Pressure Cooker Braised Dim Sum Chicken Feet (Phoenix Claws)

Chicken Feet are fried with air fryer briefly and then braised in a pressure cooker with spices and seasonings is one of the popular dim sum dishes across Asia. Also known as the phoenix claws.

BRAISED CHICKEN FEET (PHOENIX CLAWS)

I remember watching mom made braised chicken feet since I was a little kid. It is one of her favorite foods (mine too).
Braised chicken feet is one of the popular dim sum dishes. The plump chicken feet that have gone through so much cooking (deep-frying and braising) have absorbed so much flavor and it’s such a treat to eat.

WHY YOU’LL LIKE THIS RECIPE

1. YOU DON’T NEED TO DEEP FRY THE CHICKEN FEET
One of the things I’m afraid of the most when it comes to making braised chicken feet is deep frying the feet. The oil splatters like crazy. But, thank goodness for the air fryer! Seriously fewer calories and no oil splatter
2. PRESSURE COOKER VS COOKING ON THE STOVE
It took me close to 2 hours to braise the chicken feet to the tenderness I like on the stove. I have to go back and babysit it too every now and then. I can pressure cook the chicken feet for 30 minutes, but I like it extra tender, so I usually go for 45 minutes and I don’t have to babysit the chicken feet 🙂
3. TASTE PRETTY GOOD I MUST SAY
Being able to air fry the chicken feet, I can make them whenever I crave them and they taste pretty good

IS THERE ANY NUTRITIONAL BENEFIT IN CHICKEN FEET?

Chicken feet or sometimes called chicken claws in Asia is rich in collagen. Yes, women…collagen! It is also high in protein and calcium.

IS CHICKEN FEET REALLY EDIBLE?

Many people use chicken feet to make chicken stock, but in Asia, they are being eaten more often than not. This dim sum chicken feet is one of the most commonly seen. Yes, they are edible. Yes, the thought of it grosses you out probably, but if you can pass that mental block, you will come to enjoy it! Like I do 🙂

WHY DO I NEED TO FRY OR AIR FRY THE CHICKEN FEET?

By frying or air frying the chicken feet and then braising the chicken feet later, will make the chicken feet plump up and it’s one of the desirable “features” of dim sum chicken feet if you ask me. The skin and the little bit of meat are easier to pull off the bones too. You can choose not to deep fry or air fry them first too, but if you have eaten dim sum chicken feet before at the dim sum restaurant, you can immediately tell the difference 🙂

WHY DO I NEED TO SOAK THE CHICKEN FEET?

I know it’s an extra step and sometimes we just don’t like to wait. If you ask me though, I think it worths doing because soaking the chicken feet in ice-cold water kinda “shock” the feet and creates that blisters on the skin. At the same time the process plump up the feet.

Soaked in ice-cold water

WHAT DOES CHICKEN FEET TASTE LIKE?

I honestly do not consume chicken feet for the collagen or nutritional benefit 🙂 It’s because I like it. There is very little meat in the chicken feet if you can’t tell already from the photo. They are mostly soft bones. I like soft bones. I like munching on those plump skin and a bit of meat and spitting out the little bones after that is somewhat a weird and an addicting activity for me. It tastes like…well..chicken of course!

HOW TO MAKE BRAISED CHICKEN FEET WITH AIR FRYER AND PRESSURE COOKER

The chicken feet are usually fried and then braised in seasonings and spices. If you have an air fryer you can air-fried the feet instead of deep frying. The pressure cooker will save you some long hours of cooking.
1. Let’s clean the feet first
Use a sharp knife to cut off the nail from the feet. Remove any brownish or yellowish spots from the skin if you see any

Rub the chicken feet with salt all over

Rinse off the salt of the chicken feet in clean water. Pat them really dry with an absorbent paper towel

2. Air fry or deep fry the chicken feet
To air fry feet, Coat the chicken feet with some cooking oil. Place the feet in the air fryer basket in one layer so they cook evenly

Air fry at 400 F (200 C) for 15 minutes and give them a shake or flip the feet over and cook for another 15 minutes or until they are golden brown

To deep fry the feet, Preheat enough oil to deep fry the chicken feet. Preferably in a pot or wok that has a lid (because it will splatter when you deep fry them). When you see bubbles, the oil is ready

Deep fry the chicken feet batch by batch if necessary. Fry until they turn pale golden brown and dry, about 5 minutes

Remove the chicken feet and submerge them into the ice-cold water. Repeat with the rest of the chicken feet. Let the feet soak in the ice-cold water for at least 1 hour or go for 2 hours if you have the time

They will plump up nicely after soaking

3. Braise the chicken feet with pressure cooker or on the stove
Press saute on instant pot. Add oil and when it says “hot”, add garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute. Add star anises and stir fry for another 30 seconds. Add cooking wine to deglaze the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing gets stuck

Add the chicken feet, oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, red chili (if using) and stir to mix everything.

Pour in the water just enough to barely cover the feet. Turn off saute and close the lid. Press Pressure Cooker, high pressure and set the timer to 45 minutes.

Do natural release and then carefully turning the steam release handle to vent and wait until the pressure valve to collapse all the way and then uncover the lid. Sprinkle some chopped green onion and serve immediately

So what do you think? Do you think you will ever try chicken feet? They are not the prettiest sight I have to admit, but if you can get pass the thought of eating feet, they are actually quite pleasant to eat. There isn’t much “meat” to be honest. It’s more cartilage and the plump up skin and spitting out little bones after that 🙂

Did you make this pressure cooker braised dim sum chicken feet recipe?

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*Recipe is written for 6-quart Instant Pot. Cooking time should remain the same for 8-quart size but will take longer to pressurize. For mini duo (3-quart), I suggest to half the recipe and use the same amount of time to cook*

Pressure Cooker Dim Sum Chicken Feet (Braised Chicken Feet) - Phoenix Claws

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Soak the chicken feet 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

4.9 from 12 reviews

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Ingredients

  

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• 1 Tbsp Salt to rub the chicken feet
• 500 gr chicken feet
• Cooking oil for deep frying
• ice-cold water enough to submerge the fried chicken feet
• 1 Tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning:

• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp ginger grated
• 1 star anise
• ¼ cup shaoxing wine
• 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
• ¼ cup rock sugar or use 1 Tbsp granulated sugar or brown sugar to your taste
• water just enough to cover
• 2 Red chili finely chopped

To thicken the braising liquid (optional):

• 2 tsp cornstarch or more as needed
• 1 Tbsp water or more as needed

Garnish:

• 1 stalk green onion green part only, finely chopped

Instructions

 

Preparing Chicken feet:

• Use a sharp knife to cut off the nail from the feet. Remove any brownish or yellowish spots from the skin if you see any. Rub the chicken feet with salt all over. Rinse off the salt of the chicken feet in a clean water. Pat them really dry with an absorbent paper towel

If you deep frying the chicken feet on the stove:

• Preheat enough oil to deep fry the chicken feet. Preferably in a pot or wok that has a lid (because it will splatter when you deep fry them).  You may need to do this in batches. While the oil is heating, get the seasoning ingredients ready. 
• Deep fry the chicken feet batch by batch if necessary. Fry until they turn pale golden brown and dry, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken feet and submerge them into the ice-cold water. Repeat with the rest of the chicken feet

If you air fry the chicken feet in the air fryer instead of deep-frying:

• Coat the chicken feet with some cooking oil. Place the feet in the air fryer basket in one layer so they cook evenly. Air fry at 400 F (200 C) for 15 minutes and give them a shake or flip the feet over and cook for another 15 minutes or until they are golden brown

If you bake the chicken feet in the oven instead of deep-frying:

• Preheat oven at 375 F (190 C). Coat the chicken feet with some cooking oil. Bake the chicken feet for 30 minutes. Turning them halfway during cooking. Bake until they are golden brown

Soak in ice-cold water:

• Immediately soak the fried chicken feet in cold water for at least 1 hour. Go for 2 hours if you have the time. This part is to plump up the chicken feet

Braising with Instant Pot:

• Press saute on instant pot. Add oil and when it says "hot", add garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute. Add star anises and stir fry for another 30 seconds. Add cooking wine to deglaze the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing gets stuck. Add the chicken feet, oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, red chili (if using) and stir to mix everything. Pour in the water just enough to barely cover the feet. Turn off saute and close the lid. Press Pressure Cooker, high pressure and set the timer to 35 minutes (as shared by a reader that is enough to make them tender). If they aren't tender enough, you can always add another 3-5 minutes later on. Do natural relase and then carefully turning the steam release handle to vent and wait until the pressure valve to collapse all the way and then uncover the lid
• Press saute to bring it back to a boil and mix the cornstarch with water and pour it in to thicken the sauce slightly

Braising on stove-top:

• Preheat a pot with a lid and add cooking oil. Add garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute. Add cooking wine to deglaze the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing gets stuck. Add star anises and stir fry for another 30 seconds. Add the chicken feet, oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, red chili and stir to mix everything. Pour in the water just enough to cover the feet and let it come to a gentle simmer. Close the lid and let it gently simmer for the next 1 1/2 -2 hours or until the chicken feet are tender.
• Mix cornstarch with water and stir it in to thicken the sauce slightly if you want

Serving:

• Sprinkle some chopped green onion and serve immediately

Recommended products:

Instant Pot

Dutch Oven

air fryer

Nutrition

Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 2457mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 370IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 2mg

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