Chicken hearts are small and delicate. They're ready fast, making them ideal for a quick weeknight dinner.
Sprinkle them with spices, pan-fry them for five minutes, and dinner is ready!
I make this recipe often. It's easy, flavorful, and ready in about 20 minutes. I consider it one of my easiest dinner recipes.
We all enjoy it, with the notable exception of my youngest, The Picky Eater. I can't say I'm surprised! Organ meats are an acquired taste. However, if you'd like to try them, chicken hearts are a good place to start. Their flavor is relatively mild, and their texture is pleasantly chewy.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Raw chicken hearts: They're not easy to find in U.S. supermarkets. I either special-order them at Whole Foods or buy them online.
- Olive oil: It's best to use extra-virgin olive oil.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin.
- Parsley: Used for garnish.
Variations
- Cook the hearts in ghee instead of olive oil. It's delicious!
- Add more spices. I sometimes add a pinch of dried thyme or oregano.
- Cook them with sliced onions and mushrooms.
Instructions
This recipe is quick and easy. Unlike beef heart, which requires slow cooking for optimal results, chicken hearts are suitable for quick pan-frying. They are small, so they are ready fast - five to seven minutes of pan-frying on medium-high heat, and they are done. They are also milder in flavor compared to beef heart.
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
In a large bowl, mix the hearts with olive oil and spices.
Cook them in a large skillet, stirring often, until cooked through. This should take about 5-7 minutes over medium-high heat.
Once done, transfer them to plates, pour the pan juices on top, and serve.
Expert Tip
Make sure not to overcook the hearts, or they will turn out tough. When properly cooked, they're nice and tender, if a bit chewy.
Recipe FAQs
That's the challenging part! In U.S. supermarkets, they're usually packed with gizzards, and the tray contains way more gizzards than hearts. But you can find them in most Hispanic markets. You can also order them online. Sometimes, I ask the butchers at Whole Foods to special-order them for me.
They're an acquired taste, but I do love them, especially when made according to the recipe below. They readily take on any spices you use, and their texture is pleasantly chewy. The olive oil and cumin greatly enhance their delicate flavor.
Not long! 5-7 minutes over medium-high heat is just right. Lower the heat to medium if the pan becomes too hot. The USDA says they should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this dish on top of cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower to absorb the tasty pan juices. I also like to add a green vegetable such as roasted green beans, roasted asparagus, or steamed broccoli.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to 3 days. Reheat them very gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, then reheat them in the microwave.
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Recipe Card
Sauteed Chicken Hearts
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken hearts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - extra-virgin
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons parsley - chopped
Instructions
- Place the hearts, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cumin in a large bowl.
- Use a large spoon to mix everything together, coating the hearts with the oil and seasonings.
- Heat a large, heavy frypan over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes.
- Add the seasoned chicken hearts. Cook, stirring often, until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. If the pan becomes too hot, lower the heat to medium.
- Divide the hearts between four plates. Drizzle them with the pan juices, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Make sure not to overcook the hearts, or they will turn out tough. When properly cooked, they're nice and tender, if a bit chewy. Having said that, keep in mind that the USDA says they should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- You can keep leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to 3 days. Make sure you reheat them very gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Lea
Great recipe.
I also cooked on ghee butter.
Chicken hearts are loaded with enyzme CoQ10 which is great for energy and overall health!
Thanks.
Vered DeLeeuw
Thanks for the comment, Lea! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Vonnie
Delicious is what I was told. I was a bit hesitant to make this because I would not know if they were good or bad because I have never tried chicken hearts before. As a surprise for him I cooked this for my uncle. He even asked if we had more! Guess I'll be making this again soon
Vered DeLeeuw
How wonderful, Vonnie! I'm so glad this was a success.
Maxwell
I really wanted to make a chicken heart dish with jerk sauce for my mom, so I changed the base recipe a bit, it came out awesome. Thanks again for helping me learn something new!
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Maxwell! I'm glad this recipe was useful.
Lauren
Just made tonight for first time. Also the first time we’d ever had chicken hearts (except for my husband) and it was a hit with my 1 and 3 year olds! (I ground it up for the 18 month old.). Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw
Wow! What a success! I'm so happy, Lauren. Thank you for your comment.
Beverly Lafferty
I love these. Great recipe. Making my 3d time today.
Vered DeLeeuw
Yay! I'm so glad you've been enjoying this recipe, Beverly! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Ben
These were nice, I didn't expect them to be tender but they were. My hearts came with some arteries sticking out and it's a lot less squeamish if they're trimmed off, that's something I figured out when I had already eaten half.
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you enjoyed this recipe, Ben! Thank you for the feedback.
Lee
I enjoyed this recipe. I cooked the hearts in butter. Very good!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm glad you liked this recipe, Lee! Thank you for leaving a comment.
MICHAEL HILL
Great Recipe and I also cooked mine in butter and served over Red mashed taters! Thank you for the easy to follow recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Michael! Thank you for sharing how you cooked and served it.
Bonnie B Sprague
I have been searching for chicken hearts for decades. when we were poor newlyweds (46 years ago) they were readily available
But now ..
not so much.
A Wild Fork store was opened near us. I stopped in today and found some chicken hearts for very little money.
A feast will ensue!!!
Vered DeLeeuw
Yay for finding chicken hearts! Enjoy, Bonnie!