How to make chicken foot soup
If you’ve never tried Caribbean chicken foot soup, you’re in for a treat. This rich and hearty soup is packed with bold flavors, nutritious root vegetables, and the ultimate ingredient for deep flavor—chicken feet. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it! This one-pot soup is a Saturday staple across the Caribbean, known for its comforting warmth and nourishing ingredients.
In the Caribbean, Saturdays mean one thing—Soup Saturday. It’s a long-standing tradition where big pots of soup simmer on the stove, filling the air with delicious aromas.
This one-pot soup is a Saturday staple across the Caribbean, known for its comforting warmth and nourishing ingredients. Whether you’re making Jamaican chicken foot soup or a classic Trinidadian-style soup, this recipe brings all the flavors you love in a cozy, filling bowl.
From Trini corn soup</a > to Jamaican red pea soup, every island has its favorite. And now, it’s time to add another must-try to your rotation—this rich and flavorful chicken foot soup.
Why try chicken feet?
I get it—eating chicken feet might not be at the top of your list. But once you try this Caribbean chicken foot soup with dumplings, you’ll see why it’s a staple in so many island kitchens. In the Caribbean, nothing goes to waste. Chicken feet add incredible depth to broths and stews thanks to their high collagen content, which also contributes to the body and richness of the soup.
What does chicken foot taste like?
Chicken feet themselves don’t have a strong flavor—they’re mostly cartilage and skin. But when simmered slowly with aromatics and vegetables, they release collagen that gives the broth a velvety, rich texture. The taste you experience comes from the seasoned base, herbs, and ground provisions in the pot.
Is chicken foot soup healthy?
Yes! Chicken feet are rich in collagen, which can help with joint support, bone health, and skin elasticity. Add that to a soup packed with vegetables and herbs, and you’ve got yourself a nourishing, feel-good meal.
How to Make Chicken Foot Soup
What’s in chicken foot soup?
This chicken foot soup is built on layers of flavor from fresh herbs, vegetables, and spices. You can swap a few things based on what you have.
The main ingredient:
- Chicken feet – This is what gives the soup its unique texture and deep, rich broth. Make sure to clean them well before cooking.
The soup base and flavor:
- Pumpkin (helps thicken and sweeten the soup)
- Split peas (adds body)
- Garlic, onion, green onions
- Fresh thyme, allspice, black pepper, salt
- Scotch bonnet pepper (for heat)
- Optional: packet soup mix (pumpkin or cock soup)
Veggies & Provisions
- Potatoes (sweet or white), corn, carrots, christophene (cho cho), yam
- Dumplings (made with flour and water)
Instructions
Making Caribbean chicken foot soup is easy once you get the hang of it. You can cook it on the stovetop, in a pressure cooker, or even in an Instant Pot, depending on how much time you have.
The most important step? Cleaning and prepping the chicken feet before cooking! Let’s walk through it:
1. Clean the Chicken Feet
Trim the claws, scrape off any dark spots, and soak in water with vinegar or lime juice for 10 minutes. Rinse and set aside. For a detailed cleaning guide, check out my chicken foot souse post!
2. Build the Base
Add the cleaned chicken feet, pumpkin, split peas, garlic, onion, scallions, thyme, soup mix (if using), and black pepper to your pot. Cover with water or stock. Boil for 25–30 minutes (or pressure cook for 8 minutes on the meat setting).
3. Blend for Body
Use an immersion blender to partially blend the pumpkin and peas to thicken the soup. If you don’t have one, scoop out a portion of the mix (without the chicken feet), blend it, and return it to the pot.
4. Add Veggies & Dumplings
Throw in chopped potatoes, corn, carrots, yams, christophene, and dumplings. Add 2 more cups of water if needed. Simmer until veggies and dumplings are tender (about 15 minutes).
5. Final Taste & Adjust
Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or heat as needed. Add more water if the soup is too thick, or simmer a bit longer if you like it rich and hearty.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Freeze: If freezing, remove dumplings and dense ground provisions to avoid mushiness. Freeze for up to 5 months.
- Reheat: Best on the stovetop over medium-low with a splash of water. Stir often to avoid sticking.
Try some more Caribbean soups
And if you’re in the mood for more island soups, check out my:
Final Thoughts
This Caribbean chicken foot soup is packed with flavor, texture, and culture. It’s the perfect recipe for Soup Saturday or any day you need a comforting, nourishing bowl.
If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a rating on the recipe card and drop a comment below.
Frequently Asked Questions
About 25–30 minutes on the stovetop, or 8 minutes in a pressure cooker.
Yes, but it’s best served the same day. If needed, keep it simmering on low until ready to serve.
Pretty close! Each island adds its own twist, but the heart of the recipe, chicken feet, dumplings, and provisions, stays the same.
Recipe
Chicken Foot Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Soak the split peas in water over night if possible.
- Remove nails from chicken feet, and remove any discoloring if any.
- Place in a bowl with water and about a tablespoon of vinegar or lime juice and some pepper sauce. Let that soak for about 10 minutes.
- Throw that water off the chicken and give it another rinse.
- In a large pot, add the chicken feet, split peas, cubed pumpkin, onions, garlic, peppers, thyme, soup pack, scallion, celery, all spice, black pepper and 6 cups of water.
- Boil this for for 25 minutes until the pumpkin and split peas are tender.
- Make your dumplings while the chicken is boiling.
- Once tender you can use your immersion blender to blend up the soup. Or remove 3/4 of the broth and add it to a blender. Return the blended broth to the rest of the mixture.
- Add 2 more cups water and add the corn, christophene, and sweet potato and let that come to a boil.
- Add dumplings once boiling and add salt.
- Test for salt and pepper.
- Once dumplings are floating to the top they are cooked.
- Soup is ready to be served.
