While chicken feet are often tossed out as scraps, they’re a staple in many culinary traditions around the globe — from Mexico and South Africa to parts of Asia, Jamaica, and Trinidad — appearing as street fare or celebratory dishes.
They’re commonly touted for their health advantages, largely due to their rich collagen content. Still, chicken feet are frequently deep-fried and slathered in sauces, so it’s fair to ask whether they’re truly a healthy option.
This article covers everything you should know about chicken feet: their nutritional profile, potential advantages and drawbacks, and popular ways to cook them.
Chicken feet nutrition
Chicken feet are primarily made up of connective tissues — skin, cartilage, tendons, and bones. Even so, they offer a respectable array of nutrients, including several vitamins and minerals.
A portion of 2 chicken feet (70 grams) contains:
- Calories: 150
- Protein: 14 grams
- Fat: 10 grams
- Carbs: 0.14 grams
- Calcium: 5% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Phosphorus: 5% of the DV
- Vitamin A: 2% of the DV
- Folate (vitamin B9): 15% of the DV
Approximately 70% of their protein is collagen, a structural protein that supports the shape, strength, and resilience of skin, tendons, muscles, bones, and ligaments.
Chicken feet are also a notable source of folate (vitamin B9), which assists with DNA production and helps reduce the risk of birth defects.
Most of the fat in chicken feet comes from the skin, which is often removed before cooking. Still, they are frequently deep-fried or served with rich sauces, which can appreciably raise their carbohydrate, fat, and calorie totals.
SummaryChicken feet deliver a decent amount of protein — mainly as collagen — plus fats and several vitamins and minerals.
Do chicken feet have any health benefits?
The likely health advantages of chicken feet stem mainly from their substantial collagen content.
May improve skin health and appearance
Research indicates that consuming collagen may enhance skin hydration, smoothness, elasticity, and density.
In a 6-month trial including 105 women with moderate cellulite, regular collagen consumption significantly reduced cellulite and skin unevenness compared with a control group.
A review of 11 studies involving 805 participants found that collagen intake yielded encouraging short- and long-term effects on wound healing and skin aging.
Animal research also suggests that collagen may boost skin moisture and reduce wrinkle formation caused by ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure, a form of ultraviolet radiation that leads to sunburn.
Collagen may act by raising levels of hyaluronic acid, a moisture-retaining molecule thought to help slow skin aging.
May help reduce joint pain
The collagen found in chicken feet might ease joint discomfort.
Studies suggest collagen can promote tissue repair, which may reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis — a condition where cartilage wears down, causing bones to grind together and producing pain, swelling, and limited mobility.
A 3-month study with 191 participants who had knee osteoarthritis reported that daily intake of collagen from chicken cartilage significantly lowered indicators of pain, stiffness, and functional impairment.
A 12-week trial involving 139 athletes with knee pain reached similar conclusions: participants taking 5 grams of collagen daily experienced notable reductions in activity-related pain and required fewer additional treatments.
May help prevent bone loss
Collagen intake may support bone formation and density, particularly in postmenopausal women.
Over one year, a study of 102 women found that daily supplementation with 5 grams of collagen peptides — a hydrolyzed form of collagen — increased bone mineral density and synthesis while reducing bone breakdown compared with controls.
Likewise, in a trial of 39 women, those receiving a collagen supplement had significantly smaller losses in bone mineral density than the control group.
Scientists think collagen contributes to these benefits because it’s a major structural component of bone tissue.
Other benefits
Because of their high collagen content, chicken feet may also be linked to other advantages, including:
- Helps blood sugar regulation. An animal study found proteins from chicken feet may improve blood glucose control by stimulating glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone that promotes insulin release.
- Supports cardiovascular health. Collagen and elastin are key constituents of arteries and veins. Research implies that a healthy elastin-to-collagen balance is important for reducing heart disease risk.
SummaryMany of chicken feet’s health effects are attributed to their collagen, which could support skin, joint, bone, and heart health.
Potential downsides of chicken feet
Possible negatives of chicken feet include how they’re commonly prepared, hygiene concerns, and choking risks.
Trans fats
Chicken feet are frequently deep-fried, a method that can undermine their health benefits.
Deep-fried foods are high in trans fatty acids (TFAs), harmful unsaturated fats that negatively affect heart health.
TFAs can raise inflammation markers, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL (bad) cholesterol while lowering HDL (good) cholesterol. This pattern increases the risk of atherosclerosis — plaque buildup in blood vessels — and heart attacks.
Additionally, TFAs have been associated with a higher risk of prostate and breast cancers.
Cleanliness and choking hazards
When purchasing chicken feet, check them carefully. Feet that look unclean or show signs of ammonia burns suggest poor sanitation practices.
Avoid or throw out feet with ammonia burns, which resemble enlarged calluses and often result from birds standing in their own waste.
If the feet appear dirty, wash them thoroughly to remove contaminants.
Finally, chicken feet contain many small bones, creating a choking hazard for both children and adults.
SummaryBecause chicken feet are commonly deep-fried, they can increase the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Pay attention to hygiene and the presence of small bones when buying and consuming them.
Uses and preparation
Chicken feet are primarily used to make soups and stews and can be served as snacks, main dishes, or accompaniments. You’ll find myriad recipes online, ranging from classic soups to chicken feet salads, skewers, or fried snacks.
If you’ve never tried them, chicken feet bone broth is a gentle, nourishing introduction that’s relatively healthy.
Recipe
Here’s a simple multi-cooker recipe to begin with.
Ingredients- 10 chicken feet
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) sea salt
- filtered water
- vegetables and herbs for flavor (optional)
If your chicken feet still have the outer layer of skin, blanch them first to remove it. Place them in boiling water for 10–30 seconds, then transfer to cold water and peel off the outer skin.
Put the feet in your multi-cooker and pour in filtered water until they’re submerged. Add the vinegar, salt, herbs, and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
Skim off any foam or scum that accumulates on the surface with a spoon. Let it cook overnight, then strain out the feet, vegetables, and herbs from the broth.
Drink the broth immediately or pour it into glass jars and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 6 months.
Alternatively, try this dim-sum-style recipe and enjoy them like a wingette or flat — the central portion of a chicken wing.
Raw chicken feet will keep up to 2 days refrigerated or 9 months frozen.
SummaryChicken feet can be cooked in many ways, but bone broth is among the healthiest and most approachable methods for newcomers.
The bottom line
Chicken feet are composed of skin, cartilage, tendons, and bones. Even though they don’t provide much meat, they’re rich in collagen — the body’s most plentiful protein.
This collagen may help reduce joint pain, support skin health, and slow bone loss.
While chicken feet are often deep-fried, making a bone broth from them is a healthier option. Always be cautious of the small bones, which can be a choking risk.
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