Sautéed Chicken Livers with Golden Onions

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Sautéed in olive oil and topped with onions, chicken livers are a delicacy. Their mild flavor makes them a great choice for anyone trying offal for the first time.

Sautéed chicken livers are topped with onions and served on a white plate with a red napkin.

If you grew up eating chicken livers like I did, with both my grandmothers cooking them often, you know that as long as they're not overcooked, they're delicious. In this easy recipe, the livers are topped with sautéed onions, whose sweetness greatly elevates the dish.

Ingredients and Variations

The ingredients needed to saute chicken livers.

See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.

Onion: I typically use a yellow onion, but white or sweet onions work too.
Fresh chicken livers: They are milder in taste than beef liver. I usually buy them at Whole Foods.
Olive oil: I use it to cook the onions and livers. You can substitute butter or ghee for the oil.
To season: I usually use 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!

Chicken livers are seasoned with garlic powder and paprika.

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 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 used to cook 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
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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. However, the USDA recommends cooking poultry's 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 the livers topped with leftover caramelized onions.

Chicken livers are topped with caramelized onions.

Recipe FAQs

Should I soak the livers in milk before cooking?

That's unnecessary. It might be a good idea with beef liver, which has a strong metallic taste, but chicken livers are mild and do not require soaking.

Should I rinse the livers?

No. These livers have a mild taste, so they don't require any special preparation other than trimming visible fat, sinew, and any green areas.

Should I coat the livers in flour?

Not for this recipe. I simply season the livers and cook them in olive oil.

Can I skip the onions?

Please don't. The onions are wonderfully flavorful and greatly enhance the livers. I would go so far as to say that if you don't have onions on hand, it's best not to make this dish at all.

Serving Suggestions

Aside from topping them with onions, I like to serve the 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.

Chicken livers are served with steamed broccoli.

In the photo below, I had some veggies 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.

Chicken livers are served with roasted vegetables.

Storing and Using the Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Since they are still pink in the middle, I don't like to keep them for longer than a day. I reheat them in the microwave, covered, or mash them cold with softened butter to make a quick chicken liver pâté.

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 thawing.

Chicken livers are served with tomato salad.

Recipe Card

5 from 66 votes

Sautéed Chicken Livers with Onions

Tender chicken livers are quickly sautéed in olive oil and topped with sweet, caramelized onions. This simple recipe highlights their rich flavor while keeping them perfectly tender.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 212kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

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Video

Ingredients

▢ 1 large onion
▢ 1 pound fresh chicken livers
▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
▢ 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - divided; or ½ teaspoon (divided) of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Peel and slice the onion. Separate the slices into rings.
1 large onion
Pat the livers dry with paper towels, cut them in half, and trim and discard any visible fat or green parts. Wash your hands well after handling the raw livers.
1 pound fresh chicken 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. Sauté the onions, stirring often, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Remove the onions to a plate and cover 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.
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Cook the livers over medium heat until browned but slightly pink in the middle, about 3 minutes per side. (See the Notes section below.)
Divide the cooked livers between plates, top them with the onions, and serve.

Notes

Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
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 in milk, or coat them in flour.
The USDA recommends cooking poultry's 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 reheat them in the microwave, covered, or mash them cold with softened butter to make a quick pâté.
I don't recommend freezing the leftovers. Their flavor and texture will be off after thawing.

Nutrition per Serving

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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.

Sautéed Chicken Livers

Ingredients and Variations

Instructions

Recipe Tips

Recipe FAQs

Serving Suggestions

Storing and Using the Leftovers

Recipe Card