Chicken feet soup is packed with collagen and full of flavor. It makes a nutrient-dense broth or stock, perfect for soups, risotto, or sipping on its own.
Today I'm making a rich, comforting chicken soup using only chicken feet. The broth is full of flavor and works great as a base for soups, stews, or homemade stock.
It's also easy on the wallet, this entire pot costs less than ten dollars to make.
This recipe is Paleo, Keto, and Gluten-Free.
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Chicken Feet Are a Part of Every Chicken
In the past, when you visited your neighborhood butcher, you could select a chicken and it would be freshly slaughtered and plucked.
Upon leaving the shop, you'd carry home not just the choice cuts of tender muscle meat, but also the chicken's liver, heart, brain, and feet! Nowadays, it's easy to overlook the fact that animals possess a variety of limbs and vital organs.
Chicken feet are a fantastic choice for creating good stock and they're are rich in collagen, which is why I decided to include them. With a pound of chicken feet being just a fraction of the cost of whole chickens, they make a great choice.
Bone broth is known for supporting bone strength, skin, digestion, joints, and the immune system thanks to its collagen and minerals.
Slow cooking the bones pulls out all the nutrients, turning the broth into a rich, nourishing base for any meal.
Uses For Chicken Broth
Chicken feet soup can be used in all recipes calling for chicken stock.
Dishes such as Thanksgiving stuffing, risotto, gravy, mashed potatoes, soups, stews, and sauces all use chicken broth.
You can ditch the store-bought cartons of broth and use this broth instead. It definitely tastes better, it costs a lot less, and you know exactly what's in it.
Equipment Needed
- Stockpot, large pot, or slow cooker (Crock Pot)
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Ladle
- Strainer
- Airtight containers for storage
What Goes in Chicken Broth?
Use these ingredients as a guide. Use what you have on hand. A few aromatics will work well.
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds chicken feet, rinsed (You can also use parts such as chicken wings, thighs, backs, etc.)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Cold water
- 2 carrots, peeled
- 1 celery rib
- 1 parsnip, peeled
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 1 leek, white part only, cleaned well
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs of dill
- 3 sprigs of parsley
- Peppercorns
Chicken stock has no salt in it. If you are going to eat the broth as soup, season with salt before serving.
Simple Chicken Feet Soup in Crock Pot
- Wash the chicken feet well under cold running water.
- Place all ingredients in the slow cooker and fill with cold water, about 2 inches from the top of the pot. Place the lid on the pot and turn on HIGH heat.
- Set a timer for an hour and open the pot. Skim any accumulated foam from the top of the pot with a large spoon.
- Turn the heat to LOW. Cover and cook for 12 to 24 hours.
- When it's finished cooking, open the pot and let it cool for 30 minutes.
- Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer or a few layers of cheesecloth.
- Pour the stock into 1-quart containers and let it come to room temperature, for about an hour. Cover and refrigerate the containers.
- After the stock has been refrigerated overnight, you will notice the liquid has turned to jelly and there is a layer of fat on the surface. Skim off the fat with a big spoon and discard.
Bone Broth is Loaded with Gelatin
That jelly you see when the broth cools? That's gelatin. This chicken broth is packed with collagen, which may help support healthy skin, joints, and digestion.
Collagen is often called the "glue" of the body. It helps keep your connective tissues strong, flexible, and working properly.
Studies have shown that gelatin acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory in your gut and can help restore the integrity of the gut lining in cases of leaky gut syndrome.
Since it is also rich in nutrients but easy to digest, bone broth helps to support the restoration of a damaged gut by giving your digestion a break from the intensive work of having to break down other food.
Dr. Will Cole
How to Store Chicken Broth
Let the chicken broth cool to room temperature (about an hour) before storing.
Refrigerator: For short-term use, store the broth in the fridge for up to 5 days. Use an airtight container like a glass jar or food-safe plastic container. Label it with the date so you can keep track.
Freezer: For longer storage, freeze the broth. First, chill it in the fridge. Then pour it into freezer-safe containers, leaving about an inch at the top for expansion. Label with a Sharpie: CHICKEN BROTH and the date.
You can also freeze broth in smaller portions like ice cube trays or small jars so you only thaw what you need.
To Thaw: Move the frozen broth to the fridge the night before. If you're in a hurry, place the container in a bowl of cool water on the counter to speed things up.
Chicken Feet Recipe
You can make a rich broth by simmering chicken feet with vegetables and spices for several hours. It's simple, affordable, and full of flavor.
Use the broth as a base for soups, stews, risotto, or any recipe that calls for chicken stock. You can make it in a stockpot or a slow cooker.
Store the broth in small containers in the freezer for up to 6 months. Anytime you need chicken stock, just grab a container and go. No need to buy the boxed kind again.
For More Recipes
You can also prepare beef bone broth using my Homemade Beef Bone Broth Recipe. By roasting the bones and letting them simmer throughout the night, you'll create a rich broth that's both wholesome and delicious.
To make chicken soup, see Keto Instant Pot Chicken Soup with Crispy Chicken Skin and Old-Fashioned Chicken Soup.
For a semi-homemade (from a box) pot of Kosher deli chicken soup, try our Deli Chicken Soup Recipe. It comes with in a mix with matzo balls and it tastes just like the soup from the corner deli because they use a mix too!
For more ways to stretch your dollar while the price of meat is soaring, visit Budget Friendly Meat Recipes.
FAQ
Bone broth made with chicken soup tastes just like a bowl of your favorite homemade chicken soup.
When refrigerated, the natural collagen in the bones causes the broth to gelatinize. All bone broth, if cooked long enough, will solidify when chilled. Just reheat it on the stove for a few minutes and you have soup. It is perfectly fine.
Chicken feet are available at most butcher shops and grocery stores where there is a meat counter.
Chicken Feet Bone Soup and Bone Broth
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken feet (clean the chicken thoroughly and wash under cold running water)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 carrots
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 parsnip
- 1 yellow onion quartered
- 1 leek white part only, cleaned well
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 3 sprigs fresh dill
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Instructions
STOCK POT RECIPE
- Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with cold water so the chicken parts are submerged.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil, for about 15 minutes, and then skim the foam that rises to the top of the pot with a large spoon.
- Add remaining ingredients. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 4 to 12 hours, partially covered, to allow steam to escape. You can add water to the pot as it evaporates.
- Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer or a double layer of cheesecloth. Discard the solids. Refrigerate the stock overnight.
- After the stock has been refrigerated for several hours or overnight, you will notice a layer of fat on the surface. Skim and discard the fat layer. Consume the refrigerated broth within 5 days or store it in the freezer for up to six months.
SLOW COOKER RECIPE
- Place all your ingredients in the slow cooker and cover with cold water, leaving 2 inches at the top.
- Turn the heat on HIGH. After one hour, open the pot and skim any foam that has risen to the top.
- Replace the cover with the heat on LOW. Cook for 6 to 12 hours.
- Open the pot and let it cool to room temperature. Strain and discard all solids. Refrigerate overnight.
- After the stock has been refrigerated overnight, you will notice a layer of fat on the surface. Skim and discard the fat layer. Consume the refrigerated broth within 5 days or store it in the freezer for up to six months.
Notes
- Using a Sharpie, label the containers with the date the words CHICKEN BROTH.
- Consider dividing your bone broth into smaller portions before freezing. This allows you to thaw only what you need, reducing waste and making it more convenient to use in recipes.
- For safe thawing, transfer the frozen chicken stock containers to the refrigerator the day before use. If you're in a hurry, you can also thaw the chicken stock by immersing the container in a large bowl of cool water on the kitchen counter.
