For some people, chicken feet or chicken claws are deemed as an odd part of animals, which are usually discarded. But for some other people, chicken feet are an important ingredient, which can be made into various delicacies. And for me, I belong to the latter one. My favorite chicken feet dish is dim sum chicken feet, I love that fabulous softness and savory taste. Here is the ultimate guide on how to make dim sum style chicken feet at home.
Why are so many haters?
People from the US or Europe don’t eat chicken feet because they may think that chicken feet are too dirty to eat. Also, people don’t know how to deal with chicken feet. Usually, you can find that chicken feet are made into dog treats. Another reason may be that chicken feet are not as meaty as other parts of chickens.
Chicken feet also have lovers
However, chicken feet are greatly beloved by people from other parts of the world. The Chinese gourmets even grant an auspicious name to chicken feet, that is “phoenix paws”. And chicken feet are cooked into cold dishes, snacks, soups, and main dishes in China. And in South Korea, people invent Korean-style spicy chicken feet. In other Asian countries, like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, dishes made of chicken feet are also quite common and popular. Even in Mexico, chicken feet are a popular ingredient, and they are mainly made into stews and soups.
What’s the taste of chicken feet
The edible parts of chicken feet consist of the skin and tendons, with little meat. The distinct gelatinous texture of chicken feet provides you with an abundance of collagen. For most dishes, chicken feet are cooked into a soft and tender texture, and absorb the flavors of seasonings or spices. Especially when chicken feet are used for making soup, after being simmered for one or two hours, the chicken feet will almost fall apart when being picked up, and you even don’t need to chew anymore. A mouthful of gelatin will break up in your mouth with the fresh flavor of the soup.
Purchasing tip
When you go to the market to purchase some chicken feet, you may find that the yellowish hard skin of chicken feet is already removed. Fresh chicken feet should have white and glossy skin and also they should be in a thick and elastic texture. If you touch the chicken feet and find that the surface of the chicken feet is a little sticky, it shows that these chicken feet have been stored for too long and are not fresh enough for eating.
How to prepare chicken feet for cooking
Before you cook chicken feet, you should clean them in the following steps:
- Remove the yellowish outer skin (ignore this step if the skin is already removed). You can put the chicken feet in boiling water for one or two minutes and then transfer them to ice water. In this way, it will be easier for you to get rid of the tough outer skin.
- Use a kitchen scissor to chop off the nails of chicken feet.
- Chop chicken feet in half or small pieces as you like if you intend to make pickled chicken feet or cold chicken feet. Just keep them as a whole if you intend to make soup or other dishes
How to eat chicken feet
If you have never eaten chicken feet before, here are some tips for you:
- It is hard for you to eat chicken feet with knives and forks. The chopsticks are highly recommended. And if you don’t like using chopsticks, just use your hand with a disposable glove.
- You can take your first bite from the toes of chicken feet. Bite one from one and the next step needs the cooperation of your tongue and mouth to separate the little bones and the skin. Spit the bones out and just enjoy the remaining part in your mouth. And I think the most important tip for you is that do not to swallow the little bone of chicken feet.
Dim Sum Chicken Feet
The Chinese name of this dish is tiger skin chicken feet(虎皮凤爪), and there is a similar dish named tiger skin green peppers. Tiger skin is named because of the wrinkles on the surface.
The making process is relatively complex. We need at least four steps: boiling-deep frying- soaking- braising or steaming. No matter how complex the dish is, there is a big group of fans. Of course, they are available at the dim sum restaurant. I have tested the recipe three times but cannot get the texture enough satisfying, but the tastes are really wonderful. So I decided to post it on the blog just for home cooking reference. You can follow this to make super easy dim sum style chicken feet at home. It is such a great success!
Ingredients breakdown
There are some ingredients that need to pay attention to for this dim sum style chicken feet.
- Chicken feet – I use around 500g chicken feet, which may range from 12 to 14 ones.
- Fermented black beans – also referred to as Chinese fermented black beans are the essential ingredient for this dim sum style chicken feet. It has a complex and unique flavor, salty, and earthy with a strong aroma of fermented products.
- Aromatics – ginger and garlic can help to improve the aroma.
- Chili peppers- chili peppers are optionally but traditionally a small amount is added to add a hint of hotness to the dish.
- Chili paste – I add chili paste to the sauce. Totally optional.
How to reheat dim sum chicken feet
You can use a microwave to reheat it. But the most ideal way is to steam them. Set up a steamer and steam for 10 minutes. Steaming can make the taste even better, so it is 100% ok to make a larger batch.
What to serve with
Eating chicken feet may be quite time-consuming. So you can serve this with tea for more leisure time. Since it is quite savory in taste, you can also serve it with soups, or congee.
Instructions
Prepare the chicken feet
Cut the claws off and any dirty parts on the chicken feet. You can choose to keep them as whole pieces or cut them into smaller ones.
Blanching and dry
Then bring enough water to a boil in a large pot, add scallion, ginger, and cooking wine. Cook the chicken feet for around 2 minutes.
Transfer out, wash carefully.
Pat drying
This is a very important step to avoid the oil splattering out during the cooking process. If time is enough, I will recommend you place the chicken feet for air frying to make sure there is no water on the surface.
Deep-frying
Heat oil in a wok and add the chicken feet into deep fry until it turns dark golden brown. It is extremely important to make sure the water content is removed by the deep-frying process so the tiger skin can be achieved. It may take around 12 to 18 minutes.
Soaking
Transfer the chicken feet into iced water. And soak for around 1 hour.
Boil to strengthen the tinger skin
I learn this from a Cantonese chef, if you further cook the soaked chicken feet, the tiger skin can be strengthened. So place the soaked chicken feet in boiling water, and continue cooking for 8 to 12 minutes based on how soft you want them to be.
Prepare the sauce and coating
Add dou-chi, garlic, ginger, and chili paste if using a small amount of oil. Fry over a small fire until aromatic.
Pour in starch water. Let it simmer for a while.
Add blanched chicken feet.
Coat well, and serve hot. You can make larger batches and then re-steam them for the next serving.
An Air-frying method instead of deep-frying
If you don’t want to use the deep-frying method, you can use an air-fryer to help. Spread some oil on the drained chicken feet. Put into an air fryer preheated at 375°F. Leave to fry for about 10 to 12 minutes until the skin is completely dried. I have made the test with the air-frying method, it works perfectly.
Other dim sum recipes
- Steamed sausage buns
- Lo Mai Gai (steamed sticky rice in lotus leaf)
- Steamed Ribs with fermented black beans
- Water chestnut cake
- Hong kong style egg tart
- Custard bun-milk yolk buns (奶黄包)
- dim sum style shrimp- har gow (虾饺)
Dim Sum Chicken Feet
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken feet , 12 to 15 ones
- oil for deep frying
- iced water for soaking the chicken feet
- 1 thumb ginger
- 2 scallions
- 1 tbsp. Shaoxing wine
Sauce
- 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. fermented black beans
- 2 fresh Thai chili pepper , finely chopped(optional)
- 1 inch root ginger , finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tbsp. doubanjiang , optionally
- 1/2 tsp. dark soy sauce
Starch water
- 1 cup warm water for braising
- 1/2 tbsp. corn starch
Instructions
Prepare the chicken feet
- Cut the claws off and any dirty parts on the chicken feet. You can choose to keep them as whole pieces or cut them into smaller ones.
Blanch and dry
- Add water in a wok, place scallion, ginger and cooking wine. Cook the chicken feet for around 2 minutes after the water boils.
- Transfer out, wash carefully. Then dry completely. This is a very important step to avoid the oil splattering out during the cooking process. If time is enough, I will recommend you place the chicken feet for air frying to make sure there is no water on the surface.
Deep-fry
- Heat oil in a wok and add the chicken feet into deep fry until it turns dark golden brown. It is extremely important to make sure the water content is removed by the deep-frying process so the tiger skin can be achieved. It may take around 12 to 18 minutes.
Air-frying method
- If you don't want deep-fry, you can choose to air fryer the chickn feet. If you don't want to use the deep-frying method, you can use an air-fryer to help. Spread some oil on the drained chicken feet. Put into an air fryer preheated at 375°F. Leave to fry for about 10 to 12 minutes until the skin is completely dried.
Soak
- Transfer the chicken feet into iced water. And soak for around 1 hour.
Boil to strong the tinger skin
- I learn this from a Cantonese chef, if you further cook the soaked chicken feet, the tiger skin can be strengthened. So place the soaked chicken feet in boiling water, and continue cooking for 8 to 12 minutes based on how soft you want them to be.
Prepare the sauce and coating
- Add dou-chi, garlic, ginger, and chili paste if using a small amount of oil. Fry over a small fire until aromatic. Add in dark soy sauce and light soy sauce.
- Pour in starch water. Let it simmer for a while.
- Return the chicken feet. Coat well, and serve hot. You can make larger batches and then re-steam them for the next serving.
Video
Nutrition
Other ways of cooking chicken feet
Red braised chicken feet
The chicken feet are simmered with soy sauce and spices usually including cinnamon, star anise, and scallions. The marinated chicken feet are stunning with a gorgeous brown color and a salty flavor. The smell of this dish is incredibly appetizing due to the functions of several spices.
Pickled chicken feet
The pickled chicken feet can seem like a cold dish or a perfect snack for you when you are watching TV. You can often buy packaged pickled chicken feet from an Asian chain store. The chopped chicken feet are pickled with the rod chillis. This snack is a little bit spicy, however, you will be attracted by the spiciness and the chewy taste of the chicken feet.
Chicken feet stock
Also, chicken feet can be used to make stock due to the abundance of gelatin. Usually, this stock is stewed with pig bones, carrots, and corn. This stock is quite fresh and sweet.
In Korea, chicken feet are always made into Korea-style spicy chicken feet, which is quite similar to the chicken feet pot in Chinese cuisine. The main difference is the sauce. The Chinese chicken feet pot uses bean paste to make the sauce, but the Korean chicken feet pot uses Korean chili paste.
In Thailand, chicken feet are also served in various dishes, such as in a version of chicken green curry.
Soy sauce chicken feet
Soy sauce chicken feet are a popular Chinese snack. The feet are usually simmered in a broth made with soy sauce, sugar, and spices. It’s a great snack to share with friends and family or as an appetizer before dinner. This is widely loved by children.
Air-frying chicken feet
If you find that the cooking method of chicken feet is quite complicated, you can try some innovative cooking methods, like using an air frier, which will help you to make the cooking a bit easier.
This was so delicious thankyou for sharing your other recipes as well Elaine. I am afraid I have a squeamish family to feed so I did half and half chicken feet and chicken wings cut into pieces as your recipe shows. I know it was a cop out but I enjoyed the feet all by myself.
Hi Riff,
It is a nice idea to add some chicken wings. I understand that you guys do not like to eat chicken feet because of the bones. But I am so glad because at least you had a try and they taste great to you.
Happy cooking!
Forgive my ignorance (I’m only a beginner cook), but could you clarify as the end of 2. says to drain completely, then 3. says to marinate with a little Soy. What are we marinating the feet in? Water with Soy or Oil with Soy?
Hi Peter,
Firstly we need to drain the chicken feet after boiling in water (step 2) and then add soy sauce to marinate them before frying. We do not want water on the surface of the chicken foot because it may cause oil splash.
I’m also new to this. Could you explain step 6, 7 and 8 do we do those after we fry them?
Soaking in cold water is crucial for the crinkled skin. Choose either 7 or 8 is for flavoring.
Hi.
I think that you cannot get the right texture is because you missed one important step which is to dry the chicken before deep frying. You can dry them in the oven at 100 degrees celcius for about 2 – 3 hours. Hope this is useful.
I’m so happy to have located your website.
I’m half chinese and my mother was born in Shanghai, China.
Unfortunately, I didn’t learn how to prepare all my favorite chinese dishes before my mother died.
The Sichuan food website let’s me pursue those wonderful authenic chinese cuisine I thought was
lost forever… And I love the videos.
Thank you.
Welcome board, Ming. It is quite nice to see your comment at the beginning of the day. I have never thought to learn how to cook before leaving my hometown. But very soon, I feel, living outside, it is a must to learn how to cook hometown style dishes to help keep the memories. It is never too late to explore and trying. Happy cooking!
Hi when i read your recipe this morning i immediatwly eent to to the market to try it. My children lovee to eat this so much but but ordering to the dimsum resto really hurts my pocket so i hope i can satisfy them with this and cook it regularly. Thanks so much
You are the most welcome, Bert!
Delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks. Happy cooking!
Hi There is no mention of taking the outer skin off after cutting the toe nail ,is this not necessary in the recipe
Sorry I forgot this step because the chicken feet I bough usually has finished cutting.
Helo
Is Sesame oil not included in the ingridients of chiken feet?
Thanks
Amy,
If you want to use sesame oil, drop some in the sauce for braising.
It’s simply delicious!! Enjoyed IT with my drinks!!
Thank you, Andres!!
Hi Elaine,
I live cooking chicken feet but somehow I cannot make the akin fluffier compared to Chinese restaurants.
I want it softer and fluffier please help
You are use deep frying instead of shallow frying and then soak the chicken feet for longer time.
excuse me, can you tell me how did you calculate the nutrition facts table above?
with a plugin with the recipe.
excuse me, can you tell me how did you calculate the nutrition facts table above?
It is calculated by the recipe plugin.