Chicken Feet Bone Broth

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This chicken feet bone broth is ultra rich, delicious and filled with tons of nutrients like collagen, amino acids and other healthy minerals. Plus, it's a great way to use the whole animal when we cook without wasting anything.

Chicken feet may sound weird for many Americans, but they are actually quite amazing. And I think it's important that we use the whole animal when we cook.

Whether you're using them to make this broth, this delicious chicken feet soup, fried chicken feet or braised chicken feet, they are packed full of all kinds of healthy nutrients and minerals, and are wonderfully rich and gelatinous.

Plus, chicken feet are so cheap, they are just perfect to use to make wonderfully gelatinous bone broth! Cooking them for a long period of time at low heat allows the collagen to come out of the bones.

And of all the chicken parts, the feet are actually the best to make bone broth with because of all the small (easy to break down) bones, tendons and cartilage.

You can also just add chicken feet to other broths (like this crockpot chicken broth or this Instant Pot chicken bone broth) to add an extra richness.

You can also make beef bone broth easily with beef bones! Check out the chicken feet bone broth story!

What is Bone Broth?

Bone broth is a cooking liquid made from simmering bones (chicken, beef, pork, etc.) for many hours to allow the bones and cartilage to break down.

What Is the Difference Between Bone Broth and Stock?

Well, bone broth and stock are essential the same thing – the process of simmering bones and over the long term to get nutrients and collagen. What differs is the time.

Bone broth is typically simmered for many hours, while stock is simmered for less time. Regular chicken broth is typically made with just meat, vegetables and aromatics, and has a much lighter texture and flavor. 

Bone Broth Benefits

Some of you may wonder whether chicken bone broth heals the gut. Well, I can’t tell you for sure as I am no doctor, however the collagen, glycine, and amino acids have been said to help in inflammation of the gut. 

It has been recommended to drink 8 ounces of bone broth a day to help with this inflammation. But again, not a doctor here. All I know is it makes me feel good and it’s so delicious. 

And if you’re going to start drinking this every day as part of a diet, why waste money on the store bought kinds? I have been drinking bone broth every day for weeks and am loving it. 

Do You Have to Peel Chicken Feet for Bone Broth?

If you get chicken feet that still have the yellow peel on them, you will definitely want to peel them before making the broth.

To remove the skin, soak them in a vinegar and water mixture for 10-15 minutes, then peel away the skin. You can also dip in boiling water.

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

I typically buy my chicken feet from the Asian market, but you may also be able to get them at the farmer's market or your local butcher.

Apple cider vinegar helps the bones and cartilage break down faster

Step By Step Instructions

Clean the chicken feet very thoroughly under cool water and remove any nails if they are still on.

Combine all the ingredients in a Dutch oven and cover with water.

Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer on low for 8 hours.

Strain thoroughly through a mesh strainer.

Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in ice cubes and store in a freezer bag for up to 6 months.

Instant Pot Instructions

This chicken feet bone broth can also be made in the Instant Pot. Combine all ingredients in the pot and cover with water (below the max fill line).

Pressure cook on high for 3 hours. Let pressure release naturally.

Strain thoroughly through a mesh strainer.

Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in ice cubes and store in a freezer bag for up to 6 months.

Expert Tips

1. Scrub the feet thoroughly before cooking to make sure they are clean.
2. Note that I do not add salt to this bone broth recipe. When I use this chicken bone broth in other recipes, I like to adjust the salt as necessary for specific recipes. If you are drinking it straight, you will want to salt it to taste, otherwise it will taste bland. I don’t recommend adding salt during the cooking process as the salt concentration becomes very high.
3. For a completely smooth bone broth, strain through a sieve. Personally I use a finely woven wire mesh strainer, but I don’t need a perfectly smooth broth. You can strain it more than once if necessary.

How To Freeze Bone Broth

Let the broth cool slightly and pour into ice cube trays. Place in the freezer. Once frozen, place the ice cubes in large freezer bags and store for up to a year

This enables you to use smaller amounts of the bone broth as necessary. You can also freeze it in 1 cup containers, or just freeze the whole batch in a freezer safe container (not recommended unless you plan to thaw it all out at once). Store it for up to a year.

How to Use Chicken Feet Bone Broth

This chicken feet bone broth can be used in any recipe that calls for chicken broth. Try it in some of these recipes:

• Wonton Noodle Soup
• Braised Beef Short Ribs
• Coconut Jasmine Rice
• Instant Pot Lemon Chicken
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

You may also want to try some of these great ideas:

• Use it in place of water when cooking rice;
• Cook vegetables in it;
• You can just drink it. Just add some salt and pepper and sip away – it’s incredible!
• Use it braising meats.

Did you make this recipe? Rate it and leave a comment below to let me know how you liked it!