cold pan will allow the fat to slowly render out of the chicken skin and really get crispy."
Timing and finishing touches
Once the skin is golden, after around 10 to 15 minutes, flip the thighs and add garlic and rosemary to infuse the fat. "Within another five minutes, you will have perfect chicken. You must make it," she said.
Starting with a hot, oiled pan risks browning the skin too rapidly, trapping excess fat beneath the surface and leaving the thighs soggy.
Viewer reactions and alternatives
Viewers responded enthusiastically in the comments. One wrote: "This recipe is my most requested dinner from my family. It is so insane." Another added: "This chicken is so moist and just falls apart. We make it at least once a week."
When asked whether a stainless steel pan would work equally well, the chef confirmed it would. For skinless thighs, however, a preheated pan tends to produce superior browning, though without the crispy crunch.
