Learn how to make the most delicious chicken feet bone broth. This broth is full of collagen and gelatin, making not only a tasty broth, but a highly nutritious one.
Table of Contents
- Chicken Feet Stock Making Tips:
- Chicken Feet Soup Benefits
- FAQ:
- Where to buy chicken feet from:
- Tools you may need:
- Ingredients:
- How To Make Chicken Feet Bone Broth
- How To Make Chicken Feet Broth In The Instant Pot:
- Slow Cooker Directions:
- How To Store Chicken Feet Broth
- Find More Of My Favorite Soups
- Chicken Feet Bone Broth Recipe
Whenever we order chickens from our local farm, we always order chicken feet. After the farmers butcher chickens, they are always left with a lot of chicken feet, and you can usually buy them for really cheap.
They aren’t something really high in demand (I can’t imagine why), so they are inexpensive. I know what you’re thinking…why would someone buy chicken feet? It makes the most gelatinous chicken broth ever.
You may be worried about the taste, but I can assure you that it takes like normal broth. So while it may seem very unappealing, I promise it’s delicious. It’s one of those things that probably sounds gross, because it’s just something we are not used to consuming as Americans.
It is also a great way to sustainably eat. Nose to tail. If people aren’t buying chicken feet, they just end up in the trash.
In all honesty, they are a pretty popular food in other cultures. So let’s bring it back here in the states.
This chicken feet broth is so rich and flavorful that it makes the perfect base for your favorite soup recipes.
Chicken Feet Stock Making Tips:
- You do not need to peel the chicken feet – this is totally based off of preference.
- I like to order chicken feet when I order chickens from our farm. If you order them locally, you may get a better price than other places.
- If you are having someone butcher your chickens, make sure you ask them to save the feet and any other organ meats. Most butchers will just throw them away otherwise.
- To add more richness to the broth, you can add a variety of herbs. Throw in some parsley, basil, sage, or oregano.
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Chicken Feet Soup Benefits
- Helps skin and hair. Since it contains a lot of collagen, it can help with strong nails, hair, and help with the elasticity of skin.
- Can help treat leaky gut. Collagen is very soothing to the stomach lining and can help tighten the junctions which can help treat leaky gut.
- Hydration is a great benefit.
- Includes minerals like calcium and phosphorus.
- Folate: 15% of the daily value. Folate can help prevent birth defects during pregnancy.
- Joint health: Some studies have shown that collagen can help with joint function and pain.
- Improves blood sugar levels
- Can improve digestive issues (source)
FAQ:
Is chicken foot bone broth healthy?
Yes. Broth made from chicken feet is high in protein, mostly from collagen, and also contains folate. Collagen has many health benefits, including blood sugar control, heart health, helping to reduce fine lines and skin appearance, reduce joint pain and more. (source)
Do you have to peel chicken feet for bone broth?
No. When you order chicken feet, it may or may not come with the skin already removed. If it doesn’t, it is no big deal, just make sure they are clean before turning it into stock.
Why are chicken feet good for broth?
Because they are rich in collagen. When cooked long enough, the collagen is released, turning into gelatin. So after the broth is cooled, you will get the thickest, most gelatinous broth. Collagen is beneficial for skin, joints, hair, gut health, and more.
Can you get collagen from chicken feet?
Yes. The long slow cooking process brings out the collagen in the chicken feet.
Where to buy chicken feet from:
- Check local farms in the area
- Fed From The Farm
- Azure Standard sells chicken paws. Chicken paws are mostly just the foot of the chicken and not much of the legs.
- Primal Pastures
- Grass Roots
Tools you may need:
Large pot, Instant Pot, or slow cooker
Measuring cup (I just use a 1/2 gallon mason jar)
Ingredients:
Chicken feet: They should be cleaned before use. Usually they are when you purchase them from a company. If you are butchering them yourself, then you will want to make sure they are cleaned and pre boiled.
Water: Preferably filtered. I use a Berkey
Salt: Sea salt
Onion, celery and carrots: Also known as aromatics (including herbs), this enhances the flavor of the broth.
Herbs: I love adding parsley, thyme, oregano, sage, and peppercorns
How To Make Chicken Feet Bone Broth
On The Stove
In a large stock pot or dutch oven, place chicken feet, water, onions, carrots, celery, peppercorns, and any herbs you want to add. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a simmer.
Cover with a lid and turn down to low. It should still be simmering.
Allow the broth to simmer for 6-8 or more hours.
Strain with a fine mesh strainer into jars and store in the fridge.
How To Make Chicken Feet Broth In The Instant Pot:
Place the chicken feet into the Instant Pot and pour over water.
Add lid and set to seal.
Set to low pressure for 240 minutes.
Once the time is up, set it again for 240 minutes.
When it is done cooking, you can either allow it to naturally release or flip the valve to venting. Many times if it’s at night and I just don’t want to deal with it, I will set it to warm for 10 hours.
Strain off the broth using a fine mesh strainer and store broth in the fridge.
Slow Cooker Directions:
Add chicken feet, water, any veggie scraps and herbs to the slow cooker.
Cover with lid and place on low for 18-24 hours.
Strain and store in the fridge.
How To Store Chicken Feet Broth
Store in an air-tight container. I like to just use a mason jar with a lid. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: Add to a freezer safe food storage bag and lay flat to freeze. Alternatively, poor into a mason jar, leaving a few inches of headspace at the top. This is so there is room in the jar for the broth to expand and protecting the glass from breaking. Store for up to 3 months.
Find More Of My Favorite Soups
- Easy Zuppa Toscana Soup
- Split Pea Soup
- Tomato Soup From Scratch
- Homemade Creamy Chicken And Gnocchi Soup
- Chicken Marsala Soup
- Sausage Sauerkraut Soup
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Chicken Feet Bone Broth
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon water
- 2 lbs chicken feet, cleaned
- Veggie scraps: onions, celery, carrots, etc.
- Herbs: parsley, thyme, basil, etc.
Instructions
Stove-Top
- In a large stock pot or dutch oven, place chicken feet, water, onions, carrots, celery, peppercorns, and any herbs you want to add. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a simmer.
- Cover with a lid and turn down to low. It should still be simmering
- Allow the broth to simmer for 6-8 or more hours.
- Strain with a fine mesh strainer into jars and store in the fridge.
Instant Pot
- Place the chicken feet into the Instant Pot and pour over water.
- Add lid and set to seal.
- Set to low pressure for 240 minutes.
- Once the time is up, set it again for 240 minutes.
- When it is done cooking, you can either allow it to naturally release or flip the valve to venting.
- Strain off the broth using a fine mesh strainer and store broth in the fridge.
Notes
- This will store for up to a week in the refrigerator. Or you can freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you let your pot simmer on low over night? Or do you put it in the fridge and bring it back out in the morning?
Thank you!
If I’m doing it overnight I will make the broth in the the crockpot or instant pot. I don’t leave it on the stove overnight
Can the bone broth be canned?
I believe you can in a pressure canner.
So I have a stovetop pressure cooker. I usually use Helen Rennie’s recipe for regular chicken stock (wings) – high pressure an hour and a half, then sits overnight without ever opening the pot. I assume you do 240 twice because you can’t set an IP for 480? So can I either do the feet the way I do my standard stock ⤴️, or can I do low pressure for 8 hours in a row instead of stopping and starting again? (If you know)
I was so happy to see I don’t have to remove the skin. The toes are gonna be bad enough! 😃 And I must never let my granddaughter know there were chicken feet involved in her soup! LOL Thank you
How do you clean chicken feet that you purchase at the store?
They are already cleaned. I don’t do anything beyond that. Most chickens are actually boiled during processing to remove feathers.
My mum used to make chicken feet soup every week. Slow cooked over charcoal stove. My mum added for different ailments items like dates, pork bones, traditional Chinese medical roots and herbs, etc. Chicken feet is affordable and nutritious. Gives you good skin so wounds heal easily too.
Hello I made some chicken stock from feet yesterday with feet from our meat chickens. I rinsed well before freezing but did not peel or pre-boil them before putting them into the instant pot. It gelled well but I’m curious why we are supposed to pre-cook them. Is this consumable? Thanks in advance from a newbie!
I learned how to make chicken foot soup many years ago as a young married. We had 300 chickens, and when we started to butcher the roosters, a church member asked for the feet! Of course, we thought this was a rather strange request but agreed.
At our next potluck, she arrived with a crock pot full of the most beautiful chicken soup I have ever seen! This was the chicken soup that would cure a common cold!
She told me that she prepared the feet by soaking them in water overnight; the next morning, she roasted the feet in the oven to remove the skin, then she would stick them in a soup pot and let them come to boil then simmer. The final step was always homemade egg noodles!
Doesn’t the simmering destroy the folate content significantly?
What way do you recommend to cook it? With raw chicken feet do you have to cook it on low super long?
I have been making chicken feet bone broth from our organic meat birds for years and pressure canning it. Because of the high cost of lids this year I bought some silicone trays with 1/2 inch high sides for my Excalibur dehydrator and started making bouillon. I got about 8 oz of bouillon from 3 gallons of bone broth! I’m super excited about this new way of preserving my chicken feet! We need more people like you spreading the word about how wonderful chicken feet are on the homestead!
Can you can this in a pressure canner, if so how long would you process them
Thank you
20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts @ 10# of pressure.