Chicken Liver and Onions - This rich onion and garlic-flavored sautéed chicken liver recipe is a must try. Livers are cooked with caramelized onion and garlic in a white wine and cream sauce, all under 30 minutes!
I’m sharing with you the best chicken liver and onions recipe that I grew up with. Well, this and the chicken livers with bacon, onions, and mushrooms which I love just as much!
I know some people hear the word liver and onions and immediately turn down the idea, but let me tell you, those people are missing out.
Cooking chicken liver may surprise you, especially if you’ve never tried organ meats. They’re tender, soft, incredibly delicious, and nutrient dense. We cook them in a skillet with caramelized onions in a rich creamy white wine sauce, and the entire dish is ready in under 30 minutes!
A quick main dish to serve with my favorite cheesy scalloped potatoes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Mild and tender. Chicken liver is a great organ meat (or offal) to start with if you’ve never tried it before. It’s milder than other kinds and doesn’t leave a metallic taste that some people describe after eating organs from beef.
- Super healthy. Loaded with nutrients and antioxidants like zinc, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, & more.
- Ready in under 30 minutes. This is a great recipe to keep on hand when you want something quick, easy, and made with a few simple ingredients.
Cooking Tips
- Swap the oil with butter for a delicious buttery flavor.
- For a crispier outside, coat the chicken liver in flour before sautéing.
- Cut the livers to approximately the same size. Cut larger chunks in half, if necessary. This will help with even cooking time.
- If you notice any green parts on your chicken liver, remove them. They’re not bad to eat; they’re just bitter.
- As with other parts of the chicken, it is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Ingredients
Fresh parsley: For garnish.
Chicken livers: Remove the white connective tissue and slice the chicken livers in half.
Olive oil: Use a good quality olive oil to sauté the aromatics and cook the livers.
Onion and garlic: Once these cook down, they caramelize and add a ton of flavor.
White wine: Use any dry white wine that you keep on your wine rack. No need to buy anything expensive. A pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, or riesling will all work.
Heavy whipping cream: Gives the sauce its creaminess.
Seasoning: You’ll need dried thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper.
How to Cook Chicken Liver
Step 1: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for about 5 minutes until golden and cooked down and soft. Then, add the garlic to cook for another minute.
Step 2: To the same skillet, add the chicken liver and cook for 5-7 minutes until each piece is cooked through. You’ll know they’re done when they are a light pink color on the inside.
Step 3: Pour in the wine and heavy whipping cream and sprinkle in the seasoning. Use a wooden spoon to stir and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring it to a gentle boil.
Step 4: Turn off the heat and garnish with some freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy with your favorite sides!
What to Serve with this Chicken Liver Recipe
We love it with a side of these cheesy scalloped potatoes. It’s also great with quick and easy Instant Pot mashed potatoes or cheesy mashed potatoes with caramelized onions, and then a carrot salad on the side.
Recipe FAQs
Actually yes! As long as it is cooked to 165 F, it is safe to eat. It will still be pink in the middle, and that’s when it’s the most tender. If you overcook it, it’ll become tough and dry.
Some people do this because a lot of organ meat has a metallic aftertaste. Chicken livers don’t really have this as much, so I don’t take this step, but if you prefer to, go right ahead.
It is! However, the recommended amount is to have it no more than once a week. It is possible to have too much vitamin A, which can be toxic.
More Easy Chicken Recipes:
- Oven Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- Easy Stew Chicken Recipe with Zucchini
- Juicy Chicken Thighs Spanish Rice Recipe
- Chicken Liver Cake
- Chicken Liver Recipe with Bacon & Mushroom Sauce
When YOU make this Chicken Liver Recipe tag us on Instagram @MunchkinTimeBlog we would love to see YOUR creation!
If you tried this chicken liver and onions recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a * star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Thank YOU for YOUR Comment, Share & Recipe Review!
📖 Recipe
The Best Sauteed Chicken Livers Recipe in White Wine Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-2 lb chicken livers sliced in half & white stuff removed
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup white whine
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon dry thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
How to Sauté Chicken Liver:
- Using a skillet over medium/high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, add onion and cook until golden color about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, cook for 1 minute.
- Into the skillet add chicken liver, cook on medium/ high heat for 5-7 minutes or until chicken is cooked thru and has light pink color inside.
- Pour in ¼ cup of white wine and ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of thyme, ½ teaspoon of paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and bring it to a gently boil.
- Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped parsley. Enjoy with Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.
Notes
Nutrition
Thank YOU for YOUR Comment, Share & Recipe Review!
Quote of the Day
Happy Cooking!
KyLynn Slayton
The sauce was very good, but, apparently, I am not a chicken liver fan. I remember my mother making chicken livers when I was a child. She would dredge them in flour and fry with TONS of butter. I tolerated it and LOVE the little crispy pieces in the pan. I would pick those out of the pan and eat them until they were gone. 😁 As an adult, I think I've lost my taste for liver. For anyone who loves chicken livers, I am sure they will love this recipe.
Quick and easy. Happy I tried it.
Love Keil
Thank you so much for giving it a try KyLynn — even if chicken livers aren't quite your thing anymore! 😊 I love that it brought back those childhood memories (those crispy pan bits sound amazing, by the way 🙌). Totally get that tastes change over time, and I really appreciate your kind words and open-mindedness. So glad you found it quick and easy—and who knows, maybe the next recipe will be more your flavor! 💛
Linda Lorenzo
Just what I was looking for. I had done a breading and fried in my air fryer before and did not like. This perfect, so easy and delicious. Loved the gravy, will double it next time as you can't have too much gravy!
Munchkin Time
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback, Linda! I'm thrilled to hear that you found the recipe to be just what you were looking for. And I totally agree—more gravy is always a good idea. Can't wait to hear how it turns out when you double it next time! Happy cooking! 🍽️✨
Ian Nimmo
This recipe was fantastic, the best liver I've ever cooked. Balanced, scrumptious and just so yummy.
I just want to put it out there for you and your readers, though. Heating oil, cream or any fatty food like this in a Teflon pan (as pictured) is how you get those PFAS "forever chemicals" into your body, where they tend to stay and mess up your hormones and all kinds of stuff. Non-stick teflon-like cookware is not food safe, really, for anything - please look it up. Cast iron, enamel, stainless, pretty much anything is better for you.
Munchkin Time
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Ian! I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe—liver can be such a delicious and nutritious choice. I appreciate your concern about cookware safety and the PFAS issue; it's definitely important for everyone to be aware of. You're right—there are so many great alternatives like cast iron and stainless steel that can keep our meals both tasty and healthier (we already switched to everything stainless steel and cast iron). Thanks for bringing this to light, and happy cooking!
Christian A Frederich
I read the receipt for this and decided to give this a try. Interestingly, I had just written a reply concerning nonstick vs stainless Pam's, and pointed out that I cook on copperware I inherited from great-grandmama and my grandmama, copperware which is now some 120 yrs old and still going strong. I do not worry about chemicals, corrosion, verdigris, or other toxicities, simple cleanliness takes care of that.
Science has brought us forward indeed, but not all for our benefit.
I'll report back after supper on the outcome. 😊
Love Keil
Wow, that’s amazing, you’re cooking with such beautiful history! How special to have copperware passed down through generations, and still going strong after all these years. I love your perspective on keeping things simple and well cared for. Can’t wait to hear how the recipe turns out after supper! 😊