How to Make Homemade Gelatinous Chicken Foot Broth

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Chicken foot broth might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about making bone broth. Normally you would make normal bone broth recipes from chicken or beef bones, but this flavorful and unconventional broth is packed with collagen, gelatin, and minerals and it’s great for your skin, nails, gut, and joints.

Recently my sister-in-law walked into my house with a big smile and a surprise gift for me. Not knowing what to expect, I see her lift up a white trash bag sagging under the weight of something. To my excitement (and maybe Eric’s disappointment), it was 10 pounds of chicken paws (chicken feet)! She knows I love to try new things and experiment with recipes to prevent wasting.

Plus, it’s another way to utilize every part of the chicken. If you’re looking for a simple yet powerful way to boost your nutrition, learning how to make chicken foot broth in a slow cooker or roaster is a great place to start. I am going to show you how to make chicken foot broth, your new favorite nutrient-packed superfood!

Why Use Chicken Feet in Homemade Bone Broth?

Most people overlook the chicken feet when processing or cooking a whole chicken, but they are an excellent ingredient for making rich, jelly broth. Here’s some of the nutritious benefits of using chicken foot broth:

• Collagen: Chicken feet are packed with collagen, which turns into an almost solid gelatin once cooked and cooled, giving the broth a thick texture and offering benefits for skin, hair, and joints – no need for a supplement, just add it to your meals! You can freeze in ice cube trays to easily throw into your meals.
• Minerals: The bones, cartilage, and connective tissue in chicken feet release calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus and amino acids when cooked into broth, which can help give you what you need for strong bones and overall health. It can also help with digestion and gut health. 
• Sustainable: Chicken feet are pretty inexpensive and you’ll prevent unnecessary waste by using all the chicken parts of the chicken that might otherwise be thrown out before being utilized. You can often find chicken feet at Asian markets, farmers market, or you can ask your local butcher or local farm.

Tools for Chicken Feet Bone Broth Recipe

• Roaster or Slow Cooker
• Fine Mesh Strainer or Cheesecloth
• Ladle
• Cutting Board
• Knife/Shears

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds of Chicken Feet (cleaned with toes removed)
• 10-12 Cups of Water (or enough to cover chicken feet)
• 1 Large Onion, halved or quartered
• 3-5 Cloves Garlic, smashed
• 1-2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1-2 Cups Veggies and Veggie Scraps (carrots, celery, lettuce, spinach, peels, greens)

Optional Ingredients

• 1-3 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1 tsp Black Peppercorns
• 1-2 Bay Leaves
• Fresh or Dried Herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary)

Notes

• I do not add any salt or pepper when make my broths, this is just my preference as I like to season when I use the broth in a recipe ,so feel free to season your broth as you make it or leave it out!
• This recipe can be multiplied easily, just add more water the more pounds of chicken feet you use

Preparing Chicken Feet for Broth

Before cooking, it’s essential to prepare the chicken feet properly as you don’t want any dirt or bacteria in your broth. Follow these simple steps for clean feet in your chicken bone broth:

1. Clean: Rinse the chicken feet under cold water to remove any dirt or residue. You don’t want what they’ve been scratching in your broth.
2. Trim the Nails: Using kitchen shears, carefully trim off the sharp tips of the feet to remove any remaining dirt and to help get the most collagen out.
3. OPTIONAL Step: Peel the Skin (if not pre-peeled). If the feet still have their outer yellow skin, you can blanch them in boiling water for a minute, then use tongs to peel off the skin. We usually leave the skin on as it is purely aesthetic to remove.

How to Make Chicken Foot Broth (Slow Cooker/Roaster Method)

Using a slow cooker or roaster makes this broth incredibly easy and pretty hands-off. You can also make it in the Instant Pot if you are short on time. I prefer the roaster method, only because we make huge batches at a time and can them. 

Slow Cooker Method

1. Place the ingredients in the slow cooker: Add the cleaned chicken feet, vegetables, herbs, and spices, then pour in the water and apple cider vinegar.
2. Cook on low for 24 Hours: Set your slow cooker to low and let the broth simmer. The longer it cooks, the richer and more gelatinous it will be.
3. Strain the Broth: Once the broth is done cooking, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl or pot for canning later, or straight into jars for storing.
4. Store Properly: Allow the broth to cool, then store it in glass jars in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

Roaster Method

1. Add Ingredients to the roaster pan: Add the cleaned chicken feet, vegetables, herbs, and spices, then pour in the water and apple cider vinegar.
2. Cook on low heat in roaster (150-200°F) and let the broth simmer for 24 hours. The longer it cooks, the richer and more gelatinous it will be.
3. Strain the Broth: Once the broth is done cooking, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl or pot for canning later, or straight into jars for storing.
4. Store Properly: Allow the broth to cool, then store it in glass jars in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

Instant Pot Method

1. Add ingredients to Instant Pot inner pot: Add the cleaned chicken feet, vegetables, herbs, and spices, then pour in the water and apple cider vinegar. Seal valve.
2. Cook on high pressure for 3 hours.
3. Let naturally release.
4. Strain and store as above.

Tips for a Rich and Flavorful Gelatinous Broth

• Apple Cider Vinegar: This helps to extract collagen and minerals, maximizing the health benefits.  
• Use Fresh Ingredients: Fresh garlic, onions, and herbs enhance both the flavor and nutrient profile, don’t rely on dried.
• Simmer Longer: A longer cooking time ensures the maximum amount of collagen and minerals will be pulled from the feet.
• Veggie Scraps: We keep our peels and skin and greens in a bag in the freezer for when we go to make broth, that we can use all of it to add a nutrient boost.

Straining and Storing the Broth

Strain Immediately using a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove any solids.

Refrigeration: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. The broth will form a gelatinous texture when cooled, which is a sign of high collagen content.

Freezing: Pour into ice cube trays or airtight containers and freeze for up to 6 months.

Canning: Can broth for longer term storage and to not take up space in the freezer.

Canning Homemade Chicken Feet Broth

We prefer to make large batches of bone broth and then can them to use throughout the year. This gives me flexibility with cooking and I never have to worry about running out or taking up freezer space. Make sure your canner is heating as you prepare the jars. 

Tools for Canning

• Pressure Canner
• Canning Jars, Lids, and Rings
• Jar Lifter
• Canning Funnel
• Ladle

Instructions for Canning Broth

1. Bring broth to a slight boil in a large stock pot
2. Pour hot broth into hot jars, leaving 1″ headspace
3. Wipe rims clean with vinegar, place on lids, and seal with ring until finger tight
4. Place jars in a warm pressure canner
5. Process (quarts for 25 Minutes and pints for 20 minutes)

Notes:

• Recommended to use canned chicken foot bone broth within a year of canning
• Always use professional canning advice and instructions, we are not professionals

Ways to Use Chicken Foot Broth

You can use this collagen-rich broth in many different ways and it’s a great addition to many meals. Our favorites:

• Daily Sipping: Sip on a mug of warm broth in the morning for gut and joint health. Add a little salt and seasonings of choice to give it some flavor.
• Chicken Soup Base: Use this thick broth as a base for soups, stews, or sauces as you would use chicken stock or chicken broth. We love making Chicken Tortilla Soup or Dill Pickle Soup with out broth or even Mashed Potatoes.
• Grains: Replace water with broth when cooking rice, quinoa, or lentils for extra flavor and nutrition.
• Mashed Potatoes: Try adding some broth to make this thick and creamy side dish to your mashed potatoes

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not Cleaning the Feet Properly: Leftover dirt or skin can make the broth cloudy so be sure to rinse and clip the toes off.
• Skipping the Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar helps to pull out the essential nutrients from the bones—don’t leave it out!
• Not Cooking Long Enough: A short simmering time won’t fully extract the gelatin and minerals, I always shoot for the 24 hours.
• Canning: be sure to use proper canning techniques and to pressure can, NOT water bath can as this is a meat-based product

Chicken foot broth is an easy, affordable, and incredibly nutritious addition to your diet. With its high collagen content and rich minerals, it supports joint health, digestion, and immune function. By using a slow cooker or roaster, you can make this superfood broth with minimal effort. Give it a try, and enjoy the nourishment it provides!

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