Bacon got REALLY expensive the year before I left the chef life for the wide world of food sales. I ended up running this as a special on the bars but it’s become a staple for me whenever I get the craving.
Sourdough, dukes mayo, good tomato, lettuce, battered and fried chicken skins. You get that crunch and savory you want from a BLT at a WAY better price.
Fried chicken skins? Do you make the chicken just to use the skins? How are you using the de-skinned fried chickens?
Distributors package the skins separately. It’s basically boxing up all the skins from the boneless skinless chicken breast you buy in the store. I got it for something ridiculous like $0.49/# and use it so it doesn’t go to waste.
How much do you have to buy to get that price? Or is getting a pound ok from your distributor?
The cases I have on hand are usually 10#.
NOW if you have a local butcher chances are they’re still getting some stuff from the big boys, (US Foods/Sysco/Performance) and all of them will have cases on hand. Just need to convince them to get it in and move it. Odd’s are any markup is only going to be about 10%, you’ll still get a good price.
End of summer’s a good time to push since you’ll have football season kicking off, it’s good for them to sell as a game night snack.
But the skin is the best part?
If it were me, I’d buy packs of chicken thighs or legs, take the skins off, then use the meat for soup to serve with the sandwiches.
With bread crumbs, egg and then fry it for example, or simply chicken a la plancha.
So you remove the skins from the fried chicken for the “CLT” sandwich, then you bread the de-skinned chicken and fry it again? Lol
Buy a whole chicken, when you’re breaking it down remove and save the skins. Little oil in a pan, add your raw skins and cook until crispy. Then you also have a bunch of raw chicken and a carcass to use for whatever you want and stock.
Also, fun tip, the fat that comes off the chicken skins is schmaltz, and is really delicious. I like to put a bit into my ramen.
Buy bone in, skin on chicken thighs. Remove the skin, set aside. Remove the bones, set aside. Portion your new boneless, skinless chicken thighs and throw them in the freezer (I recommend a vacuum sealer). Throw the bones in a reusable silicon freezer bag. Bread and fry your chicken skins.
Use the chicken thighs for whatever you might want boneless, skinless, chicken for. It’s got uses beyond counting.
For the bones, you’re going to make stock. I keep a silicon bag of vegetable scraps in my freezer. Crack the bones so the marrow can get out, throw them in a boiling pot with all manner of vegetable scraps (onion tops/roots, carrot ends and skins, celery tops and roots, the), some herbs, and some salt. Strain this through a fine mesh to prevent any accidental broken chicken bones, and you’ve got a great stock.