Chicken Feet, Dim Sum Style (豉汁凤爪)

Why try this recipe

The traditional way of making dim sum chicken feet can be quite complex. This recipe, however, uses alternative techniques to make the cooking process less laborious and time-consuming.

• No deep-frying. This recipe include two options: air fry the chicken feet or just skip the pre-cooking step altogether. This simplifies the process while also allowing you to make the dish less greasy.
• No steaming. This recipe uses the braising method instead which requires less cooking time. It also allows you to cook a big batch if you plan to freeze some for later consumption.

Facts on chicken feet

Before talking about the cooking steps, let me first explain some facts about chicken feet which may interest you.

They are a common and well-loved ingredient in many Asian cuisines. Consisting of soft bones, cartilage, tendons and skin, chicken feet have a high level of calcium and collagen content, a type of protein that’s believed to help make our skin and hair healthy.

Apart from today’s dish, chicken feet are great for making rich stock/bone broth, or aspic (aka meat jelly) used in the filling of soup dumplings.

What do chicken feet taste like?

Though this part of the chicken is not as meaty as the rest, they still somewhat taste like chicken. Texture-wise, the abundance of collagen gives them a gelatin-like texture when cooked.

You will enjoy a rich, almost luxurious mouthfeel in every bite which you don’t get from any other chicken cut. Also, the skin of the chicken feet is very good at soaking up the flavours of the seasonings and spices.

Where to purchase?

You would most probably find chicken feet in the frozen section of your local Chinese/Asian shops with the outer, yellowish tough skin already removed.

If this is not a feasible option, you can always reach out to your local butcher to save them for you. You will probably get them cheap because some outlets just throw them away.

How to clean chicken feet?

Before cooking, follow these steps to clean:

• Remove the outer yellow skin (skip this step if it’s already peeled off). Briefly dip the feet in boiling water then transfer to ice cold water. After that, you’ll be able to peel it off quite easily (You may find this chicken feet cleaning video helpful).
• Rinse and rub under tap water. Make sure to clean the pads of the feet and the area in between the toes.
• Chop off the nail part. Use kitchen scissors or a knife to do this.

Ingredients for this recipe

• Chicken feet. I use 500g (about 1.1 lb) in this recipe, which will give you about 14-16 feet.
• Aromatics. Garlic and ginger will give the braising liquid an aromatic base.
• Spices. A combination of star anise, bay leaves, and dried chilli pepper creates the perfect blend of warm, earthy, and fiery flavours. Chillies are optional but highly recommended as the subtle heat they provide really elevates the general taste.
• Fermented black beans. Known as Dou Chi (豆豉) in Chinese, they have quite a unique and complex flavour: aromatic, earthy, salty, and a little bittersweet. They are a typical ingredient in making dim sum style chicken feet. However, you can omit them if unavailable.
• Sauces. I use a blend of light, dark soy sauce and oyster sauce. They give the braising liquid a umami, savoury taste, as well as an appetising colour.
• Shaoxing rice wine. It helps to reduce the gamey taste and adds an aromatic flavour.
• Sugar. It adds a subtle taste of sweetness to the dish.

The cooking procedure

Step 1: Blanch

Once the chicken feet are cleaned and the nails trimmed, place them in a pot of water. Bring to a boil then leave to simmer for 5 minutes (skim off the grey foam appearing on the surface). Remove from heat and drain the feet thoroughly.

Step 2 (Optional): Air-fry and soak

Preheat your air fryer at 200°C/390°F. Coat the blanched chicken feet with oil (spray or rub with hands). Place them in the air fryer basket and set the timer to 10 minutes or until you see blisters forming on the skin. While frying, open the basket to flip and shake the feet a couple of times.

Once done, immerse the feet in a large bowl of cold water. Allow to soak in the refrigerator for 2 hours (or overnight). Then drain well.

???? NOTE: The air-frying and soaking process is an alternative to the traditional deep-frying and soaking method. This procedure softens the chicken feet’ skin and gives them a wrinkled look. It’s perfectly fine to skip this pre-cooking step altogether and simply prolong the braising time in the next step.

Step 3: Braise

Heat oil in a wok/pot. Add garlic, ginger, dried chilli, star anise, bay leaves and fermented black beans. Fry over low heat until the garlic turns lightly golden and fragrant.

Put in the chicken feet, then add oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, and sugar. Pour in about 400ml (1¾ cups) of hot water.

Bring it to a boil then cover with a lid. Leave to simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or so until the chicken feet’ skin becomes tender.

Remove the lid and turn the heat to high to boil down the braising liquid. When the broth thickens, transfer to a plate and serve.

???? NOTE: If the chicken feet haven’t been air-fried, extend the braising time to 40 minutes. You can use an instant pot or a slow cooker for the braising step.

How to eat chicken feet

If you are new to eating chicken feet, here are a few tips you may find useful:

1. Use chopsticks to firmly grasp the chicken feet. Hold them with the toes pointing towards you.
2. Bite between the joints. Chew the skin off and suck the soft, collagen-rich tendons and cartilages. Then spit out the bones.
3. Move on to the pads of the feet, and do the same until you finish it.

Serving and storage

Enjoy these freshly cooked chicken feet as an appetiser in a multi-course meal served with steamed rice. Or include it in a home-style dim sum brunch.

They also taste great at room temperature and I often find cold ones tastier as the flavour seems to intensify over time. So they make a wonderful snack (e.g. while watching TV with a cool beer!). In this situation, using your hands, instead of chopsticks, is more natural and practical.

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 2 months. Bring back to room temperature to serve or steam for a few minutes to reheat.

Other dim sum classics

Want to make more dim sum dishes at home? Here are a few popular ones: