Chicken Breasts, Chicken Thighs...Chicken Feet?

Chicken breasts, chicken thighs, I like it grilled and I like it fried! But chicken feet...well, that's going to take some convincing. We sell Pasture-raised Chicken Feet at our Farm Store as well as online and usually one of the first things people say when they see the package of chicken feet for sale is, “Ewww, why would anyone buy chicken feet?!”  Honestly, I’ve wondered the same thing myself.  I mean, there can’t possibly be that much meat on them, and they aren’t appealing to the eye.  When was the last time you heard someone say, “I can’t wait to get home and tear into a plate of chicken feet!”?   So, I decided to do a little research and find out why people were buying chicken feet.

    It’s hard for me to consider chicken feet as a delicacy.  I’m trying to imagine chicken feet dressed in sauce and lying on a bed of rice.  No matter how you picture it, it still doesn’t quite get your mouth watering like a nice, juicy steak.  From what I’ve learned, most of our customers are boiling down chicken feet to make nutritious broth.  A broth is something I can wrap my head around, gnawing on a fried chicken foot, not so much.  However, I am not one to shy away from trying new things.  So, if the opportunity to try fried chicken feet arises, so be it! 

        When served in Asian cuisine, chicken feet are usually simmered in a combination of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and seasonings.  However, I’ve noticed that the majority of our customers are buying them to make broth.  Chicken feet are high in the following:  calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, sodium, riboflavin, and vitamin B12.  Chicken feet are also known for aiding in good gut and joint health.  Probably one of the most talked about benefits is that it contains collagen.  Collagen can improve the health of your skin and is being used by many companies in beauty products.

                While the sound of chicken feet might not sound appealing to most, the nutritional benefits do.  Many times, bones and organ meat from chicken and beef are disregarded because people don’t know their nutritional value.  We have many customers that buy the bones and organ meat as well as the fat.  Beef Tallow is another product popular among our customers.  Beef tallow is the rendered fat off of the cow.  It is great for moisturizing and is very rich in antioxidants!  I can appreciate the mentality behind using every part of the animal, not to mention the nutritional value these overlooked parts contain.  With that being said, it’s not for everyone, and that’s ok.  However, if you’re feeling a little adventurous, and are looking for a natural, healthy solution to meeting some of your dietary needs, try the chicken feet and let us know what you think.