This chicken feet bone broth is rich, deeply flavorful, and so packed with gelatin that it turns into a thick gel once chilled. Chicken feet are naturally rich in connective tissue, making them one of my favorite inexpensive ingredients for creating a collagen-rich homemade bone broth in the Instant Pot.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Why Use Chicken Feet for Bone Broth?
If your goal is a thick, gelatinous broth, chicken feet are one of the best bones to use. They’re loaded with skin, cartilage, tendons, and connective tissue containing collagen, which breaks down into gelatin during cooking.
That gelatin is what gives properly chilled bone broth its signature jelly-like texture. And don’t worry, it melts right back into a rich liquid as soon as you warm it.
My Best Tips for Gelatinous Bone Broth
- Use collagen-rich bones. Chicken feet are perfect, but necks, wing tips, joints, and carcasses can also be added.
- Don’t add too much water. More water doesn’t mean better broth. Using just enough to cover the bones gives you a more concentrated broth that’s more likely to gel.
- Give it enough cooking time. I pressure cook mine for a full 2 hours to thoroughly break down the connective tissue.
- Let it chill completely. Don’t judge your broth while it’s warm! Gelatin sets as it cools, so refrigerate it overnight before checking the texture.
- Roast first for better flavor. You can technically skip roasting, but those extra 30 minutes create a much richer-tasting broth.
Don’t Throw Away the Bones
You can actually get two batches of broth from the same bones. This traditional technique is known as remouillage, or “rewetting.”
After straining your first batch, return the bones to the Instant Pot with fresh vegetables and aromatics. Add 1–2 cups less water than the first time and pressure cook for another 60–90 minutes. The second batch won’t usually be as gelatinous, but it’s perfect for cooking rice, quinoa, soups, sauces, savory oats, or anywhere you’d normally use water.
*SEE BELOW THE RECIPE CARD FOR TIPS AND ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS*
Chicken Bone Broth (Chicken feet broth)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Chicken Feet (pasture-raised, toe nails trimmed off, washed and rinsed, you can add other carcass chicken bones, necks, wing tips if you like)
- 3 Celery Stalks roughly chopped
- 2 Large Carrots roughly chopped
- 1 Large Onion quartered
- 1 Whole Garlic Bulb cut crosswise
- 4 inches of Fresh Ginger
- 6 Star Anise optional
- 6 Whole Cloves optional
- 4 Dried Jujubes optional
- Water enough to cover the ingredients while staying below your Instant Pot’s max-fill line, usually around 8 cups
Instructions
- Roast the bones.Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Arrange the bones in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes. I never skip this step. Roasting deepens the flavor, darkens the broth, and gives the finished stock that rich, savory taste you want from a really good bone broth.
- Fill the Instant Pot.Transfer the roasted bones directly to the Instant Pot. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, star anise, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, jujubes, and apple cider vinegar.Pour in enough cold water to cover everything, while staying safely below the max-fill line. For most Instant Pots, this will be around 8 cups or about two-thirds full.
- Pressure cook.Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 2 hours.Once finished, let the pressure release naturally for 30 minutes before carefully opening the valve and releasing any remaining pressure.
- Strain.Pour the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into clean jars or a large bowl. Discard the cooked vegetables and aromatics, but hold onto those bones because we’re going to use them again.
- Chill overnight.Let the broth cool, then refrigerate for at least 6 to 8 hours, preferably overnight. This is when the magic happens. A collagen-rich broth should become thick and jiggly once completely cold.Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Once chilled, you’ll probably notice a firm layer of chicken fat, also called schmaltz, sitting on top. Simply lift it off with a spoon to reveal the gelatinous broth underneath. But don’t throw it away! I save mine for frying eggs, sautéing vegetables, roasting potatoes, or searing meat
Chicken feet bone broth is actually milder in flavor than traditional chicken bone broth because chicken feet don’t contain much meat. The vegetables, ginger, garlic, and spices give this recipe a savory, aromatic flavor without making it overly rich or heavy.
Chicken feet contain lots of collagen-rich connective tissue. As they cook, that collagen breaks down into gelatin, which causes the broth to become thick and jiggly when refrigerated. It will melt back into liquid when heated.
No, but I recommend it. Roasting adds more depth and savory flavor to an otherwise mild chicken feet broth. It also gives the finished broth a richer color.
Yes! After straining the first batch, you can return the chicken feet and bones to the Instant Pot with fresh aromatics and make a second, lighter batch. It usually won’t be as gelatinous as the first, but it’s perfect for soups, sauces, and cooking grains.
Ways To Use Your Chicken Bone Broth
Chicken bone broth is incredibly versatile. Sip it warm on its own or use it as a flavorful base for soups, stews, sauces, and gravies. I also love using it instead of water to cook rice, quinoa, grains, vegetables, and savory oats for an easy boost of flavor and nutrients. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it:
- White Bean Mushroom Soup
- Cold-Fighting Chicken Soup Recipe
- Gut Healthy Bone Broth Hot Chocolate
- Immune Boosting Carrot Lentil Soup
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