Weird Chinese Food › Offal & Blood
Chicken Feet
凤爪 / 鸡爪 · fèngzhuǎ / jīzhuǎ
Bravery rating: 🌶️🌶️··· Mild
What does chicken feet taste like?
Almost no meat — it's all skin, tendon and cartilage, so the joy is the gelatinous, chewy texture and the sauce. Dim-sum 'phoenix claws' are fried, then steamed in black bean sauce until soft; pickled pepper chicken feet (泡椒凤爪) are cold, sour and spicy.
Where to eat it in China
Everywhere: Cantonese dim sum in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, braised versions in snack shops, and packaged pickled-pepper feet from Chongqing sold in every convenience store.
How much does it cost?
Typical range: a cheap dim-sum plate or snack; convenience store packs cost a few yuan.
⚠️ Safety tips
Low risk. Watch for small bones and very spicy pickled versions.
🎥 Watch us eat it
Our chicken feet episode is coming. See all our China street-food videos.
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FAQ
Why are they called phoenix claws?
A more elegant name used in Cantonese cuisine.
How do you eat chicken feet?
Bite off a joint, suck off the skin and tendon, spit out the small bones.