Quickly cooked in olive oil and topped with onions, sautéed chicken livers are a surprising delicacy. They have a mild flavor compared to other internal organs, so 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 sautéed livers are topped with onions. The sweetness of the onions greatly elevates this dish, so I highly recommend using them.
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Onion: I like to top the livers with sautéed 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 soft texture, and don't have the metallic taste typical of beef liver. I usually buy them at Whole Foods.
- Olive oil: I use it to cook the onions and liver. You can substitute butter or ghee for the oil.
- To season: 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. It was delicious!
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Sauté 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 in which you cooked the onions. 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.
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
Read more comments
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 sautéed 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. However, chicken livers are mild and do not require soaking before cooking.
No. These livers have a mild taste, so they don't require any special preparation except for trimming visible fat, sinew, and any green areas.
Not for this recipe. I simply season the livers and cook 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.
Yes. You can keep them 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 reheat them covered in the microwave or mash them cold with softened butter to make a quick chicken liver pate.
The photo below shows the reheated leftovers served with tomato salad. It was a quick, delicious meal! 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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Disclaimers
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.
Monica says
I grew up eating liver too and it’s my favorite food. My grandma always told me that she grew up eating it because organ meat was cheap and she was one of eight kids so her family didn’t have money to buy better cuts of meat. Just a fun fact for you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thanks for sharing, Monica! Very interesting.
Will says
Not bad but the fat I keep! Gives even more flavour. And I usually cook the onions with the liver.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thanks for the feedback, Will. 🙂
Barbara says
Tasted great!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Barbara!
Becky says
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.
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Becky! I'm glad this was a success.
Pete says
I think your nutritional content might be off. I think 1 Tbsp. of olive oil contains 14g fat. Multiply that by 2 is 28g in each batch. then, the serving size of 1/4 of the batch, should be 7g fat, not 2g.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Pete,
Thanks for your comment. The nutrition info says 7 grams of fat and 2 grams of saturated fat.
Randy Medall says
Lovely woman. Beautiful name. I very much like following a low carb eating habit. Thank you. I’m making chicken liver and onions tonight.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thank you, Randy, for the compliments. I hope you enjoy your dinner!
Jay Jeffery says
Here in the UK, Liver & Bacon with Onion Gravy and Creamy Mash is very traditional, albeit dying out because of fussy eaters. I would usually use lamb's liver, but having come across your page, I thought to give chicken liver a go instead, worked well I have to say. I highly recommend dusting the livers in seasoned flour and adding plenty of butter halfway through frying. Liver & bacon: match made in heaven when done well!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Very interesting, Jay! Thank you for this comment.
J Lynn Storey says
The author referenced both her grandmothers in presenting this recipe, one or both of whom might have kept a kosher kitchen. No bacon; no dairy products (including butter) in the preparation or serving of meat. Or she herself might prefer to keep it kosher. I tend to. After all, how much richness does one meal need?
Danneece Dixon-Costa says
I have loved liver all my life. This was a great simple recipe that did not disappoint!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Danneece! Thank you for leaving a comment.
Becca says
This is the perfect way to cook them. It's one of my favorite foods, and I'll never get that prejudice against them - and so nutritious! Thanks.
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Becca!
Jada says
Great recipe! Easy to follow and nice photos. Instead of letting any leftovers go to waste, we enjoy using them in a pate (really easy to make with a food processor!). Smaller portions can be frozen for a nice treat later.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you like this recipe, Jada!