Home-Style Braised Chicken Feet (Lǔ Jī Zhǎo)
卤鸡爪 · lǔ jī zhǎo
Every Lunar New Year in Guangzhou’s old city, my great-aunt would braise 20 pounds of chicken feet in her wok-shaped clay pot — she said the crunch of cleaned claws meant ‘grasping prosperity’ for the coming year.
Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen
Home-cooking research team
Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29
Ingredients
- chicken feet (fresh or thawed frozen)鸡爪🛒 local600 g
- light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian45 ml
- dark soy sauce老抽🏮 asian15 ml
- Shaoxing wine绍兴酒🏮 asian30 ml
- garlic大蒜🛒 local30 g
- ginger生姜🛒 local25 g
- star anise八角🏮 asian3 pcs
chicken feet (fresh or thawed frozen): Look for plump, pale pink feet with intact nails — avoid yellow or shriveled skin.
🌶️ Adjust to your taste
Pick a level and we'll show exactly how much to change — no more "适量".
Spice level
Saltiness
Oiliness
Make it vegetarian
Instructions
1Trim nails from chicken feet using kitchen shears. Rub with 1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp vinegar; scrub vigorously for 2 minutes. Rinse well.
去腥去垢第一步
2Blanch feet in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, then repeat blanching for another 3 minutes.
双焯去韧保胶质
3In a heavy pot, combine garlic, ginger, star anise, light soy, dark soy, Shaoxing wine, and 900 ml water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
香料与酱汁先融合
4Add chicken feet. Simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 1 hour — stir gently every 15 minutes to prevent sticking.
敞盖炖出胶质
🔍 Look for Medium-low 1 小时 · 1 hourVisual: 卤汁减少约三分之一，表面浮现金褐色油星。Liquid reduces by ~⅓; surface glistens with golden-brown oil droplets.
You know it's right when: 爪尖微卷，叉子轻刺即透。Claws curl slightly and feel tender when pierced with a fork.
5Turn off heat. Let feet cool fully in broth (minimum 1 hour). For best texture, refrigerate overnight before serving chilled or at room temperature.
冷卤更入味
🔍 Look for 1–12 小时 · 1–12 hoursVisual: 每只鸡爪裹上胶质层；冷藏后卤汁呈软冻状。Gelatinous layer forms around each claw; broth sets to a soft jelly when chilled.
You know it's right when: 鸡爪油亮完整，不裂不散。Claws glisten and hold shape without splitting.
Tips
- · Use fresh chicken feet if possible — frozen ones may have added phosphates that inhibit gelatin formation.
- · Skim fat from the surface before cooling for clearer, more delicate flavor.
- · Serve with pickled mustard greens (suan cai) for contrast — available at most Asian grocers.
Sources & references
Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.
- Read our editorial policy
- Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
- USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
- Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records
Common questions
Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?
Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.
Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine
Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?
Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.
Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library
What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?
Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.
Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide
🥢 Ask HǎoWèi
Questions about technique, ingredients, substitutions, and flavor — answered from our verified cooking knowledge base.
What to serve with it
A complete Chinese dinner in one plan — pick one from each role.
What cooks say
Made this? Leave a note.
- No comments yet — be the first!
