Experience the warm, aromatic flavors of Jamaica with this hearty chicken soup. This soup is rich with tender chicken, vibrant vegetables, and a hint of spicy scotch bonnet peppers. This comforting soup is perfect for when you’re feeling under the weather or when you just need a bowl of happiness to brighten your day. I’m so excited to transport you to my childhood with the unique flavors of this Jamaican chicken foot soup. Let’s get cooking!

Backstory

It’s a cold winter day in NewYork and grandma is cooking chicken foot soup in her dutch pot and it’s so aromatic I can smell it cooking from downstairs. I lived in my Jamaican grandparents house on and off over the course of my childhood. I learned how to cook the best authentic Jamaican dishes alongside my grandmother whom I used to refer to as my graham cracker. Sadly, she passed away in 2015 and I love making dishes like these that remind me of her. Although she never used written recipes to cook her food, allowing me to help her taught me much of what I know today. From cleaning the chicken for her to cutting the vegetables or checking the pot for her, I learned how to cook! This classic Jamaican chicken foot soup recipe is dedicated to her and I’m so happy to share it with you!

Jamaican chicken foot soup Ingredients

1.5 lbs chicken feet
4 chicken legs cut in half, optional
1 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, to taste
3 tablespoons green seasoning, optional (see note in FAQs)
1 gallon water
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 stalks scallion, sliced diagonally
2 lbs pumpkin (about 1 acorn squash) skinned and cut into large chunks
1 large russet potato, peeled and large diced
2 ears of corn, each cut into 4 pieces
2 carrots, round sliced
1 white sweet potato, peeled and large diced
1 packet Jamaican chicken soup mix
1 teaspoon ground pimento, to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, to taste
1 teaspoon scotch bonnet pepper sauce, to taste
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/3-1/2 cup warm water

What makes Jamaican chicken soup different from other chicken soups?

Obviously this soup has chicken feet, which is not a traditional ingredient in most soups. It doesn’t matter if it’s chicken foot soup, red pea soup, or mannish water (goat head soup), the unique flavors of Jamaica stand out! Many soups are described as hearty, but this one takes the cake! It’s made with chunky vegetables and bone-in chicken, which makes it not only rich in flavor, but also rich in collagen.

Why use chicken feet?

Ok so… I use chicken feet and legs for this recipe because I like the extra meat lol. Chicken feet are a delicacy enjoyed throughout the Caribbean, not just Jamaica. Traditionally, Caribbean people like to use as much of the animal as possible so nothing goes to waste. Chicken feet as mentioned above are rich in collagen and protein, which adds nutritional value flavor and literal richness to the soup broth. Collagen is great for your skin, nails, and bones. Not to mention they are super inexpensive! This is a great example of how Caribbean people have taken nothing and made it into SOMETHING!

Secret ingredients

One element that makes Jamaican chicken foot soup so tasty are the spices. Firstly pimento, also known as allspice, isn’t necessarily a “secret ingredient,” but the form in which it’s used, is. Traditionally whole pimento is used for this soup. Whole pimento resembles black peppercorns. When I was a child, I hated accidentally biting into one of these tiny balls. For this reason, I use pimento in ground form. This gives me the same earthy flavor as if it were in whole form without the nasty bite lol. Another spice I use is ground ginger. Not everyone uses ground ginger in their chicken foot soup, but it definitely makes a difference! It compliments the earthiness of the pimento and brightens the flavors of the pumpkin and herbs used. I cannot make my soup without it!

Making the dumpling

Can I say, I LOVE DUMPLING?! Dumpling are nothing more than a dough made of flour, salt, and water, but they are arguably the BEST part of any soup. These particular dumpling are called “spinners.” The trick to making good dumpling is to use warm water. All purpose flour contains gluten and using warm water to relax it helps the texture of your dumpling. I add my flour to a large bowl along with salt and then I mix in the warm water using my fingertips until a dough is formed. Then I knead it into a ball and once the dough no longer sticks to my fingers, I can stop adding water. I then allow the dough time to relax before kneading it one more time and shaping it into spinners.

FAQs

Can I make this soup with another cut of chicken instead of chicken feet?

You can absolutely omit the chicken feet for another cut of chicken. Jamaicans also make chicken soup, which is basically the same recipe but with other cuts of chicken like legs and thighs. Even chicken back is a popular cut that can be used. Whatever cut you use will work, just make sure it’s bone-in. Boneless chicken will not give you the results of a rich broth.

What if I don’t have access to scotch bonnet peppers?

This is a wonderful question because I have been in this position before. I lived places where scotch bonnet peppers were not available to me (which is why my recipe doesn’t call for the actual peppers). Luckily, I know about scotch bonnet pepper sauce. I love Jamaican brands like Grace and Walkerswood because they still have the distinct flavor and spice of a scotch bonnet pepper and are easy to find in grocery stores. Thank God for stores that include Caribbean products in their stock like Publix and local oriental markets! I do appreciate the Caribbean and international food aisles in these stores. If you can’t find actual Scotch bonnet peppers, you can just buy the sauce. By the way, you can also find the chicken and pumpkin soup mixes here. Please DO NOT substitute scotch bonnet pepper for another type of pepper. If you do- it is now YOUR recipe and not mine lol.

What is green seasoning and do I have to use it?

Green seasoning is a staple in many Caribbean dishes. Simply put, it’s all your herbs and vegetables (onion, green pepper, cilantro, thyme, etc.) blended together to increase their potency. I make mine ahead of time and freeze them into cubes so I always have some on hand. However, if you don’t have any on hand or don’t want to make it, you don’t have to include it in your recipe. As long as you still use the herbs and vegetables listed in this recipe, your soup will be delish!

Pumpkin can be hard to peel. Can I just leave the skin on?

Absolutely! I peel mine because I mash half of it to add to my soup broth. This gives the soup a rich texture, color, and flavor. But instead of mashing the pumpkin, another option is to buy a packet of Jamaican pumpkin flavored soup mix. You will still need fresh pumpkin, though to add as a vegetable in the soup.

What are white sweet potatoes?

If you’re having trouble finding these in store, try looking for batata, boniato, or white root. These can all be used and are labeled differently depending on where you live. Coincidentally, every restore was sold out of these near me, so I used green banana (green plantain) instead. They taste totally different, I just wanted variety in my soup. I have to say when I was a kid, biting into the sweet potato and the dumpling were the best part of the soup for me!

Quick tip

To cut preparation time in half, you can buy a bag of frozen tropical mixed vegetables. You can find these in the frozen vegetables section of your grocery store. I often use the Goya brand, it works great for this soup!

Why you will love this recipe

This recipe is so authentic, you will think an old Jamaican granny made it for you! This soup is something the elders perfected and you will be proud if you were able to make it for yourself! Whether you are of Caribbean descent or not, you will enjoy the vibrant flavors of the islands in this soup. From my granny to me, and now to you, happy cooking!

Enjoy learning new cuisines?

Check out my recipes for bang bang shrimp tacos, and the best copycat chipotle steak!