On our farm, we butcher our chickens to eat fresh and preserve for eating throughout the entire year. Because we do this ourselves (raising, slaughtering, and butchering), we try our best to use all of the parts of the animal that we can in our home kitchen and our gardens. A lot of different parts of a chicken can be used on a homestead. Today, we’ll talk about the feet. Chicken feet are entirely useful and highly nutritious. In many places, they are a treat, but the American kitchen has never heard of anyone eating these collagen-rich goldmines.
I haven’t met anyone who has cooked with chicken feet yet, but I’m sure most people have eaten one without realizing it. This is byproduct that is used in many different commercially made food products. This simple fact makes me think of the episode on Victorian Farm where historian Ruth Goodman reminds us all that, if you eat pork, you have most definitely eaten eyeballs!.
Chicken feet consist of bones, skin, and tendons, but no muscles. This makes them fully packed with high levels of protein, calcium, collagen, and cartilage that are easily absorbed by our bodies when turned into broth. In fact, chicken feet are about 70% collagen! This makes a chicken foot broth excellent for muscle and joint pain, illness, and minimizing arthritis.
Chicken feet, also known as chicken paws, are often overlooked as an ingredient that can be used in various dishes. While some may find them unappealing at first glance, chicken feet have a unique texture and flavor that can significantly enhance many recipes.
If you have chicken feet and don’t know what to do with them, keep reading for 12 tasty ways to use this underrated part of the chicken!
1. Make Rich, Flavored Chicken Stock or Bone Broth
Making chicken stock or bone broth at home is one of the best ways to use chicken feet. Broth gets its shape and body from collagen found in chicken feet.
Simmer chicken feet low and slow with aromatic vegetables and herbs to extract maximum flavor and nutrients. The collagen will break down into gelatin, resulting in a silky, rich broth perfect for soups, stews, gravies, and more.
2. Deep Fry for Dim Sum
In Cantonese dim sum cuisine, deep-fried chicken feet are a classic appetizer. After cleaning and trimming the feet, coat them in a light batter and fry until crispy. They are typically seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, and chopped scallions.
When you fry something, the skin gets crispy and puffy, and the tendons and connective tissues turn gelatinous. The contrast of textures is what makes them so addictive!.
3. Braise in a Sauce or Stew
Low, slow braising transforms tough chicken feet into fall-off-the-bone tender morsels. Try simmering them in a flavorful liquid like a tomato sauce, curry, or stew until super soft and integrate well with the other ingredients.
They’ll contribute body, rich mouthfeel, and their distinctive chicken flavor to the dish A sprinkle of fresh herbs at the end brightens them up
4. Use in Soups for Added Body
In the same vein as broth, chicken feet make an exceptional addition to soups. As they simmer, the collagen and connective tissues break down into gelatin that thickens and enriches the broth.
Classic soups like pho, ramen, Chinese medicinal soups, and more can all use chicken feet to make them better. Just remember to take the feet out and throw them away before serving.
5. Make Jelly or Savory Aspic
For an old-fashioned accompaniment, turn chicken feet into jelly! Simmer the feet until the collagen has fully dissolved to make a concentrated stock. Strain then chill this gelatinous liquid to turn it into wiggly, savory jelly.
Or fold cooked, shredded chicken meat back into the stock once cooled to create a savory chicken aspic. Serve chilled as a starter or side dish.
6. Prepare Mexican-Style Pozole
In Mexican cuisine, pozole is a traditional hominy and meat stew that often includes chicken feet. Their collagen helps thicken the stew while adding richness.
The feet are cooked until extremely soft, then shredded and returned to the pozole broth along with onions, garlic, hominy, and aromatic dried chiles. Garnish with cabbage, radishes, avocado, and lime.
7. Make Nutritious Pet Food
Chicken feet can be an excellent source of protein and glucosamine for pets. Stewing them to soften any bones, then mixing the shredded meat into their regular food provides natural joint support.
Just be sure to cook thoroughly and remove any small bones before feeding to prevent choking hazards Only feed pets food that is specifically designated for them
8. Prepare Filipino Chicken Soto Soup
In the Philippines, soto soup commonly features chicken feet for their rich gelatin. They are combined with chicken meat, toasted coconut, and ginger in a broth made milky with coconut milk.
The palms add body and a subtle sweetness to balance the other flavors. Soto is often served with rice or fresh bread on the side.
9. Make Collagen-Rich Bone Broth for Health
Simmering chicken feet to make bone broth draws out the collagen and nutrients for an antioxidant-packed stock. Sipping this broth regularly may provide health benefits like improved gut health and joint support.
For maximum wellness, opt for chicken feet from pasture-raised chickens. Slow cook the feet with some vinegar to help extract the nutrients and minerals.
10. Prepare Chicken Feet Adobo
A popular Filipino dish, chicken adobo gains richness when made using chicken feet as well as meat. The feet simmer in a salty, sour marinade along with soy sauce, black peppercorns, bay leaves, vinegar, and garlic.
The resulting tender chicken and gelatinous feet are served in the thickened adobo sauce, often over rice. Chicken feet really boost the mouthfeel and flavor.
11. Make Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken Feet
This classic Taiwanese street food of braised chicken feet is named for the three key ingredients: soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil. Garnished with basil and scallions, it has a complex yet balanced flavor.
The chicken feet become fall-off-the-bone tender after prolonged stewing and soaking up all the delicious flavors of the sauce. Serve as finger food with plenty of napkins!
12. Prepare Phoenix Claws with Black Beans
In Chinese cooking, braised chicken feet are called phoenix claws and often cooked with fermented black beans. This imparts a delicious salty, pungent flavor that pairs wonderfully with the chicken.
Simmer the feet low and slow until the meat is about to fall off the bone, then sprinkle with chopped scallions. The sauce clings nicely to steamed rice.
So there you have it – a dozen amazing ways to start cooking with chicken feet! Don’t let this often discarded poultry part go to waste again. With their stellar nutrition and ability to heighten flavors and textures, chicken feet can really upgrade your soups, stews, stocks, and more. Time to finally give them their due in your kitchen!
to preserve the broth:
If you would like to preserve your broth for use later than 1 week, it will be best to preserve its delicious. You can do this in two ways:
- Put the broth into containers that can go in the freezer and fill them up to the freezer line. Put in the freezer and keep for up to a year.
- 4 pint or 2 quart jars, lids, and bands should be cleaned and germ-free. Put them in the pressure cooker with a tablespoon of white vinegar. Depending on what your pressure canner says, fill it with water. There should be at least 2 inches of water around the jars. Warm up the jars for at least 10 minutes while the water in the canner comes to a slow boil.
- Meanwhile, bring the strained broth back up to a boil.
- Fill a jar with broth, leaving an inch of headspace at the top. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace as necessary. Clean the rims of the jars, put on the lid, and twist the band on until it’s fingertip tight. Place the jar back into the canner. Repeat with the remaining jars.
- Set the pressure canner on high heat and cover it. Allow 10 minutes for the steam to escape. Bring the pressure up to 10 pounds by putting the gauge on top of the canner. Put 10 pounds of pressure on the jars and process them for 20 minutes for pint jars and 25 minutes for quart jars.
- Let the pressure drop back to 0 pounds and turn off the heat. Take the gauge off and let the steam escape for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take off the lid and let the jars sit in the hot water again. Remove the jars and let stand until the lids seal.
- Check the seals on the lids after 12-24 hours. Label and store for up to 18 months.
So what do you think? Will you try cooking with chicken feet? I can’t believe how much this broth gels! It’s incredible. The trick is to add enough acetic acid into the broth while cooking at a high enough temperature. Just so you know, if you pressure can the broth, the gel will not stay in place. I like to leave all the fat in my broth, but you can strain it out if you’d rather.
If you are in the market for a pressure canner, this is the brand that I use.
This post contains affiliate links which help me to earn an income to support my family. Thank you for helping to do so!.
makes 2 quarts of broth
- 2 pounds chicken feet, about 16-18 feet
- 2 large onions, chopped roughly with skins on
- 4 large carrots, chopped roughly
- 6 stalks of celery, chopped roughly
- 1 head garlic, crushed and skins on
- Six to eight sprigs of fresh herbs mixed together (thyme, sage, parsley, lavender, oregano, etc.)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 quarts (8 cups) of water, or enough to cover the vegetables and feet.
- Cleanse the feet well and cut off the joint that holds the nails or claws in place at the tips of the toes. Discard the toe tips.
- Put enough water in a big pot to cover the chicken feet all the way around. Put ice and cold water in a big bowl and set it on the counter. Bring the water to a boil. Add the chicken feet and boil for about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer the hot chicken feet to the ice bath. Start to peel off the chicken feet’s scaly skin once they are cool enough to handle. The tasty collagen is in the fleshy layer under the skin. Discard the skin.
- Put the chicken feet that have been peeled in a large stockpot or Dutch oven that holds 4 quarts. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. As a bouquet garni, tie any fresh herbs you’re using together, or use twine to wrap them all the way around like a smudge stick but not as tightly. Put the apple cider vinegar, salt, peppercorns, nutmeg, and herbs into the pot.
- Cover the contents of the pot with the water. If 2 quarts isn’t enough, add more until the chicken feet and vegetables are completely covered. Bring the pot up to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.
- Keep cooking the broth for at least 6 hours, but 12 hours is better. Keep checking it and stirring it every so often. If the water level drops, add more water. You want the broth’s liquid to stay on top of the food inside it.
- On the stove, you can cook the broth for this long. You can also make this in a crockpot. Cook on low for 10-12 hours or overnight.
- When the broth is done cooking, strain out the vegetables and put the broth into containers with lids that won’t let air in. Let the broth cool down a lot, but not all the way to room temperature. Then, put the containers in the fridge. After 24 hours, the broth will have gelled. Keep the broth in the refrigerator for about 5-7 days.
Processing Chicken Feet || Keep Your Feet || Using Chicken Feet for Stock
FAQ
What are chicken feet good for?
Chicken feet are a surprisingly nutritious food source, particularly known for their high collagen content, which can benefit skin, joint, and bone health.
What do you do with a chicken foot?
Making stock from chicken feet has been a human activity for thousands of years. Most of our grandmothers or great grandmothers used feet in their stock as a matter of fact. Stock made from chicken feet is fabulous, and incredibly good for you with all that gelatin.
Why are chicken feet so expensive?
Chicken feet are expensive primarily due to high demand, especially in certain Asian markets like China, where they are considered a delicacy and a popular ingredient in various dishes.
What can you do with chicken feet?
Here are some of the things you can do with them. Chicken feet are high in collagen and have anti-inflammatory properties. They can be used to make natural skin care products like face masks and moisturizers. Chicken feet can also be boiled down and used as a gelatinous thickener in soups and stews.
Can you use chicken feet for stock?
Use chicken feet for stock. Like beef or pork bones, chicken feet are great for stock because they have a lot of collagen. In other words, if you have chicken feet and don’t like the way they look, just use them for stock and then take them out.
Are chicken feet good for You?
Chicken feet are high in collagen and have anti-inflammatory properties. They can be used to make natural skin care products like face masks and moisturizers. Chicken feet can also be boiled down and used as a gelatinous thickener in soups and stews. And finally, they can be fed to chickens to help improve their egg production.
Should you eat chicken feet?
There are a lot of really good reasons to eat chicken feet. First, it allows you to use every inch of the bird, with practically zero waste. You likely already boil your chicken bones down into stock – or, if you’re really thrifty, you do that and also grind them up afterwards to be used as bone meal in the garden.
How do you cook chicken feet?
Start by clipping the claws off the chicken feet. As with any other recipe, you’ll want to make sure the feet are extremely clean. Cut the larger main bone off and divide the foot into two pieces. Boil some water in a pot, adding about half a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of sugar.
How do you make chicken feet taste good?
Use maltose or honey in the soaking water. If soaking the feet beforehand, using maltose or honey adds a brown color to the feet. Add rice vinegar to the soaking water. While chicken feet don’t have a lot of meat, they can still taste a bit gamey. Soaking in acidic water helps get rid of that. Use fresh ginger and garlic.