There are several ways to cook chicken livers, but most cooks either fry or bake them. Many people prefer to coat the chicken livers with some type of bread crumb mixture. Whether you bake or fry the liver, you may add seasonings such as garlic and onion for flavor. A nice appetizer to serve your dinner guests is chopped liver, made with seasoned cooked chicken livers. For making chicken livers on the stove top, use a good quality cast iron skillet or saute pan.
It's a good idea to remove any excess fat before you cook chicken livers. Excess fat may make the cooked chicken livers tough or chewy. After doing so, wash the livers under cool water. It's also wise to disinfect your counter and cutting board to prevent cross-contamination. Uncooked chicken livers may harbor disease-causing bacteria, so wash your hands thoroughly after handling.
After rinsing the chicken livers under running water, spray your saute pan or skillet with non-stick cooking spray, or coat the pan with vegetable oil. For a main entree, you can cook chicken livers with onion, or use bacon bits for a crispy texture. You can also serve the chicken livers with sliced bacon. If the natural color of liver does not appeal to you, the chicken livers may be coated with seasoned bread crumbs.
When you cook chicken livers in a skillet, flip them over after a few minutes for even and thorough cooking. As you cook the livers for several minutes, the pink color should disappear and the liver should turn golden brown or tan. Never serve chicken livers that are undercooked, as this may increase the risk of illness.
Another way to cook chicken livers is by boiling them in a large pot of water. The livers will need to simmer in boiling water for about 15 or 20 minutes. After that time, you should test them for tenderness. Simmering the chicken livers will generally make them very tender and suitable for preparing liver pate. Boiled chicken livers are also good for preparing chopped liver.
To make liver pate, you can chop cooked chicken livers and hard boiled egg in a food processor. Other ingredients may also be added, such as minced garlic, ground pepper, and cooked bacon. After pouring the pate into individual serving cups, you must allow it to set in the refrigerator for several hours or until firm.
