Sauted Chicken Livers with Onions & Mushrooms
Submitted by bdhartog
Sautéed chicken livers with onions and mushrooms in garlicky butter, dredged in pancake flour for a crisp crust. An old-school appetizer or budget dinner over rice pilaf.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minSautéed chicken livers are one of the great underrated suppers, a 15-minute pan dish that turns a cheap, iron-rich ingredient into something rich, silky, and deeply savory. This version uses an unusual trick: pancake flour for the dredge. The baking powder in the mix gives the livers a lighter, almost tempura-like crust that’s crispier than plain flour could manage.
Sweet sautéed onion and earthy mushrooms bring body, while lots of butter melted gradually around the edges creates a rich pan jus that doubles as a built-in gravy.
Serve over rice pilaf or creamy mashed potatoes for dinner, or pile onto toasted baguette for a quick pate-adjacent appetizer.
Chef Tips
- Trim the livers first, any white connective tissue or green bile-stained spots turn bitter. A couple of minutes with kitchen scissors is worth it.
- Soak the livers in milk for 20 to 30 minutes before dredging, it mellows the iron-edge flavor that puts some people off.
- Get the pan truly hot before the livers go in, they should sizzle immediately. A cold pan means steaming and grayness.
- Don’t overcook. Pull the livers when they’re still a touch pink in the center, they continue to cook from residual heat and overcooked livers turn grainy and chalky.
- Add butter around the edges as directed, adding to the center of the pan cools the hot spot and costs you crust.
Variations
- Finish with a splash of balsamic vinegar, red wine, or Madeira in the pan for a rich deglaze sauce.
- Add crisp bacon lardons at the start for smoky depth.
- Swap mushrooms for sliced apples and a splash of apple brandy for a French country twist.
- Serve over polenta or creamy grits instead of rice for a Southern take.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix pancake flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl or plastic baggie.
(Plastic bag is best.)
Coat livers in pancake mixture, coating thoroughly.
Set aside on paper plate.
Heat 2 tablespoons margarine or oil in a frying pan and sauté onions until just clear.
Remove onions and set aside.
In a clean pan, heat ¼ cup margarine on a medium to high heat.
Place livers in pan side by side one at a time.
As soon as edges start to brown turn livers over one at a time, put onions and mushrooms into pan and lower heat.
If necessary add more margarine by adding small amounts around the edge so as not cool down pan.
Saut slowly and tenderly for another 2 or 3 minutes on a medium heat or until done.
Remove from heat and serve immediately with a rice pilaf or alone as an appetizer.
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