How are chicken legs useful and how to cook them deliciously?

The benefits and harms of chicken feet are of interest to buyers. No one argues that the chicken itself has valuable properties. But few people know what to do with the legs. Most often they are bought for animal feeding.

In fact, this is a useful and valuable part of the carcass, from which you can prepare delicious dishes: broth, jellied meat, roast, soup. In addition, the paws have medicinal properties, which, along with the recipes, will be presented in the article.

Nutritional value and composition of chicken legs

Having seen chicken legs in a store, many consumers simply do not understand why they are being sold. The beneficial properties of this part of chicken are appreciated in China, Japan and other Asian countries. The point is in the antihypertensive properties of the product.

The legs contain minerals:

• calcium and phosphorus;
• sodium and potassium;
• iron and zinc;
• copper and selenium.

A large set of vitamins of groups B, A, E, PP, K. B, choline and other useful substances have a strengthening effect on the nervous, immune and skeletal systems.

The chemical composition of chicken legs is as follows. 100 g contains:

• 14.6 g fat;
• 19.4 g protein;
• 0.2 g carbohydrates;
• 66.8 g of water;
• there is no ash.

The calorie content of 100 g of the finished product is only 215 Kcal, this attracts people with weight problems.

Are chicken feet good for you?

Since the paws contain many useful substances, there can be no question of serious harm if this product is not abused (although there are contraindications). A person who regularly consumes a by-product dish feels healthier, his problems with the motor system disappear.

Chicken feet are beneficial for the entire human body.

Why are chicken feet good for joints?

The benefits of the offal outweigh the harm:

1. The collagen found in chicken legs is good for bones, tendons, and mucous membranes.
2. The skin, thanks to a special protein, becomes healthy and elastic.
3. Connective tissue is restored in the joints, fluid production increases, which enhances the mobility of the limbs.
4. With injuries of bones at the site of the fracture, cartilage grows faster.

Chicken legs are especially useful for people over 50, since the body is not able to synthesize its own protein, which leads to joint diseases and fractures.

The benefits and harms of chicken leg jelly

The benefits of boiled chicken legs can hardly be overestimated. The jellied meat prepared from this offal contains collagen, which helps to strengthen the cartilage, gives it firmness and elasticity.

Retinol contained in jellied meat stimulates the immune system, is responsible for joint mobility.

Despite the benefits, chicken leg jelly can be harmful if a person has problems with the liver, stomach, and pancreas. Then a large amount of garlic and pepper is not added to the finished dish.

The presence of growth hormone can lead to the development of inflammatory processes.And the harm of cholesterol (due to the effect on the walls of blood vessels) can cause atherosclerosis.

Is chicken leg broth good for you?

The human body benefits from offal broth:

1. Small portions of broth from the paws can do no harm. It is recommended to drink for those who have no appetite.
2. The broth contains collagen and mucopolysaccharides. These substances will help those with joint problems.
3. Chicken feet broth is good for the skin of the face, hair and nails.

How to clean chicken feet

In large retail outlets, you can purchase a ready-to-use offal. If untreated chicken legs were purchased, they will have to be independently cleaned of the stratum corneum.

Operating procedure:

1. Thaw at room temperature and rinse well.
2. Stains on the skin may remain and are difficult to wash off with plain water. To remove them, the surface is rubbed with salt and again doused with water.
3. Remove claws (they are not suitable for cooking) with a knife or hatchet.
4. Put the offal in a colander, put it in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then in cold water. A change in temperature is necessary to quickly cleanse the stratum corneum.
5. When the legs are cool, the skin needs to be picked up with a knife near the upper joint and pulled down like a stocking.

Chicken feet recipes

Making healthy chicken leg meals is a snap. There are a variety of recipes. You can cook jellied meat, broth, roast, soup from offal. It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of these dishes.

Chicken leg jelly

It is difficult to find a person who has not tasted jellied meat at least once. It is usually prepared from pork and beef legs and head. But cold can be cooked, oddly enough, from the legs of poultry. The benefit of aspic is that it has healing properties, with its help you can not only improve your appetite, but also help your body recover.

What is required for cooking jellied meat:

• chicken legs - 2 kg;
• chicken breasts - 0.8 kg;
• carrots - 3 pcs.;
• onions - 3 heads;
• garlic - 4 heads;
• black and allspice peas, bay leaves, mustard seeds, salt to taste.

Stages of cooking jellied meat:

1. The legs, peeled from the yellow layer, are placed in a saucepan along with the meat, and poured with cold water.
2. After 6-7 hours, the water must be drained. Liquid with blood residues is not suitable for cooking jellied meat.
3. Rinse the feet, add water and place on the stove.
4. As soon as the contents begin to boil, foam will appear. It must be removed to obtain a clear broth.
5. Cut the peeled carrots and onions into large pieces and add to the saucepan. In jellied meat, these ingredients are essential for color and aroma.
6. Then comes the time of black and allspice peas, mustard seeds, salt.
7. Reduce the fire and cook the jellied meat at a minimum temperature for about 6 hours.
8. Add the bay leaf a quarter of an hour before removing the pan from the stove. Leave the broth on the stove, as it must be hot for pouring.
9. Take out the legs and meat, quickly remove the bones and cartilage, mix with the garlic chopped on a press.
10. Arrange in small trays, add the required amount of broth, filtering it through a sieve.
11. Put the cooled mass in the refrigerator to solidify.

Chinese Chicken Feet

The Chinese especially appreciate the beneficial properties of the offal. When cooking, they use a large amount of spices and seasonings.

Roast products:

• 800 g of offal;
• 1 tsp rice vinegar;
• 50 ml of sunflower oil.

Sauce composition:

• 3 pcs. anise;
• 4 tbsp. l. soy sauce;
• ½ tsp ginger;
• 1 chili pepper pod;
• 10 g granulated sugar;
• 2 garlic cloves;
• 200 ml of water.

The nuances of the recipe:

1. Pour the prepared chicken legs with water, add rice vinegar and place on the stove.
2. After boiling, add salt and granulated sugar. After 5 minutes, transfer the offal to a colander, wait for the liquid to drain.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan, put the boiled paws in portions. Fry them until browned.
4. Prepare a gravy with the soy sauce and leftover ingredients and a glass of water.
5. Pour the sauce into the semi-finished product, cover and simmer over low heat for a third of an hour.

Chicken leg soup

Offal is very good in a rich soup. To prepare it you will need:

• paws - 600 g;
• onions - 1 head;
• dill sprigs;
• oregano;
• ground black pepper - at the end of the knife;
• salt to taste;
• water - 0.8 l;
• sunflower oil - 1 tbsp. l.

How to cook healthy chicken legs soup:

1. Rinse the offal, peel and dry.
2. After removing the husk, cut the onions into half rings.
3. Pour oil into a frying pan, put paws, onions. Fry until golden brown.
4. Put the contents of the pan into a saucepan, pour water and place on the stove. As soon as the soup boils, cook for half an hour.
5. Then add the rest of the ingredients and remove the pan after 2 minutes.
6. Rich soup with healthy poultry legs is ready.

Chicken feet harm

Despite the benefits, chicken legs should not be eaten frequently. Enough 3-4 times a month. Otherwise, you can harm the body:

• fatty pieces are difficult to digest;
• the product and dishes from it are not recommended for people with hypotension, otherwise the pressure will drop even lower;
• the presence of a large amount of cholesterol can harm the state of blood vessels and lead to atherosclerosis.

Contraindications to use

By-products that are useful for some people can be harmful for some diseases. It is not recommended to eat food from the legs:

• if you are overweight;
• with problems with the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys;
• if you are allergic to chicken meat;
• with atherosclerosis, low blood pressure.

Can you give chicken feet to dogs

By-products have always been bought, and will be bought for pets. Among dog breeders, the opinion about the benefits and dangers of chicken feet for feeding dogs is divided. Some believe that tubular bones can harm, cause injury to the pharynx of animals and internal organs. Others argue that a well-fed dog will not pounce on food, but simply eat it.

To be calm for the dogs, it is enough to boil chicken legs, in this form they are harmless and useful.

Conclusion

Now the benefits and harms of chicken feet have become clear. The cooking process is simple, but you can diversify the family's diet with tasty and healthy dishes. By the way, the Chinese consider the legs of poultry to be a delicacy, they are ready to pay a lot of money for the offal.