The Genius Way To Make Crispy Chicken In The Slow Cooker - Tasting Table

"For getting lusciously juicy chicken with wonderfully browned skin, however, adding no extra liquid is - ironically - the secret sauce. Chicken has plenty of juices locked up in the meat. Taking your time to cook it slowly allows them to render out and sustain moisture among the meat fibers, rather than needing to add liquids to the slow cooker."

"While adding ingredients like sauces, wine, gravy, or even fresh vegetables that release steam do add flavour, they also keep chicken skin moist and prevent that beautiful Maillard reaction from turning the skin brown and caramelising its proteins."

"Opting for chicken breast can result in meat that turns out dry. Reach instead for bone-in, skin-on thighs, better suited to slow cooking as they have more fat and connective tissue to render out and keep the meat moist. These rendered juices double as a plate-ready, flavor-loaded jus."

Slow cookers can achieve crispy-skinned chicken by avoiding added liquids that prevent browning. The chicken's natural juices render during slow cooking, keeping the meat moist while allowing the skin to develop a brown, caramelized crust through the Maillard reaction. Bone-in, skin-on thighs work better than breast meat because they contain more fat and connective tissue that render out during cooking, creating flavorful jus. Patting the chicken skin dry before cooking helps achieve the desired crispy texture. This method eliminates the need for pan-searing or air frying to achieve crispy results.

Read at Tasting Table