Chicken is a dish which every non-vegetarian devours the most. Be it chicken breasts, chicken popcorn, chicken parmesan, or any dish of chicken, it always tends to satiate your palate.
But did you know there was an underrated chicken dish that is as good as the other ones? Yes, chicken feet is that dish which you don’t pay much attention to but once you have it, you just can’t get enough of it.
Surprisingly enough, this underrated dish is actually served as a delicacy in various parts of Asia, as well as in parts of Mexico and Jamaica!
How does it Taste?
When deep fried without a coating, the texture of the skin of the feet is almost similar to that of pork cracklings but the former is not as fatty as the latter.
But the trick to getting the perfect taste is by cooking the chicken feet perfectly; because it is majorly skin and tendons and little edible meat, your chicken feet might feel chewy if they aren’t cooked properly.
Health Benefits
Besides its taste, chicken feet are also preferred due to the numerous health benefits that they tend to offer. Even though they aren’t that rich in the meat content, chicken feet consist of skin and cartilage along with tendons because of which they are quite high in collagen, thereby helping in boosting the production of the same in your body.
According to a study in Japan, eating chicken feet also effectively helps to control high blood pressure. Besides that, it also significantly improves your blood circulation, reduces inflammation, and also colossally improves your digestive functions.
Things to Keep in Mind
Before we head on to the delicious part, here a bunch of things to keep in mind while preparing chicken feet:
- Don’t overcook or undercook them because they will turn chewy.
- Get rid of the toenails and any loose-hanging from the feet skin thoroughly.
- Don’t boil the feet for too long while preparing them because that will have the skin stick to the muscle.
- Undercooked or raw chicken is always a no, regardless of what part of it you are cooking. So, steer clear of that.
- Avoid cooking chicken feet if they are smelly or if you have accidentally preserved them for a bit too long because that is extremely unhealthy; don’t store them for too long.
Delicious Ways to Cook Chicken Feet
Here are 10 recipes of chicken feet that will have you drooling:
1. Cold Dish Chicken Feet
Chinese cold dish chicken feet are a delicacy all over China and is a tourist favorite, thanks to its amazing taste. Jam-packed with seasoning and the perfect combination of licorice, this dish will win your heart by its uniqueness and is, therefore, a definitive must-try!
2. Chicken Feet Salad
Chicken Feet SaladCourtesy: Padaek.com
A spicy chicken feet salad is one of the best savory dishes and also one of the most popular Thai salad dishes.
Chop up some leafy greens, onions, carrots, or any vegetables of your choice and flavor the salad with the chilly sauce of your choice for the best chicken salad you would ever taste!
3. Fried Chicken Feet
Fried chicken has always been a crowd-pleaser. But have you ever thought about fried chicken feet?
A dash of soy sauce and a stick of cinnamon always pairs up well when you are deep frying chicken. And even better so with chicken feet. You can even cook sweet fried chicken, top it up with some herbs and spices for an enhanced flavor, and enjoy the amazing crisp as you munch into it.
Fried Chicken Feet4. Stewed Chicken Feet Soup
First things first, prepare some spicy fish sauce. Yes, you heard that right. But, a combination of chicken and fish? Well, it would be safe to say that this dish is the epitome of “don’t judge a book by its cover”.
A bowl of stewed chicken feet soup with spicy fish sauce is going to freshen your palate to a great extent and you would be opening the gates to a whole new world of chicken dishes!
5. Chicken Feet Stew
This is yet another way of preparing chicken feet stew and in this one, you would have to go with tomato sauce or puree for a different taste. Add some vegetables and lemon to your dish and you are all set for a yummy plate of chicken feet without any hassle!
6. Braised Chicken Feet
Cook braised chicken feet with black bean sauce, infuse some mushrooms in the dish or have it the classic dim sum style. Either way, braised chicken feet is one of the best ways of eating chicken feet and not only so for the taste, but nutrition-wise as well.
7. Rice Noodles and Chicken Feet
Doesn’t that sound utterly delicious, one amazing dish being paired up with another! And the best part is that you can cook this dish in a variety of ways! You can eat rice noodles with chicken feet curry, enjoy rice noodle and chicken feet sauce, or have them side by side.
Rice Noodles and Chicken Feet8. Chicken Feet Broth
Making stock out of chicken to match with your sauces and curries or stirring a pot of a nutrient-rich chicken feet broth are both extremely healthy options of cooking and eating chicken feet.
And this is mainly because the gelatin part of the feet helps in creating a broth rich in taste and nutrients.
9. Lemon Chicken Feet
Some Thai chilli, lemon, onions, and a handful of ginger are the secret to a wonderful plate of heaven, i.e., the perfect lemon chicken feet. Prepare yourself because this is about to become your comfort food and there is no turning back once you have had a taste of the dish.
10. Korean Chicken Feet
A spicy delicacy, this dish includes some fantastic ingredients such as oyster sauce, Korean red pepper paste, and vegetables like green onions and garlic for an incredible flavor. And a tip, add some Thai chillies for an even better taste.
So many amazing dishes just waiting for you to dive in!
Also read- Undercooked Chicken
