The weather here in Charleston has been all over the place. Hot one day, cold the next. Running the air conditioner and then running the heat. It’s a perfect storm for getting sick. One of the ways I ward off a cold is by drinking lots of soup.
This is actually 2 recipes in one. First, we’re going to make chicken feet bone broth. Bone broth is packed with nutrients like gelatin to help your joints, anti-inflammatories to control stomach acids, and marrow to boost your immune system. You can read more about the benefits of bone broth here at Paleo Leap’s Eat This: Bone Broth post. After we make the bone broth, we are going to use it in a hearty Jamaican style soup.
The traditional version leaves the chicken feet in and uses a dry packet of chicken noodle soup for flavor. I got around using the packet by adding chicken breasts to the stock. Breasts and necks add the most “chickeny” flavor to broth. The feet add body to the broth and allow the broth coat the entire inside of your mouth and make you feel satisfied after eating it.
You’ll need:
- 1 lb chicken feet
- 1 lb chicken breasts (2 breasts) or chicken necks
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 5 quarts of water
- 3 stalks of scallion, tops and ends removed
- 1 turnip root, chopped
- ½ cup pumpkin or butternut squash, chopped
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 7 dutch golden baby potatoes, peeled
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 tbsp whole allspice berries
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper
Prepare the feet by cutting off the nails. This helps to release the gelatin into the water more quickly.
In a large pot, add feet, breasts, thyme, garlic and water.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium high and simmer gently for 2 hours.
Strain the soup and discard the feet and breasts.
You might be tempted to keep the breasts. Don’t. If you taste a piece, you will see that it has given up all of its flavor to the broth.
You can stop right here if you want. Sipping on a cup of this bone broth with a little salt and pepper is divine and so, so good for you!
If you want to continue, return the broth to the pot. If you enjoy chicken feet, you can add those back in the pot with the strained broth. I typically give the pot a quick wipe to get rid of any scum along the sides. I don’t spend time straining off scum as the broth cooks because according to Serious Eats, it isn’t necessary as you long as you strain your broth.
Prepare the remaining ingredients and add them to the pot.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on medium high heat for approximately 45 minutes, until vegetables are cooked through.
Discard the scotch bonnet pepper and serve.
- 1 lb chicken feet
- 1 lb chicken breasts (2 breasts) or chicken necks
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 5 quarts of water
- 3 stalks of scallion, tops and ends removed
- 1 turnip root, chopped
- ½ cup pumpkin or butternut squash, chopped
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 7 dutch golden baby potatoes, peeled
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 tbsp whole allspice berries
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper
- Prepare the feet by cutting off the nails.
- In a large pot, add feet, breasts, thyme, garlic and water.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium high and simmer gently for 2 hours.
- Strain the soup and discard the feet and breasts. Stop right here if you are just cooking bone broth.
- If you want to continue, return the broth to the pot. I typically give the pot a quick wipe to get rid of any scum along the sides.
- Prepare the remaining ingredients and add them to the pot.
- Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on medium high heat for approximately 45 minutes, until vegetables are cooked through.
- Discard the scotch bonnet pepper and serve.
It’s amazing how Caribbean people always manage to let no part of an animal go to waste. Such a retro recipe that brings back memories (good ones).
I know, right?! I get so excited to see these parts show up in my regular grocery store. When I was younger, you had to find a Caribbean market to get your hands on sliced pumpkin, tripe, salt fish, pig tail, etc. And no matter the weather, we love our soup!! 😀
Hi I like it
Thanks, Amol! Glad you like it! 🙂