Chicken feet are often overlooked as an ingredient, but they can add great flavor and nutritional value to soups, stocks and stews. While chicken feet need to be thoroughly cleaned before cooking, it’s easier than you think with this simple step-by-step guide.
Why Clean Chicken Feet?
Cleaning chicken feet properly removes bacteria, dirt and impurities. This ensures food safety and better taste. Chicken feet have folds and crevices where germs can hide, so cleaning them is essential.
Chicken feet are often discarded during butchering. But they contain collagen, protein amino acids and minerals like calcium, magnesium and folate. With the right prep, they make nutritious additions to the menu.
Supplies Needed
To get chicken feet pristine clean gather these supplies before starting
- Raw chicken feet
- Kitchen shears or sturdy scissors
- Large pot
- Colander or strainer
- Slotted spoon or tongs
- Brush with stiff bristles
- Bowl of vinegar water (1 tbsp vinegar per 4 cups water)
Optional: toothbrush, baking soda
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps to properly clean chicken feet:
1. Rinse and Trim
Rinse chicken feet under cold running water. Use kitchen shears to trim off nails and remove any debris.
2. Blanch in Hot Water
Fill large pot with hot water and bring to a boil. Add feet and blanch for 60-90 seconds. This helps loosen the skin.
3. Cool in Vinegar Water
Transfer feet to a bowl of cool vinegar water using a slotted spoon or tongs. Let sit for 15 minutes. Vinegar helps remove impurities.
4. Peel Away Skin
The skin should peel off easily after blanching. Start peeling from the top working down. Discard the skin.
5. Scrub Away Grime
Use a stiff bristle brush to thoroughly scrub off any dirt or grime, especially between the toes and joints.
6. Rinse Again
Give feet a final rinse under running water to remove any residual vinegar taste or debris.
7. Dry and Refrigerate
Pat chicken feet dry with paper towels and refrigerate until ready to use. Use within 2 days for best freshness.
Extra Cleaning Tips
- Soak feet in baking soda water to help remove odors
- Gently scrub with a toothbrush for hard-to-reach spots
- Cut off toe tips if they are difficult to fully clean
Storing Cleaned Chicken Feet
Once chicken feet are cleaned, they can be:
- Wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days
- Frozen for 3-4 months in airtight bags
- Added to soups, stocks and bone broths right away
Do not leave cleaned chicken feet sitting out at room temperature. Refrigerate or freeze promptly.
Using Cleaned Chicken Feet
Chicken feet add substantial collagen and gelatin when slow cooked in liquid. Here are some uses for cleaned chicken feet:
- Bone broth – Simmer 6-12 hours until falling apart
- Soups and stews – Adds body and richness
- Gravies and sauces – Gelatin helps thicken
- Rice cooking water – Extra collagen boost
- Dim sum dishes like Phoenix Claws
With the skin removed and all dirt eliminated, chicken feet infuse recipes with beneficial nutrients like amino acids, collagen, calcium and other minerals. Enjoy chicken feet for their flavor and health perks after a thorough cleaning.
FAQs About Cleaning Chicken Feet
How long should I boil chicken feet?
Boil feet for just 60-90 seconds to loosen skin for easy peeling without overcooking.
Can I freeze cleaned chicken feet?
Yes, freeze cleaned feet in airtight bags for 3-4 months. Thaw before using.
What’s the best way to clean chicken feet?
Blanching, peeling skin, scrubbing with a brush and rinsing in vinegar water removes all impurities.
Why peel chicken feet?
Peeling removes bacteria harbored under the skin and improves the appearance. But feet can be cleaned without peeling if scrubbed very well.
Do I need special brushes or tools?
A regular stiff bristle brush works well. You can also use a toothbrush for hard to reach spots.
With some simple supplies and these easy steps, chicken feet can be transformed into a clean, versatile ingredient for enriched stocks, delicious dim sum and more nutritious meals.
How to Make Bone Broth from Chicken Feet
Once you have peeled chicken feet on your hands, it’s time to make bone broth! And here’s how it works.
- Place 8-10 peeled chicken feet in a stock pot.
- Add water, until the pot is filled by 2/3.
- Put stock pot on stove and bring to a boil.
- When a boil has been reached, reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer for 12-18 hours or until tendons disintegrate and feet fall apart.
- Note: you can also toss feet into a crockpot and let it simmer on high for 12-18 hours or until the toes fall apart.
- Because chicken feet have so many little bones in them, you MUST strain the broth before feeding it to anyone!
- Let the broth cool until you can handle it without getting scalded.
- Line a bowl with a colander, or a cotton cloth will also do.
- Pour the chicken foot broth into the bowl and lift up the colander/cloth.
- Throw out the leg and toe bones.
- You can then use your broth in soups, freeze or pressure can it.
How to Prepare Chicken Feet without Peeling
If you don’t have time (or the desire) to peel chicken feet, there is another method you can try. When you use this technique, the flavor will be a bit stronger. But you can disguise it by flavoring up your soups and stews. Let me walk you through a technique that allows you to skip peeling chicken feet!
- Add water to a stockpot, enough to cover the chicken feet you plan to use.
- Bring water to a boil on the stove top.
- Add chicken feet and let them blanch for 3-4 minutes.
- Lift chicken feet out and set aside.
- Pour the hot, skin-flavored water down the kitchen sink.
- Rinse the pot and refill with fresh water
- Bring to a boil and add the same feet.
- Repeat the boiling process, pouring off water a total of 3x.
- The 4th time you refill the pot with water, you’re doing it for real!
- Add feet and simmer for 12-18 hours, until the tendons have disintegrated and toe bones have fallen apart.
I don’t know which method is faster, but if you don’t like the idea of peeling chicken feet, this is an excellent way to get a mild flavored broth without the extra work.