Adobong Paa nang Manok (Chicken Feet Adobo)
packs amazing texture and complex savor. It is a delicious delicacy for an appetizer or a main dish with piping-hot steamed rice. Like tongue in lengua in mushroom sauce, pork blood in dinuguan, and offal in goto, chicken paws are, understandably, an taken over taste.
- 3 pounds chicken feet
- water
- 4 slices ginger
- 2 stalks green onions, knotted
- oil
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns, cracked
- 2 Thai chili peppers, minced
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- salt to taste
- Trim chicken feet of nails and any dark, callused areas. Scrub with rock salt, rinse, and drain well.
- In a large pot, combine chicken feet, enough water to cover, ginger slices, and green onion stalks. Boil for about 7 to 10 minutes, skimming scum that floats on top. Remove from pot and pat dry.
- In a deep pot or wok, heat about 3 inches oil. Carefully add chicken feet and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Remove from oil and soak in iced water for about 1 hour or until skin is wrinkled. Drain well.
- In a large pan, heat about 1 tablespoon oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add chicken feet, vinegar, soy sauce, 1 cup water, peppercorns, bay leaves, and chili peppers. Boil uncovered and without stirring for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Lower heat, cover, and continue to cook for about 50 to 60 minutes or until chicken feet are tender and liquid is reduced. Add more water in 1/2 cup increments if the sauce is drying out before the meat is tender.
- Add oyster sauce and season with salt to taste. Stir to combine and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot.
Gnawing on feet is definitely challenging to get past. Nails, calluses, walking on muddy fields...Ewww, right?
But believe me, once you get over the cringe factor, you'll agree that they're probably the best part of the chicken. Prepared and cooked right, chicken feet are the most delectable morsel that walked (pun intended) the earth!
They're not meaty but bring complex taste and are rich in good-for-you gelatin!
Ingredient notes
This recipe consists of chicken feet and the classic adobo elements, including soy sauce, vinegar, and aromatics such as onions, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
Chili peppers add heat, while oyster sauce brings sweetness and a savory punch. Ginger and green onions help tame some of the gamey taste in the blanching process.
For deep-frying, choose oils with a neutral taste and high smoke points, such as avocado, safflower, corn, or grapeseed.
Preparing chicken feet
The chicken paws sold in the U.S. are usually cleaned off their hard outer skin, so there's no peeling needed.
Follow the preparation below to improve the dining experience! - Peel the outer yellow skin, if any, and trim the nails using a sharp knife or scissors.
Check the soft pads of the feet and cut off any dark, callused areas with a knife. - Scrub well with rock salt and rinse well.
- The paws can be prepared ahead of time and will keep well in the freezer for up to 6 months. Store in an airtight container or resealable bag to have handy for recipes such as Arroz Caldong Paa ng Manok or Ampalaya with Chicken Feet.
Cooking steps
- Blanching- this step removes impurities and pre-cooks the chicken feet. Make sure to discard the water after.
- Deep frying- Pat the feet dry before adding to the hot oil. Deep-fry until golden to help them puff up.
- Soaking- after frying, immediately plunge the chicken paws into cold water and soak for about 1 to 2 hours until they're puffed and softened. - Braising- Proceed to cook the feet adobo style to infuse savor.
How to serve and store
- Enjoy this adobong paa nang manok as an appetizer with your favorite party drinks or as a main dish with steamed rice. - Allow leftovers to cool completely and transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days; the sauce will congeal when chilled due to the gelatin content from the bones. - Reheat in a saucepot over medium-low heat or the microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals until thoroughly warmed.
Helpful tips
- You can substitute 1 teapoon chili garlic sauce for Thai chili peppers. - The sauce will congeal when cold due to the gelatin content from the bones.
- 2 stalks green onions, knotted - 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 head garlic, peeled and minced - ½ teaspoon peppercorns, cracked
- 2 Thai chili peppers, minced - 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- Trim chicken feet of nails and any dark, callused areas. Scrub with rock salt, rinse, and drain well. - In a large pot, combine chicken feet, enough water to cover, ginger slices, and green onion stalks.
Boil for about 7 to 10 minutes, skimming scum that floats on top. Remove from pot and pat dry.
- In a deep pot or wok, heat about 3 inches oil. Carefully add chicken feet and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Remove from oil and soak in iced water for about 1 hour or until skin is wrinkled. - In a large pan, heat about 1 tablespoon oil.
Add onions and garlic and cook until softened. - Add chicken feet, vinegar, soy sauce, 1 cup water, peppercorns, bay leaves, and chili peppers.
Boil uncovered and without stirring for about 2 to 3 minutes. - Lower heat, cover, and continue to cook for about 50 to 60 minutes or until chicken feet are tender and liquid is reduced. Add more water in ½ cup increments if the sauce is drying out before the meat is tender.
- Add oyster sauce and season with salt to taste. Stir to combine and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- You can substitute 1 teapoon chili garlic sauce for Thai chili peppers. - The sauce will congeal when cold due to the gelatin content from the bones.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
