Chicken Feet Paye (Murghi ke Panje, Pakistani Style Winter Recipe)

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When the first cold winds of winter reach Sukkur, my mother-in-law always asks for the same thing: murghi ke panje. Every Sunday in December, I bring home a bag of chicken feet from the butcher, clean them one by one, and leave them to cook slowly on the stove. By lunchtime, the house smells of ginger, garlic and garam masala, and the whole family gathers around the pot with hot naan. Many people turn their nose up at chicken feet until they taste them. Then they understand why our elders call this dish winter’s medicine.

Chicken feet paye are cooked just like mutton or beef paye, but much faster and at a fraction of the cost. The feet are cleaned, blanched and slow-cooked in a light, spiced shorba until they are soft and sticky, and the broth turns rich and silky from all the natural gelatin. It is simple, warming food, perfect for cold evenings or anyone with a cold.

If you love paye, try my slow-cooked mutton paye. For more winter comfort, see my mutton yakhni and my yakhni for a sore throat.

Why You’ll Love These Chicken Feet Paye

• Budget friendly: chicken feet cost very little but give a rich, flavourful broth.
• Faster than mutton paye: ready in about an hour, or 25 minutes in a pressure cooker.
• Naturally rich in gelatin: the broth is silky and sets like jelly when cold.
• Winter comfort: warm, light and soothing on cold days.

Ingredients You Need

Chicken feet (panje): fresh feet, cleaned, with the outer yellow skin removed and the nails cut off.

Masala: oil or ghee, onion, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, salt and a little yogurt.

Whole spices: bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns and black cardamom.

To finish: garam masala, fresh coriander, julienned ginger and a squeeze of lemon.

How to Clean Chicken Feet

1. Wash the feet well under running water.
2. Blanch them in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Peel off the thin yellow outer skin while they are warm. It slips off easily after blanching.
4. Cut the nails off with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors.
5. Rinse again and they are ready to cook.

Many butchers in Pakistan will sell chicken feet already cleaned if you ask. It saves a lot of time.

My Tips for the Best Chicken Paye

1. Don’t skip blanching. It removes impurities and smell and makes peeling easy.
2. Bhuno the masala well. Cook until the oil separates for a deep flavour.
3. Cook low and slow. Gentle simmering makes the feet soft and the broth silky.
4. Keep the shorba light. Chicken paye are best with a thin, soupy gravy.
5. Finish fresh. Ginger, coriander and lemon at the end lift the whole dish.

What to Serve With Chicken Feet Paye

Serve hot with naan, tandoori roti or sheermal. Add sliced onions, green chillies and lemon wedges on the side. You can also enjoy the broth on its own as a warming soup.

Storing and Reheating

Keep in an airtight box in the fridge for up to 2 days. The broth will set like jelly; this is normal. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water until it melts and simmers.

Chicken Feet Paye (Murghi ke Panje)

Cleaned chicken feet slow-cooked in a light, spiced shorba with ginger, garlic and whole spices. A budget-friendly Pakistani winter dish.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Pakistani

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the chicken feet

• 1 kg chicken feet about 20 to 24, cleaned, skin peeled and nails cut

For the shorba

• 1/3 cup oil or ghee
• 1 large onion finely sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 8 black peppercorns
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/4 cup yogurt whisked
• 6 cups water

To finish

• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
• 1 inch ginger julienned
• 1 lemon cut into wedges

Method

 

Clean the feet

1. Wash the chicken feet, then blanch in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, peel off the yellow outer skin, cut off the nails and rinse well.

Make the masala

1. Heat oil in a heavy pot and fry the onion until light golden. Add the whole spices and fry for 30 seconds.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 1 minute. Add red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder and salt with a splash of water and bhuno for 2 minutes.
3. Add the yogurt and cook until the oil separates, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the cleaned chicken feet and bhuno on medium heat for 5 minutes so they are coated in the masala.

Cook the paye

1. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat for 50 to 60 minutes until the feet are very soft and the broth is silky. (In a pressure cooker, cook for 15 to 20 minutes after full pressure.)
2. Sprinkle garam masala, coriander and julienned ginger. Serve hot with naan and lemon wedges.

Notes

Blanching and peeling the feet removes the smell and gives a clean broth. Keep the gravy thin and soupy for the classic paye style.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are chicken feet healthy?

Chicken feet are mostly skin, cartilage and tendons, so the broth is rich in collagen and gelatin. Like any meat dish, enjoy it as part of a balanced diet.

How long do chicken feet take to cook?

About 1 hour of gentle simmering on the stove, or 15 to 20 minutes on full pressure in a pressure cooker.

Do I have to remove the skin?

Yes. The outer yellow skin is tough and can have a strong smell. It peels off easily after a quick blanch.

Can I mix chicken feet with chicken pieces?

Yes. Add a few bone-in chicken pieces in the last 25 minutes of cooking for a heartier dish.

Why did my broth turn jelly in the fridge?

That is the natural gelatin from the feet, a sign of a good, rich broth. It melts again when heated.