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.
