Pickled chicken feet are called Pao Jiao Feng Zhua in mandarin. It is a lovely snack for Chinese People, often served with beer or other drinks. The feet are first blanched and then quick-pickled in a mixture of vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns. The pickled chicken feet have a unique flavor that is pungent, sour, and salty.
Pickled chicken feet are so popular in Chinese culture that many cities have their own unique recipes. For example, the famous Cantonese style pickled chicken feet are different from the Sichuan style as they often use more sugar and less vinegar in the pickling liquid. And the Cantonese recipe is less or almost unspicy.

Table of Contents

• Chicken feet, a widely loved ingredient in China
• Pickled chicken feet
• Pickled Pepper
• Instructions
• Let's prepare the liquid
• 🧾Recipe

Chicken feet, a widely loved ingredient in China

Chicken feet also known as Feng ZhuaIn, referred to as paws of a phoenix, is a laudatory title of chicken feet. The phoenix is deemed an auspicious and holy creature in Chinese fairy tales. And in some places, it is said that eating chicken feet can bring good fortune to people. There is a long history of the Chinese people eating chicken feet, which can date back to the Warring States Period according to the documentation. In China, chicken feet are quite versatile and by different cooking methods, they can be made into lots of savory dishes, among which the most popular one is pickled chicken feet.

Pickled chicken feet

Pickled chicken feet originated in Chongqing and gradually gains popularity throughout the country. The local brand You You pickled chicken feet has become a Chongqing specialty. However, it is quite easy for you to make your own version of pickled chicken feet at home.

Pickled Pepper

The main ingredients of pickled chicken feet are chicken feet and pickled peppers chillis. By the integration of pickled chili pepper and other spices like Sichuan peppers and star anise, the pickled chicken feet are enriched in aromas. At your first bite of the picked chicken feet, you will be surprised by their strong flavor of spiciness. That’s because the pickled chili pepper is much spicier compared with other common types of peppers. But you will be conquered by its appetizing flavor and chewy taste.

In most cases, you don't have pickled peppers. You can replace it with other pickled peppers or even fresh chili peppers. But remember to include some of the liquid.

Instructions

Wash the chicken feet cleanly, and chop them in half or in smaller pieces so the flavors can be absorbed quickly.

Put the chicken feet into cold water, add some ginger and spring onion which can help to remove the raw taste of chicken feet, and blanch for about 10 minutes. Do not blanch for too long, otherwise, the chicken feet will become quite soft and the skin can be spoiled.

Take the chicken feet out, and wash them in the running water for a few minutes so as to get rid of the grease on the surface of the chicken feet. Transfer the chicken feet into iced water after blanching. This will make the skin chewier.

Let's prepare the liquid

Put the pickled chili pepper, the water of pickled chilies, ginger, garlic, salt, rock candy, Sichuan peppers, and star anise into a bowl. Stir all the ingredients to make all the flavors integrated. Taste the sauce you have made. It should be a little bit over-salty.

Prepare a jar and put the cooled chicken feet, chopped onion, and celery stick into the jar, and then add the above sauce into the jar. Make sure that all the chicken feet are immersed in the sauce. Seal the jar and keep it in cold storage for two days. Then your homemade pickled chicken feet are done!

🧾Recipe