Tiger Skin Chicken Feet is a Chinese dish that is full of stories. Each chicken foot is like a tiny work of art, with a crispy tiger skin exterior and tender chicken meat inside. When taking the first bite, there is a delightful crunch from the tiger skin, followed by the smoothness of the chicken meat, and finally the flavorful spiciness of the sauce, as if playing a wonderful symphony in the mouth.
Ingredients for Tiger Skin Chicken Feet：
| Chicken feet | 200g |
| Green onion | 5g |
| Aginomoto | 2g |
| Ginger | 3g |
| Star anise | 2g |
| Sichuan Pepper | 2g |
| Fragrant leaves | 3g |
| Cinnamon bark | 2g |
| Rock sugar | 10g |
| Cooking wine | 5g |
| Salt | 2g |
| Oyster sauce | 5g |
| Pepper powder | 1g |
| Chili paste | 5g |
| Chili powder | 5g |
| Dried chilli | 6g |
Step:
1.Firstly, take about 200 grams of cleaned chicken feet. Use a knife to chop off the toes of each chicken foot, making them neater. Then, chop the chicken feet into sections of appropriate length and place them in a bowl for later use. This step is to prepare the chicken feet for cooking and make them more convenient to eat.
2.In addition to the chicken feet, you’ll need the white part of a large spring onion, cut into small sections. Additionally, prepare a piece of ginger, sliced thinly. Place the chopped spring onion and ginger in the same bowl for later use. Furthermore, prepare one star anise, two grams of Sichuan peppercorns, a small handful of dried chili peppers, two bay leaves, and a small piece of cinnamon. Add them all to the prepared bowl. Finally, prepare 10 grams of rock sugar and add it to the bowl as well. These ingredients will add rich aroma and flavor to the tiger skin chicken feet.
3.Next, we need to blanch the chicken feet. Boil a pot of water. Prepare a bowl of cold water and pour it into the boiling water. At the same time, add 5 grams of cooking wine, which helps remove any unpleasant odor from the chicken feet. Place the chicken feet into the boiling water and let it boil on high heat. Some foam may appear when the water starts boiling, which can be skimmed off with a spoon. Once the water boils again, remove the chicken feet. Rinse the chicken feet thoroughly with clean water to ensure they are clean and free of impurities. Finally, drain the water from the chicken feet and set them aside. Blanching the chicken feet helps remove blood and impurities, making them cleaner and ready for further cooking.
4.Next, let’s start cooking. Heat up a pan and add an appropriate amount of oil. Then pour the prepared rock sugar into the pan. Set the heat to low and gently crush the rock sugar with a spoon while stirring continuously to evenly dissolve it. As the heating progresses, you will notice the color of the rock sugar gradually darkening until it turns into a caramelized reddish-brown color. This step requires patience and careful observation to ensure the rock sugar is fully dissolved and reaches the desired caramel color. Pay attention to the heat and avoid burning the caramelized sugar; adjust the heat accordingly. Once the rock sugar melts and turns into a caramelized color, this step is completed. The ready caramelized sugar will bring a sweet flavor and beautiful appearance to the tiger skin chicken feet.
5.After heating the pan, add the drained chicken feet to the pan. Place the pan back on the heat and stir-fry the chicken feet constantly, coating their surfaces evenly with the caramelized sugar color. Next, add the pre-prepared spices such as Sichuan peppercorns, dried chili peppers, and continue stir-frying to release their fragrant and spicy flavors. Then, add the sliced spring onion and ginger that were prepared earlier and continue stir-frying to release their aroma. Immediately after, add a small amount (about 5 grams) of chili sauce and continue stirring to ensure the chicken feet are evenly coated with the chili sauce. Next, pour in a suitable amount of water along the side of the pan. Once the water boils, start seasoning by adding 5 grams of cooking wine to remove any gamey odor, followed by 2 grams of salt and 1 gram of pepper powder. Stir well to dissolve the seasonings. Then, cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the chicken feet to fully absorb the flavors and become more tender and delicious. Through this step, the chicken feet are stir-fried and simmered, retaining their crispy skin while achieving a tender texture on the inside.
6.After 15 minutes of simmering, the chicken feet are fully cooked and the sauce has become fragrant and rich in spiciness. Now, you can remove the bay leaves, chili peppers, spring onion, ginger, and other auxiliary ingredients from the pan. Next, increase the heat to high and reduce the sauce. Let the sauce gradually thicken. Once the sauce has reduced to a desired consistency, proceed to the final seasoning. Add a small amount of MSG for umami flavor and 5 grams of oyster sauce. Stir the pan thoroughly to ensure the chicken feet are well-coated and infused with the flavors. The savory aroma of the oyster sauce will add depth to the tiger skin chicken feet. Continue heating and further reduce the sauce until it becomes sticky, ensuring it coats the chicken feet well. This way, the tiger skin chicken feet will present an enticing appearance and a delightful taste.
7.After reducing the sauce to a sticky consistency, to enhance the spicy flavor, you can add 5 grams of chili powder. Sprinkle the chili powder evenly over the chicken feet and stir-fry them thoroughly to intensify the flavor. Once the stir-frying is done, you can take out the tiger skin chicken feet and plate them for serving. Now, a delicious and spicy tiger skin chicken feet dish is successfully prepared!
Tips:
1.Before cooking, use scissors to trim the nails of the chicken feet and make a few incisions on them with a knife. This helps the seasoning to penetrate and cook evenly.
2.When simmering the chicken feet, maintain moderate heat to avoid excessive heat or prolonged cooking time, as this can result in overcooked or tough chicken feet. The goal is to achieve a tender texture while still maintaining their shape.
Tiger skin chicken feet are like a dance on your taste buds. They leap and twirl, bringing surprises with every bite. The skin of the chicken feet bursts open in your mouth, releasing a unique aroma, while the meat is tender and chewy. Finally, the sauce spreads in your mouth, delivering a spicy yet balanced and slightly sweet flavor. Every bite tells a story that captivates your senses.