Quickly cooked in olive oil and topped with onions, sauteed chicken livers are a surprising delicacy. Since they have a fairly mild flavor compared to other organs, they are a good choice for those who venture into eating offal for the first time.
If, like me, you grew up eating chicken livers (both my grandmothers cooked them often), you know that as long as they're not overcooked, they are delicious. In this easy recipe, the sauteed livers are topped with onions. The sweetness of the onions greatly elevates this dish, so I highly recommend using them.
Ingredients
Here's a look at the ingredients needed to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
- Onion: I like to top the livers with sauteed onions. The onions are wonderfully flavorful and greatly enhance the livers. I would go as far as saying that if you don't have onions on hand, it's best not to make this dish at all.
- Fresh chicken livers: I prefer them to beef liver. They are milder in taste, have a nice soft texture, and don't have the strong metallic taste typical to beef liver. I usually buy them at Whole Foods.
- Olive oil: I use it to cook the onions and liver.
- To season: Kosher salt and black pepper.
Variations
- You can cook the livers in butter or ghee instead of olive oil.
- You can add more spices. I usually season the livers with just salt and pepper, but in the photo below, I added ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of paprika, and ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin.
Instructions
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:
Saute the onions in olive oil until golden. Remove them to a plate and cover them to keep them warm.
Pat the livers dry with paper towels, cut them in half, and trim and discard any visible fat or green parts.
Add the livers to the same skillet you cooked the onions in. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Cook them over medium heat until browned but still pink in the middle, 2-3 minutes per side.
Divide the cooked livers between plates, top them with the onions, and serve.
Featured Comment
I was rearranging my freezer and found a container of chicken livers. I'm 72 years old and have never cooked livers before. With your recipe, this will become one of our favorite meals. Had no idea it was so easy. Thank you so much. - Becky
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Recipe Tips
- The livers should still be pink in the middle when you're done cooking them. If you cook them until they're well done, they'll be dry and grainy. But when properly cooked, they have a wonderfully tender mouthfeel and a mild flavor. Having said that, the USDA recommends cooking poultry internal organs to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- If added to a too-hot pan, the livers will splatter and even burst. So make sure to use medium heat and don't wait too long before adding them to the pan.
- You can top the livers with sauteed onions or caramelized onions. Caramelized onions require more time and effort, so I typically use them only when I have leftovers that I can quickly reheat in the microwave. The photo below shows livers topped with leftover caramelized onions.
Recipe FAQs
That's unnecessary. It might be a good idea when cooking beef liver, which has a strong metallic taste. But chicken livers are mild and do not need to be soaked before cooking.
No. As mentioned above, these livers have a mild taste, so I don't feel that they require any special preparation except for trimming visible fat and sinew and any green areas.
Not for this recipe. I simply season the livers and sautee them in olive oil.
(1) Don't overcook it. When overcooked, it becomes dry and bitter.
(2) Cook it in plenty of tasty fat such as olive oil, butter, or ghee.
(3) Top it with caramelized onions.
(4) Consider turning it into chopped liver or liver pate.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Since they are still pink in the middle after I cook them, I don't like to keep them for longer than a day. I either reheat them covered in the microwave or mash them cold with softened butter to make a chicken liver pate. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers. Their flavor and texture will be off after freezing and thawing.
Serving Suggestions
Aside from topping them with onions, I like to serve these livers with a vegetable side to add color to the plate. So, I often serve them with steamed broccoli (as shown in the photo below), roasted asparagus, or roasted Brussels sprouts.
In the photo below, I had some veggies that I roasted on a sheet pan the day before (roasted mushrooms, roasted peppers, and roasted zucchini). I reheated them and served them with the livers.
Recipe Card
Sauteed Chicken Livers
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - divided; or ½ teaspoon (divided) of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- 1 pound fresh chicken livers
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and slice the onion. Separate the slices into rings.
- Pat the livers dry with paper towels, cut them in half, then trim and discard any visible fat or green parts. Wash your hands well after handling the raw livers.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and sprinkle them with half the kosher salt. Saute the onions, stirring often, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the onions to a plate and cover them to keep them warm, or place them in the oven on the "keep warm" setting.
- Add the cleaned livers to the same skillet. Sprinkle them with the remaining kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Cook the livers over medium heat until browned but slightly pink in the middle, about 3 minutes per side. (See notes).
- Divide the cooked livers between plates, top them with the onions, and serve.
Notes
- If added to a too-hot pan, the livers will splatter and even burst. So make sure to use medium heat and don't wait too long before adding them to the pan.
- There's no need to rinse the livers, soak them, or coat them in flour.
- The USDA recommends cooking poultry internal organs to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- You can add more spices if you wish, such as ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of paprika, and ¼ teaspoon of cumin.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Since they are still pink in the middle after I cook them, I don't like to keep them for longer than a day. I either reheat them covered in the microwave or mash them cold with softened butter to make a pâté.
- I don't recommend freezing the leftovers. Their flavor and texture will be off after freezing and thawing.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Bill Gibson, II says
I have an electric wok which makes it easy to stir fry chicken livers & onions. I add a little garlic powder, and S&P. The two sides that I currently like with my fried livers are: Stir Fried Green Beans and an Asian Cucumber Salad. I add some onions to my green beans in Toasted Sesame Oil, and then garlic powder, some powdered ginger and a little sweetener. I'm a Type 2, so I don't add sugar. The Asian Cucumber Salad is simple to make and the vinegar & sweetener help cut the "heaviness" of the livers & green beans. Seedless cucumber diced, Toasted Sesame Oil, Spicy Chili Crisp, Soy Sauce, Red Wine Vinegar and some sweetener.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Your meals sound delicious, Bill! Thanks for sharing.
Edith says
Absolutely love chicken livers. I did mine a little differently. I coated them in seasoned flour, sauteed them in butter and onions, and then put a little white wine in it which made a little bit of a sauce. After it cooked, I spooned it on rice. Yum
Vered DeLeeuw says
Sounds great, Edith! Thank you for sharing your delicious tweaks.
aviv says
thanks for the simple recipe
instead of sautéing the onions and then the liver i just added the liver 2m after the onions and made sure the onions are on top of the liver.
one less dish to wash
Elinor Markgraf says
I think you are swell.
Also, in my area it's near impossible to get various organ meats. Lamb hearts and pork liver used to be (45 years ago -- guess that verifies that I'm OLD) a regular treat at our table. Back then it was common to see whole pig heads (yep. entire heads) at our local Safeway. Then one day came and they were absolutely unattainable. My butcher gal could get them for me if she made a special order, but then even special orders weren't special enough. If you have the opportunity I highly recommend them. Pork liver is especially mild, and braised lamb hearts have an elegant flavor of their own. Thanks for the good food!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thank YOU, Elinor, for the recommendations!
Bill Gibson, II says
I'm in the Southeast, and there is a company, Sanderson Farms, who's HQ is in Texas (I think.) They have poultry farms and processing plants in several states. I like both their chicken gizzards and livers. I grew up trying different seafood delicacies, and also the odd meats & greens that my parents & grandparents who had lived on a farm, during the Great Depression, had learned to enjoy. Souse or "pigs feet" were delicious. But, now that I am older, I've had to cut out the "feet" because of all of the fat & grease.
william says
Good stuff!!add a littitle bell pepper. Sauté it all together at the end and then kill the fire and leave covered for about ten minutes . Then, ooh lah lah!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, William! Thank you for sharing your delicious tweaks.
Edie says
Perfect recipe. I ate 3/4 of a pound all by myself. Will have the rest tomorrow schmeared on keto bread - yummm.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad you liked this recipe, Edie. 🙂
ChickenLiverLover says
Thank you. I love chicken liver, and that is exactly how I cook it.
I do wash them, though. They come in a container mixed with plenty of blood.
Have you ever tried lamb or goat liver, especially a young lamb? It's awesome!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I never tried those, but now I'm intrigued!
Michelle Ava says
just like my grandma used to make, only with
schmaltz instead of evoo!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Michelle! Thank you for the comment.
Martin says
Agree, a delicatessen also made by my mum when i was small. Just cooked them today. I use butter and coat them in flour. Also add a bit of sweet powder paprika. I think fresh cut flat persil leaves at the end would also enhance the flavours (will try to add next time). Finally, maybe a splash of dry white wine too. On the serving tip: just with good white bread or baguette that is soaked in the buttery sauce that remained in the pan after the livers are cooked (sautéd).
Vered DeLeeuw says
Sounds delightful, Martin! Thanks for sharing.
Elaine says
I have always loved chicken livers and onions. Like Jay, I sometimes add bacon, but my favorite is livers and onions cooked according to your recipe with a splash of cream sherry!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wow, that splash of cream sherry sounds amazing, Elaine!