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If you’re new to dim sum, steamed chicken feet (aka Phoenix Claws) can be one of the most intimidating dishes at the table. Frankly, there’s no disguising them as they emerge from the dim sum cart — a small bowl full of chewy cartilage, skin and bones.
Steamed chicken feet are deep fried, braised and then steamed until the meat and skin are very soft. If you can get over the mental hurdle, steamed chicken feet are a highlight of the meal for intrepid dim sum diners.
Making chicken feet at home is a labor of love. You’re returning to an era when people had time to marinate ingredients overnight and tend to a stovetop for hours on end. That said, you can do it! Your reward in this case will be a deeply satisfying homestyle dish.
Can you share any expert tips from your experience making steamed chicken feet? Want to ask a question before you try making it yourself? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!
Steamed Chicken Feet Recipe
Makes: 4-6 Servings | Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 5 Hours
Adapted From: My Several Worlds
Ingredients
Chicken Feet:
1 pound chicken feet
2 quarts oil
2 quarts water
1 ounce fresh ginger
3 pieces star anise
2 ounces Chinese parsley roots
2 ounces maltose sugar
Marinade:
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1 ounce chopped chile pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon black bean sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Directions
1. Make sure to wash the chicken feet and chop off any toenails.
2. Heat the oil and mix the chicken feet with the maltose sugar. Deep fry in the oil until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove the feet and drain.
3. Boil the water and add ginger, star anise and parsley roots. Add the chicken feet and bring the mixture to a boil again. Reduce the heat and simmer for 90 minutes. Drain.
4. Combine marinade ingredients and marinate the feet for at least 3 hours (and up to 24 hours for maximum flavor). Before serving, steam the feet and marinade together in small bowls for 15 minutes.
Learn more about Steamed Chicken Feet from these Experts
Watch Annie Vang make Steamed Chicken Feet (VIDEO)
Go Yum Cha! shares another recipe for Steamed Chicken Feet
Nose to Tail at Home shares their first encounter with Steamed Chicken Feet
HT: Photo by Ewan Munro via Wikimedia Commons.
Nila Saraswati
great recipe!thank you:)
Dim Sum Central
Quite welcome, Nila. Thanks for stopping by!
Les
Looks perfect, I am hooked on chickens feet at yum cha.
Dim Sum Central
Totally, they’re a favorite of mine, too. Making them at home is definitely an advanced move!
~ Wes
Most Common Dim Sum Dishes – The Art of Dim Sum
[…] Dim Sum Central. (2015, October 31). How to make steamed chicken feet. Retrieved from Dim Sum Central: http://www.dimsumcentral.com/steamed-chicken-feet/ […]
Nikki
Can’t wait to try this!!!! Looks amazing and so easy 😀
Dim Sum Central
Wonderful! Give it a try and let us know how it goes! ~Wes
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Liuying peng
If I don’t have sake, can I use another ingredient to replace it and which one?
Wes Radez
Hi Liuying, If you don’t have sake, I would substitute Shaoxing rice wine. ~Wes
Joe
What type of chopped chili pepper? Dried?
Wes Radez
No, definitely fresh, Joe! You can find them at most Asian markets. ~Wes
Joe
I just tried the recipe, they are marinating now, do you have any instruction on the use of the maltose? That stuff is super thick, I heated it to thin it but as soon as it hit the chilled bowl and feet it thickened, didn’t work. Unless someone has a better idea I will heat it stove top with some water and dip the feet in next time.
PS. flavor is good, might thicken the marinade next time.
Wes Radez
You’re right that the maltose is super thick. You’re really just trying for a glaze there. I’ve heated and then drizzled it over, but thinning it a bit also sounds like a good idea. It’s a bit like working with honey. ~Wes
Joe
Been working on chicken feet, I think I have something really promising. I boiled the maltose with water, and followed the frying and boiling part of the recipe, then I went with the Grand Harbor (Food Network) marinade. I used chicken base as the recipe called for, not powder and added an extra teaspoon of sugar, tbl of shao xing, tbl of rinsed black beans, marinade overnight, and steamed with sliced pepper on top. Things I would change next time, a little less chicken base, and change to tapioca starch. But it’s good…
Joe
something I forgot to add, I also boiled them for about 2 hrs, and steamed them slowly for an hour, the hour steam seemed to make the skin puff up a bit, better texture
Wes Radez
Great stuff, Joe. I want to take a fresh spin through the recipe myself soon, try some of your tips and update the whole tutorial again. Great collaboration! ~Wes
Joe
is there a way to upload a picture, I didn’t take any of this batch but may in the future.
yl
Hi, can i substitute maltose with normal sugar? Thank you!
Wes Radez
Hi YL, you may notice a slight flavor discrepancy, but functionally you should be able to make that substitution. ~Wes
Donny
Just had this and it was so delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Wes Radez
Wonderful! Glad you were successful! ~Wes
Gilbert
Hi,
Since I can’t find the maltose sugar, I use honey and that works fine. I even used the liquid Truvia once and it also came out fine.
Wes Radez
Thank you for that tip, Gilbert! ~Wes