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How Do I Cook Chicken Livers?

Patti Kate
Patti Kate

There are several ways to cook chicken livers, but most cooks either fry or bake them. Many people prefer to coat the chicken livers with some type of bread crumb mixture. Whether you bake or fry the liver, you may add seasonings such as garlic and onion for flavor. A nice appetizer to serve your dinner guests is chopped liver, made with seasoned cooked chicken livers. For making chicken livers on the stove top, use a good quality cast iron skillet or saute pan.

It's a good idea to remove any excess fat before you cook chicken livers. Excess fat may make the cooked chicken livers tough or chewy. After doing so, wash the livers under cool water. It's also wise to disinfect your counter and cutting board to prevent cross-contamination. Uncooked chicken livers may harbor disease-causing bacteria, so wash your hands thoroughly after handling.

Hard boiled eggs, which can be combined with chicken livers to make pate.
Hard boiled eggs, which can be combined with chicken livers to make pate.

After rinsing the chicken livers under running water, spray your saute pan or skillet with non-stick cooking spray, or coat the pan with vegetable oil. For a main entree, you can cook chicken livers with onion, or use bacon bits for a crispy texture. You can also serve the chicken livers with sliced bacon. If the natural color of liver does not appeal to you, the chicken livers may be coated with seasoned bread crumbs.

A cookbook and utensils.
A cookbook and utensils.

When you cook chicken livers in a skillet, flip them over after a few minutes for even and thorough cooking. As you cook the livers for several minutes, the pink color should disappear and the liver should turn golden brown or tan. Never serve chicken livers that are undercooked, as this may increase the risk of illness.

Another way to cook chicken livers is by boiling them in a large pot of water. The livers will need to simmer in boiling water for about 15 or 20 minutes. After that time, you should test them for tenderness. Simmering the chicken livers will generally make them very tender and suitable for preparing liver pate. Boiled chicken livers are also good for preparing chopped liver.

Cast iron pans can be used to cook chicken livers.
Cast iron pans can be used to cook chicken livers.

To make liver pate, you can chop cooked chicken livers and hard boiled egg in a food processor. Other ingredients may also be added, such as minced garlic, ground pepper, and cooked bacon. After pouring the pate into individual serving cups, you must allow it to set in the refrigerator for several hours or until firm.

Discussion Comments

Reminiscence

@AnswerMan, I always check for those bile ducts before I start marinating my chicken livers. I like to coat mine with a liberal amount of seasoned salt and let them marinate for a few minutes while I set up the dredging and frying stations. I mostly use flour seasoned with salt and pepper for the dredge, then I fry the livers in hot oil until they are almost burnt. Some people like the soft texture of chicken livers, but I prefer them to be very crispy.

If I can't make my own fried chicken livers, I will look for them at local convenience stores with deli counters. Here in the South, it's not unusual to find fried chicken livers and gizzards on the menu of local restaurants.

AnswerMan

One important thing to watch out for when using chicken livers is an attached bile duct. The processor usually checks for these greenish pieces, but a few may still slip through. It's just a matter of pulling them off the liver and discarding them, but if you bite into a bile duct later on, you'll regret it. It's very bitter, and the taste will stay with you a while.

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    • Hard boiled eggs, which can be combined with chicken livers to make pate.
      By: Igor Dutina
      Hard boiled eggs, which can be combined with chicken livers to make pate.
    • A cookbook and utensils.
      By: Vivian Seefeld
      A cookbook and utensils.
    • Cast iron pans can be used to cook chicken livers.
      By: canadapanda
      Cast iron pans can be used to cook chicken livers.