Chicken Feet Soup Recipe (Slow Cooker)

How do you cook chicken feet (AKA chicken paws or phoenix claws)? Try making my simple chicken feet soup recipe in your slow cooker! Though chicken feet are not a typical part of U.S. cuisine, they are a delicious addition to soups. If you want to make yourself one of the richest and most flavorful broths ever, do not miss out on this chicken foot soup recipe.

This recipe is an update from 2020. I added new information, a recipe video, and lots of new photos of chicken feet! The soup recipe, however, remains untouched.

We are going on a foodie adventure today! Though chicken feet are a common food in some parts of the world, many in the U.S. are unfamiliar with this ingredient. This was the first time my family tried a dish with chicken feet, and it was delicious!

I understand that this Crock Pot chicken feet soup recipe is not going to be something that everyone will want to try. I had a wide variety of reactions when I posted a photo of chicken paws on Twitter. Some told me how much they loved chicken feet, while others were far less enthusiastic.

A few folks told me the feet looked a bit too much like human fingers! I am glad I kept them in a clearly labeled package for the photo.

I knew going into this culinary foray that one of my family members was going to have a hard time with this one. Meanwhile, my other family member would totally be game to try these. (My predictions were spot on, btw.)

Luckily, if you just can’t bear to face the feet, simply make the broth and remove the feet. Then add the rest of the soup ingredients to that delicious broth. Easy!

Jump to:

• Benefits
• Ingredients
• Equipment
• How to Make Chicken Feet Soup
• Cook Time
• What are some other ways to cook chicken feet?
• Expert Tips from a Dietitian
• FAQs
• Other Soup Recipes You’ll Love
• The Disclaimer…
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Benefits

Why make soup with chicken feet? Here’s why this recipe is a keeper in my household:

• The best way to cook chicken feet: Using your crock pot is my favorite way to cook chicken paws. The chicken feet get that long, low temperature cooking time that they need to be their best. Unlike cooking on the stovetop, the process is pretty hands off for you.

• Makes the richest, most flavorful broth ever: A benefit of using chicken feet in your bone broth is that is makes some of the richest chicken broth around. It’s a nifty way to upgrade your regular chicken soup recipe into something extra special. I think of it as chicken soup 2.0 Haha
• Packed with collagen: If you’ve never had success making a bone broth that gels, try throwing this collagen-rich ingredient into the batch! The stock should gel quite easily after it has cooled.
• Inexpensive: Some people spend big bucks on collagen supplements and powders. Save money and get yourself some chicken feet instead if you regularly make your own broth. Chicken feet tend to cost only $1-3 per pound, depending on where they are sourced.
• Easy to customize: If you don’t like the idea of feet in your soup, this entree can work for you too! You can discard the feet after they’ve done their job making the soup broth. You still get the wonderful broth from the feet, without actually having to see said feet in your food.

Ingredients

Here’s what I use to make a simple chicken feet broth in the crock pot:

• Chicken feet
• Apple cider vinegar
• Cold water

Unfortunately, our local supermarkets do not typically carry chicken feet. I have to make a special trip to an international market each time I want this ingredient. You may be in a similar situation if you live in the United States.

Thankfully, chicken feet freeze well. So, buy a package (or two), put them in the freezer, and defrost them when you need them. Easy peasy.

After making the chicken stock, I add the following to the slow cooker to make chicken feet soup:

• Sliced carrots
• Sliced celery
• Chopped onion
• Dried thyme
• Dried oregano
• Finely chopped garlic
• Chopped jalapenos (if you want some spicy heat in the soup)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Cooked chicken breast, chopped
• Dry barley
• Fresh parsley

I like the texture that barley provides in crock pot soup recipes. Feel free to use another grain (such as brown rice, farro, or wild rice) if you would prefer.

If you use whole grain pasta or quinoa, you should add them a little closer to the end of the cooking time. Otherwise, you risk turning them to mush in the crock pot.

Equipment

The main kitchen equipment that you need for this recipe are a good knife, sharp kitchen shears, and a large crock pot. I developed this recipe using the Crock-Pot SVC700-B, an oval slow cooker with a 7-quart capacity. It’s a one of the cheaper slow cooker options but does a great job cooking large batches of soup and broths.

How to Make Chicken Feet Soup

Finally, we’ve reached the part you’ve probably been waiting for: how to cook chicken feet soup. First up, we need to do some prep to make chicken feet broth. For the best results, make sure to start this recipe the night before you want soup.

Most of the time, the yellow outer layer of the feet has been peeled by the butcher. If this has not been done, you will need to do this.

To prepare this dish, I had to clip the tips of the toes off of the chicken feet to remove the nails. A sharp set of kitchen shears will make quick work of this.

As you can see, even after cutting each foot, it still looked like a foot. I know that this will exceed some people’s comfort level when it comes to food. For others, we’re going on a culinary adventure!

Put the trimmed chicken feet in your slow cooker and cover with water. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and give it a stir. Now cover the crock pot, put it on low, and let it cook overnight.

The next day, about six hours before you want soup, skim off any foam that formed on top of the broth. At this point, you can choose to take the chicken feet out or leave them in. Taking the chicken feet out makes the soup much easier to eat, no fussing with little bones.

The feet don’t have much in the way of meat on them, so it’s not really wasteful to discard them after the broth is made. You know your family and their preferences best, so I’ll leave that decision up to you.

If you try this chicken feet soup recipe, let me know whether you left the feet in or not!

Cook Time

It took 12-18 hours to make chicken foot broth in the slow cooker. It will take an additional 6 hours to make crock pot chicken feet soup.

Add the carrots, celery, onion, thyme, oregano, garlic, jalapenos (if using), salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker again and cook for 5 hours on low.

Now add the cooked chicken and dry barley to the crockpot, and give the soup a stir. Cover the pot and cook on low for one more hour.

At the end of the hour, the barley should be tender and ready to eat. Stir in the fresh parsley and serve. I hope you enjoy it!

What are some other ways to cook chicken feet?

Though chicken feet aren’t extremely popular in America, they are enjoyed in many other parts of the world. Here are some examples of how chicken paws are prepared around the globe:

• Trini style: In Trinidad, you can find a dish called “chicken foot souse.” The chicken feet are boiled in seasoned water and then mixed with peppers, onions, cucumbers, and fresh herbs.
• Chinese style: Chicken feet are a popular part of Chinese cuisine. In China, you can find phoenix claws served as a snack, a cold dish, soup, or a main dish. I often see red dates used in Chinese chicken feet soup recipes. Packages of chicken feet (with rice vinegar and chili) are sold in Chinese supermarkets as a convenient snack!
• Guyanese style: This one is tricky! In Guyana, “chicken foot” refers to a crunchy snack of spiced flour that was fried in oil. There are no actual chicken feet in the dish at all (Guyanese chicken foot recipe).
• Jamaican chicken feet soup: In Jamaica, chicken foot soup often contains ingredients such as green bananas, potatoes, yams, and dumplings. It’s a delicious and carb-rich way to enjoy your chicken feet.
• Thai chicken feet soup: Chicken feet can be found in an assortment of dishes in Thailand, including curries. Tom Yum Teen Gai is a popular soup from Thailand that uses chicken feet.

I hope this gave you a few more ideas for what to do with chicken feet. I can tell you that I’m adding a few chicken feet to each batch of my Instant Pot Bone Broth from now on.

Have you ever tried chicken feet? If so, I’d love to hear about how you like to prepare them. Drop me a comment below and tell me all about how you use chicken feet in your menu!

Expert Tips from a Dietitian

This is a level 1 recipe (may help support fat loss). Is chicken feet soup fattening? Heck no!

I’ve mentioned this before, but (in general), broth-based soups are a great option to support weight loss. The high-volume, low-calorie combo of protein, fiber, and fluid may help to keep you full.

I especially enjoy a comforting dish like this when it is cold out. What’s better than coming home to a warm bowl of soup after spending time in the cold? IMVHO, it’s a little piece of heaven.

FAQs

Other Soup Recipes You’ll Love

Soup is pretty much the quintessential cold weather comfort food! If you’re searching for more recipes for soup, here are a few you may enjoy:

• Turkey Soup with Wild Rice (Crock Pot)
• One-Pot Sausage and Bean Soup
• Quick Black Bean Soup with Pumpkin Swirl
• Vegan Gazpacho
• Pureed Cauliflower Soup with Garam Masala Granola

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The Disclaimer…

All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.

The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be wildly inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.

For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to my overnight oats with yogurt post. Let's get cooking!

📖 Recipe