Chicken Feet Soup – This delicacy is satisfyingly rich and intensely flavored. Its mouthwatering aromas, creamy texture, and intense flavor appeal to all the senses. Jamaican Chicken Feet Soup is a delicious way to enjoy the world of Caribbean cooking.
I grew up where chicken feet on the table is normal. But I get it if you have doubts the first time you see a bowl of chicken feet soup. Chicken feet, seriously? Those doubts will melt away after you taste it. It’s so tasty and filling. I eat every bite of that bowl of soup and then some.
Chicken feet are an underappreciated ingredient packed with flavor and surprisingly meaty. Boiling the chicken feet creates a soup base to build even more flavors. As the soup cooks down, the starches from the pumpkin and potatoes thicken the broth into the perfect creamy texture that we love in our soups. With this recipe, you will enjoy this dish as much as my friends and I do.
When Do You Eat Chicken Feet Soup?
Soup is not just a winter food. In Jamaica and Africa, we serve soup no matter the outside temperature. So you can enjoy this meal any time and any place. The best part is that this chicken feet soup recipe allows for endless tweaking for your perfect soup. You can adjust it to your preferences. Simply add more vegetables, different vegetables, or extra peppers to make it spicy.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Feet – You need a pound of chicken feet. Get them with the toenails removed, or remove them yourself with a knife or kitchen scissors.
- Vegetables – You can finely chopped onion, minced garlic, diced celery, chopped green onions, and carrots to have them ready to go beforehand. Finish the soup with sliced sweet corn.
- Roots – Potatoes and pumpkin add healthy carbs and wonderful flavor for a filling one-pot meal.
- Spices – Fresh minced thyme, chicken bouillon, and a scotch bonnet pepper for some spice make this good enough for a special occasion.
How to Make Chicken Feet Soup
Prepare the Ingredients
- Prepare the Chicken Feet – Chop the nails off of the chicken feet, be sure to cut a little bit higher than the nail to ensure you get all of it. Wash the feet with water or a mixture of lemon and or vinegar. Rinse well.
- Chop Vegetables – Peel the pumpkin with a knife and cut it into bite-sized chunks. Dice the celery and carrot. Chop slices of sweet corn and then quarter the pieces. Set all this aside. Finely chop the onion and green onion.
- Saute – In your soup pot, heat some oil, add onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes). Then go in with the celery and green onions and saute for another minute.
Make the Soup
- Add Chicken Feet – Add the chicken feet, scotch bonnet (if you like it spicy), and chicken bouillon powder. Add a cup of water and allow it to boil for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the Roots – Once the chicken boils for 5 minutes, throw in the pumpkin, potatoes, and the rest of the water (about 4 cups). Stir occasionally and let the pot come to a boil for 30 minutes. As the soup cooks, season with salt to taste, and add more water if you need to.
- Finishing Touches – 10 minutes or so before you’re ready to serve, add the carrot and corn. Continue stirring and let the soup cook until all the vegetables are tender.
- Serve – Once everything is the texture and consistency you like, serve it hot next to your favorite bread.
Tips and Tricks
- If your chicken feet come with a yellow membrane, you can easily peel it off by blanching the feet in boiling water for a few minutes and shocking them in ice water. This will loosen the skin for easy removal.
- As the soup cooks and your veggies get tender, smash some pumpkins on the pot’s side to naturally thicken the soup and enhance its richness.
- You can serve this Jamaican soup as soon as it comes together, but the longer it cooks, the better it tastes. So be patient!
Make-Ahead Instructions
Like most soups, the longer the flavors meld, the more the taste improves. So making this ahead of time is a great option. The easiest way is to throw all the ingredients into a crockpot or Instant Pot and let it cook all day. Then you’ll have hot and delicious chicken feet soup on the table with minimal effort.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve this soup hot. People eat it with all kinds of sides, but they are happy as long as it is steaming. A popular add-in with this soup is cornmeal dumplings or a side of cornbread.
You can store leftover soup in the fridge in the same pot you cooked them after it has cooled down. I also like to portion it out in containers, evenly sharing the leftover chicken feet. You can also freeze it for three months.
Just let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stove or in the microwave if you freeze it. Heat the soup slowly and add water as needed to get the best tasting leftovers.
FAQs
Where can I get chicken feet?
You can find chicken feet at your local grocery store or butcher. Try an African or Asian food market nearby if you can’t find them there.
Is chicken feet soup good for you?
This soup is soothing for the soul! But it also has terrific health benefits as chicken feet are rich in minerals, and the broth is thought to help boost immunity.
Why do people eat chicken feet?
Cultures have a tradition of using every part of the animal and discovered how good chicken feet tasted long ago. Don’t be afraid to turn this humble ingredient into something extraordinary.
More Amazing Soul-Food Recipes
- Southern Collard Greens
- Pig’s Feet
- Jiffy Cornbread
- Fried Chicken
- Buttermilk Pound Cake
Conclusion
This soup is a comforting, delicious, satisfying meal full of tradition and tastes way better than anything you can buy. Are you hungry for more delicious soul-food recipes? Then sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date.
This delicacy is satisfyingly rich and intensely flavored. Its mouthwatering aromas, creamy texture, and intense flavor appeal to all the senses. Chicken Feet Soup is a delicious way to enjoy the world of African cooking.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6
Calories 160kcal
- 1 pound chicken feet, toenails removed
- 2-3 teaspoons cooking oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
- 1 small stalk celery, diced
- 1-2 greens onions, chopped
- 1-2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
- 1 scotch bonnet (optional)
- 1-2 cups pumpkin, chopped
- 1-2 potatoes, chopped
- 5 cups water, or more
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 ear sweet corn, sliced (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Chop the nails off the chicken feet, wash the feet, and rinse them well.
Peel the pumpkin and potatoes, and cut them into bite-size pieces. Cut the corn into pieces, dice the carrots, and set them aside.
Place oil in an appropriately sized soup pot, add onion, garlic, and thyme, then sautee for just 1-2 minutes. Then add celery and green onions and saute for another minute.
Add the chicken feet, scotch bonnet pepper (if using), chicken bouillon powder, 1 cup of water, and salt and pepper; stir, allowing to boil for about 5 minutes.
When the chicken feet have boiled for about 5 minutes, add pumpkin, potatoes, and the rest of the water. Stir the pot and continue to simmer for 25-30 minutes. Stir the soup occasionally, test if the salt suits your taste, and add water if necessary. Cook till vegetables are tender.
About 10 minutes before the end of cooking, add carrot and corn, stir and continue cooking until they are soft.
Serve hot with bread.
- If your chicken feet come with a yellow membrane, you can easily peel it off by blanching the feet in boiling water for a few minutes and shocking them in ice water. This will loosen the skin for easy removal.
- As the soup cooks and your veggies get tender, smash some pumpkins on the pot’s side to naturally thicken the soup and enhance its richness.
- You can serve this soup as soon as it comes together, but the longer it cooks, the better it tastes. So be patient!
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Serving: 250g | Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 130mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g