Maya Sari
Chicken feet are eaten all across Asia. Dim sum carts in China bring them out glossy and braised. In the Philippines, they’re skewered, grilled, and sold by the roadside. Laos and Vietnam have their own takes on chicken feet salad too.
What feels unusual to Western eaters is ordinary here. Simmering melts the skin and collagen, turning them tender.
Tossed in a salad with lime, fish sauce, chilies, and herbs, chicken feet turn from strange to bright and balanced, like classic Thai flavors.
Other recipes you might like
- Chicken & Shrimp Pad Thai
- Pad Krapow (Thai Basil Tofu Stir-Fry)
- Red Curry Chicken (Spicy, Sweet and Savory!)
- Tom Yum Paste
- Pad Woon Sen with Shrimp
Chicken Feet Salad that surprises people
Chicken feet in a salad? Most folks don’t expect that. Some laugh, others wince, and a few quietly nod like it takes them back somewhere familiar.
If you’ve been to Thailand, you’ve probably seen it. At first glance, it looks unusual, but then you notice the dressing—lime, fish sauce, chili—and suddenly it clicks.
It’s not heavy; it’s bright and sharp, the kind of salad you keep scooping up even when you think you’re full.
The feet simmer until the joints bend without much effort, the skin turns slippery-soft, and bones almost fall out when nudged. Once cooled, they’re tossed with sliced celery, tomato, onion, chilies, and cilantro.
The sauce soaks in—salty, sour, sweet, spicy—and the whole thing ends up more refreshing than it has any right to be.
I first tried it at a tiny street market. Plastic stools wobbling, fan creaking overhead, smoke from nearby grills drifting in.
A woman barely glanced up as she chopped and threw everything into a bowl—no measuring, just instinct. She handed it over without a word. The first bite? Wild, messy, addicting. By the time I looked down, the bowl was already empty.
Why Chicken Feet Salad Works
- Flavors clash, in a good way. Lime, fish sauce, soy, chili, garlic, sugar—every bite shifts.
- Texture mix. Slippery-soft feet with crisp celery and onion keep it interesting.
- Fresh on fresh. Tomato, cilantro, and chilies keep it sharp.
- Spice adjustable. Add or hold back the heat; it works either way.
Ingredients
- 800 g chicken feet
For Vegetables
- 200 g celery, stick
- 1 tomato, slices
- 1 large onion, slices
- Cilantro leaves
- Chilies, chopped
Sauce
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- 5 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp chili sauce (optional, adjust to your taste)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- Sugar, to taste
Garnish
- Sesame seed
How to make chicken feet salad
1) Clean the feet
Snip off the nails. Some cooks rub with salt, rinse, repeat—I usually just wash thoroughly and move on. Either way, the goal is no grit.
2) Simmer slowly
Drop the feet into water with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower it. Let them go for about an hour, sometimes more. They’re ready when joints bend easily, skin looks glossy, and bones slip out with barely a tug. Drain and let cool.
3) Debone (optional)
If you want easier eating, pull out the small bones once cooled. A bit fiddly, yes, but worth it if you don’t like crunching around them.
4) Mix the dressing
In a bowl, stir together lime juice, fish sauce, chili sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and sugar. Then taste. Too salty? More lime. Too sharp? Sugar. Still flat? Extra chilies. Keep tweaking—it should feel alive when you dip a spoon in.
5) Toss everything
Add the chicken feet first so they soak. Then in with celery, tomato, onion, cilantro, and chilies. Stir gently until everything glistens.
6) Rest or eat now
You can eat right away but chilling it for half an hour lets the flavors sink in deeper. The longer it sits, the bolder it gets.
Tips & serving suggestions
- Go slow with chilies. Add more later if you like the burn.
- Boil and debone earlier if you want to save time.
- Celery too strong? Swap with cucumber.
- Great with sticky rice, plain rice, or even just a cold beer.
- Leftovers? Stir again before eating—sauce always sinks to the bottom.
Troubleshooting & riffs
Feet still chewy? Put them back into simmering water for 10–15 minutes more—low and slow works best.
Sauce off balance? Lime fixes salty, sugar calms sour, herbs soften heat.
Don’t want bones at all? Use boneless chicken feet from Asian markets—they save effort.
Chicken Feet Salad (Crunchy Asian Street Food Favorite!)
Ingredients
Method
- Snip off the nails. Some cooks rub with salt, rinse, repeat—I usually just wash thoroughly and move on. Either way, the goal is no grit.
- Drop the feet into water with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower it. Let them go for about an hour, sometimes more. They’re ready when joints bend easily, skin looks glossy, and bones slip out with barely a tug. Drain and let cool.
- If you want easier eating, pull out the small bones once cooled. A bit fiddly, yes, but worth it if you don’t like crunching around them.
- In a bowl, stir together lime juice, fish sauce, chili sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and sugar. Then taste. Too salty? More lime. Too sharp? Sugar. Still flat? Extra chilies. Keep tweaking—it should feel alive when you dip a spoon in.
- Add the chicken feet first so they soak. Then in with celery, tomato, onion, cilantro, and chilies. Stir gently until everything glistens.
- You can eat right away but chilling it for half an hour lets the flavors sink in deeper. The longer it sits, the bolder it gets.
