The Paper Towel Trick That Makes Skinning Chicken Drumsticks Easy

The crispy skin on a batch of grilled chicken drumsticks is delish but you might want to remove it on occasion to make a lighter high-protein bite, or prepare tandoori chicken that's traditionally made with skinless cuts. However, neatly skinning a chicken drumstick can be a tricky and slippery job due to the slick surface of the flesh. It can also be an unpleasant experience for those who are squeamish about handling raw poultry. Fortunately, there's a paper towel trick that makes removing the skin from chicken drumsticks quick and easy. All you need are two sheets of paper towel and little elbow grease to make light work of this finicky task.

A chicken drumstick is usually surrounded by skin from top to bottom (from the rounded bit to the knuckle), but there's a little area that's free from skin on the bulbous end. This is the spot where you would usually put your fingers under the skin and pull it down towards the knuckle until it's completely removed in one piece. Instead of struggling to pull the slippery skin off with your bare hands, take hold of the thicker end of your drumstick using a paper towel (you want to grasp the fleshy bit and not the skin) before grabbing the skin with the other paper towel and pulling it down towards the knuckle.

This trick works because the patterns on the fibrous texture of the paper towel provide lots of grip for your fingers, which means you can hold the drumstick tightly with one hand while the other strips off the skin in one fluid motion. Their absorbent nature means they also soak up some of the sheen that lies on the surface of the chicken, making it drier and thereby easier to handle (while you could pat the chicken dry before skinning it, you won't be able to access the area under the skin). Finally, as you're not touching the flesh, this technique keeps your hands cleaner. Having said that, you must wash your hands before and after handling raw poultry with soapy water for at least 20 seconds. This reduces the risk of spreading germs, such as Campylobacter and Salmonella, that the chicken could be contaminated with prior to cooking.

Normally the fat that lies in the skin on a batch of chicken drumsticks renders down as it cooks. This lubricates and bastes the chicken, which helps it to remain juicy until it's cooked through to the middle. If you're using skinless cuts, consider butterflying your chicken drumsticks before placing them on the grill to help them cook faster and prevent them from drying out. You could also fully debone your chicken if preferred.