These Dim Sum Style Chicken Feet are slow-simmered until tender. Cooked with peanuts and star anise, they soak up the savory black bean sauce with just a hint of heat from the chili bean paste.
I completely understand if the look of this dish makes you hesitate. Honestly, I used to be someone who avoided them entirely, not just because of how they look but also because the texture itself can be pretty intimidating even when they are prepared perfectly. But if you trust me on this, I promise you that this recipe is absolutely worth trying.
Beyond the incredible flavor, this is also one of the most budget-friendly meals you can make. If you are shopping at the local wet market here in the Philippines, you can easily pick up a kilogram of chicken feet for around 100 to 150 pesos. On top of being kind to your wallet, this unique dish offers another huge benefit: it is naturally rich in collagen, which is amazing for your skin. Chicken feet are also a surprisingly flexible ingredient because you can use them for everything from deep-frying to making rich bone broths and stocks.
One of the food bloggers I trust when it comes to Chinese cuisine is Made with Lau. Most of the preparation and cooking methods I use in this recipe are actually things I learned directly from former chef Lau. But while the basic steps came from him, the final taste came together through a bit of neighborhood inspiration.
A neighbor and I always swap food and share ideas from our kitchens. In fact, they started keeping doubanjiang in their fridge because they loved my Mapo Tofu (you can also check it out!) so much. It is funny how these things go, because she was actually the one who had the idea of adding some doubanjiang to the sauce, and that combination is exactly how this version came together.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Budget-friendly. Buying them in bulk is a great way to easily feed a crowd or prep a big batch of comfort food without spending much.
- Naturally good for you. It is a great way to get plenty of collagen, which is amazing for your skin.
- Great for meal prep. It actually tastes even better the next day because the flavors have time to soak in, so it’s perfect to make ahead and reheat whenever you want.
- Saves you a restaurant trip. You can skip the long lines and pricey dim sum spots by making this favorite right at home.
- Helps reduce food waste. It uses a cut most people skip at the market, giving you a delicious way to cook more sustainably without extra effort.
What is Dim Sum?
Dim sum translates literally to “touch the heart” in Cantonese. It is less of a single food and more of a deeply rooted culinary tradition. The custom started centuries ago along the Silk Road, where roadside tea houses opened up to give tired travelers a place to rest. Over time, these spots began serving small, bite-sized portions of food alongside the hot tea, giving birth to the practice known as yum cha, which means “drinking tea.”
Today, dim sum is a vibrant brunch experience featuring a wide variety of small plates, traditionally served in steaming bamboo baskets around dining rooms. The menu spans everything from delicate, translucent dumplings and fluffy barbecued pork buns to savory tarts and long-simmered specialty dishes like braised chicken feet. It is all about experiencing a wide variety of flavors in small bites and sharing the meal around a big table.
Ingredients for Dim Sum Style Chicken Feet
Chicken feet. Of course! I’ve also added tips for choosing the best chicken feet below.
Fermented black beans. Also known as douchi. This provides that deep and earthy flavor that defines classic dim sum chicken feet. If you live in the Philippines and do not have easy access to Chinese fermented black beans, you can use the local ones sold in small plastic packets at the grocery store or public market. I will link the exact products I used for this recipe below.
Raw peanuts. They add extra protein!
Aromatics. A combination of garlic, ginger, and star anise.
Doubanjiang. This chili bean paste adds a beautiful reddish color, a hint of heat, and an incredible depth of fermented flavor to the glaze.
Oyster sauce and light soy sauce. I used light soy sauce for this recipe since other ingredients like oyster sauce, doubanjiang, and fermented black beans are already salty.
Shaoxing wine. A traditional Chinese cooking wine that lifts away the raw meat scent as the alcohol cooks off, leaving a warm aroma.
Sugar. I used coconut sugar because it’s a better, more natural option than refined sugar. You can also use honey.
Salt. Adjust this one to your preference.
Cooking oil. For the oil, I used olive oil, just be careful with the heat since it has a low smoke point, and you might burn the pan and chicken feet. If you’re going with a deep fry, make sure to use oil with a high smoke point like corn oil or coconut oil.
Green onion. For garnish.
Water. Used to boil the feet for cleaning, soak your ingredients, and build the braising liquid.
How to Choose the Best Chicken Feet
Select plump, meaty feet. Choose thicker chicken feet rather than thin or bony ones. They contain more collagen, which is necessary for achieving the traditional tender texture.
Check the color. Look for a uniform off-white or pale pink color. Avoid any with yellow skin patches, blemishes, or bruising.
Inspect the cleanliness. Make sure the outer layer of yellow scaly skin has been removed and that the pads on the bottom are clean and free of dark spots.
Check for freshness. Fresh feet should feel firm and have no odor. If buying frozen, avoid packaging with ice buildup or freezer burn.
How to Make Dim Sum Style Chicken Feet
First, parboil the washed and cleaned chicken feet in boiling water for about 5 minutes to remove impurities. Then wash them under cold running water and drain them thoroughly. Pat them completely dry with paper towels. This is a crucial step to prevent the oil from splattering during the frying process.
While the chicken feet are boiling, flash-soak the peanuts in cold water for a few minutes, then drain and submerge them in hot water so they soften and braise beautifully. Separately, rehydrate the fermented black beans by soaking them in water for a few minutes, then drain.
Next, prepare your aromatics by slicing the ginger, garlic, and red onions. Rough cuts are perfectly fine here because they will meld into the dish during the braising process. For the flavor profile, whisk together the doubanjiang, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. You can add the salt later during the braising process.
To fry the chicken feet, heat a small amount of oil in a pan and shallow-fry them in batches for about 5 minutes while stirring constantly, then drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. For that puffed-skin dim sum texture and deep color, you can deep-fry them until golden.
For the braise, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a clean, heavy pot or wok over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, ginger, red onions, and star anise until fragrant, then stir in the black beans.
Incorporate the fried chicken feet and the softened peanuts into the pot, pour in the prepared sauce base, and add enough water to just submerge everything.
Bring the liquid to a rolling boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and let it braise for about 45 minutes to an hour. You want the chicken feet to become melt-in-your-mouth tender and the cooking liquid to reduce into a rich, glossy glaze.
Finally, once the sauce has perfectly reduced and thickened, turn off the heat, garnish with freshly chopped green onions, and serve piping hot.
What to Serve with Dim Sum Style Chicken Feet
Hot Chinese Tea. Serve Pu-erh, Jasmine, or Oolong tea alongside the dish to cleanse your palate between bites.
Classic Dumplings. Siomai or Har Gow work well here. You can also serve them with my Pork and Vegetable Dumplings.
Steamed Pork Buns. The sweet filling and fluffy buns contrast nicely with the savory sauce.
Plain White Rice. While not traditional at a restaurant, a bowl of hot steamed rice is the best way to use up the extra black bean sauce at home.
If you are ready to start cooking, you can also find the complete list of ingredients, exact measurements, and step-by-step instructions in the printable recipe card below. Enjoy making your dim sum style chicken feet! 🫶
Dim Sum Style Chicken Feet
Equipment
- heavy-bottomed pot or wok
- mixing bowls
- paper towels
- knife and cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken feet washed and cleaned
- 50g fermented black beans
- 1 cup raw peanuts
- 6 cloves garlic sliced or smashed
- 2 thumbs ginger sliced
- 2 red onions sliced
- 2 pcs star anise
- green onion for garnish
- cooking oil
- water
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 3 tbsp sugar
- salt to taste
Instructions
- For the chicken feet. Parboil the washed and cleaned chicken feet in a pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes to remove impurities. Then wash them under cold running water and drain them thoroughly. Pat them completely dry with paper towels. This is a crucial step to prevent the oil from splattering during the frying process.
- Prep the peanuts and fermented black beans. You can do this while your chicken feet is boiling. Soak the peanuts in cold water for few minutes then change the water with hot water so they can braise better with the chicken feet. For the black beans, soak them in water for few minutes and drain.
- Prep other ingredients. Slice your ginger, garlic, and onion. This doesn't have to be done perfectly since they will be braised later.
- Prep the sauce. Combine 1 tbsp doubanjiang (spicy chili bean paste), 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 3 tbsp sugar. You can add the salt during the braising process.
- Fry the chicken feet. You can deep fry the chicken feet until golden to get a better texture and color but as for me, I used a bsmall amount of oil to fry them for about 5 minutes while constantly stirring them. If you're doing this, make sure to fry them in batches. After frying, drain them from excess oil.
- Sauté the aromatics. In a clean, heavy pot or wok, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, ginger, red onions, and star anise until fragrant. Then Stir in the fermented black beans.
- Simmer until tender. Add the chicken feet and the softened peanuts into the pot. Pour in the prepared sauce mixture and add enough water to just cover everything. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour. You want the sauce to reduce into a rich glaze and the chicken feet to become melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Garnish and serve. Once the sauce is thick and the chicken feet are perfectly tender, turn off the heat, top with freshly chopped green onions, and serve hot.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerating. Let the leftovers cool completely before moving them to an airtight container. You can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce will turn into a thick, solid jelly once cold because of the natural collagen, which is completely normal.
Freezing. This dish freezes well if you want to save it for later. Put the chicken feet and sauce into a freezer-safe container or bag and keep them frozen for up to a month. Thaw it completely in the fridge overnight before you heat it.
Reheating on the stove. This is the best method to keep the skin intact. Place the chicken feet and the jellied sauce into a small pan with a splash of water. Cover it with a lid and warm it over low heat, stirring gently now and then until the sauce liquefies and everything is hot.
Reheating by steaming. This method gives you the closest result to a fresh dim sum kitchen. Place the chicken feet in a shallow heat-proof bowl with the sauce and steam over boiling water for about 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce melts.
Products I Used For This Recipe
These are the products I used for this recipe. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission, which helps me run this blog. Thank you for the support! ❤️
- Fermented Black Beans
- Olive Oil
- Doubanjiang (Chili Bean Paste)
- Oyster Sauce
- Light Soy Sauce
- Shaoxing Wine
- Sea Salt
More Chinese Recipes to Try
- Szechuan-Style Braised Pork With Potatoes
- Honey Doubanjiang Noodles
- Pork and Vegetable Dumplings
- Mapo Tofu with Ground Pork
Let’s connect!
If you end up making this, let me know how it goes. You can tag or message me on Instagram @barelysalted. I would love to see how your dish turns out, or just chat about the recipe :))
Happy cooking!
Warmly,
Jezelle
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