We are having Sauteed Chicken Gizzards today on the menu. Please do not turn your head and make that face. This recipe is really delicious, on top of all, even my kids love them.
What? Your kids eat sautƩed chicken gizzards!!!
Why, yes, yes they do! Hearts, gizzards, liver. When I was young, whole packs of gizzards were unavailable to me at least I do not remember.
You had one chicken for lunch and mostly all the chicken insides were slow-cooked in the large pot for soup, even chicken feet.
I mean that is a really rich, flavorful soup that you would ever taste, but you had only one liver and one gizzard and so on… That could not satisfy me.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE TASTY DINNER IDEAS
When I came to the US, whole packages of gizzard were like a shock to me… not that I am complaining! š I am a real foodie, and I will eat almost everything except oysters… cannot do them. I really tried!
Anyhow, the way I make Sauteed Chicken Gizzards, they are soft yet chewy, flavorful, delicious… OK! My mouth is watering already! And they are so cheap!!!
Now to tell you something funny… every time I go to buy them, the cashier, is giving me that look, or question “Do you make food for your pets?” Really?
Yes, I was insecure putting this recipe on my blog, because of the dirty looks, but I can’t hold it anymore because even though they might not be your cup of tea, it is most certainly mine!
I have been making this recipe for over 14 years, and we absolutely love it, so suck it up buttercup. You do not need to leave me nasty comments about it.
I do hope somebody in the crowd is a lover too!
If you make my Sauteed Chicken Gizzards, please share your ideas, recipes, and images with me on Instagram.
Tag me @sandraseasycooking using hashtags #sandraseasycooking
You can find my favorite skillet and pressure cooker on Amazon.
Sauteed Chicken Gizzards
Sauteed Chicken Gizzards recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1 pack Gizzards, you may use with hearts or w/o
- 1/2 Onion sliced
- 2 Garlic cloves sliced or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Bouillon powder
- Salt to taste, a few pinches
Instructions
- First, wash gizzards really well under cold water, cut them in half, and cut off any green or fatty parts, if any. Boil 1/2 pot of salted water, drop in the water gizzards and let them boil for 20 minutes, keep the lid halfway closed, and be close by because water will start to bubble.
- Boil on high for the first 5 minutes, then turn down the heat to lower temperature. It doesn't have to be simmer, just to keep boiling.
- Drop gizzards in a colander and wash under cold water, let them get air dry until ready to use.
- Slice onion, garlic and set aside. Preheat oil and drop in the carefully chicken gizzard, turn the heat to medium and saute for a few minutes, just when they start to turn brownish, crunchy color, drop in onion and garlic.
- Season with Bouillon powder (You can use herbs too) or salt to taste; Since gizzards were cooking in salted water, you do not need much, maybe few pinches. Saute until onion and garlic start to get a golden color, and gizzards are brownish.
- Add polenta to the bowl, then put in gizzards and take a tablespoon of that oil that gizzards sauteed in and drizzle on top.
- You can also serve them with rice or potatoes. Serve it over POLENTA, RICE OR ON IT'S OWN.
Notes
When you sauteing gizzards, they tend to burst from time to time, if you have fitted saute pan lid that would be the best to keep you protected! You can also make soup/stew base with gizzards just add salt to taste, onion, celery, bay leaf, andĀ carrots. After boiling, just take out gizzards forĀ sauteingĀ and drainĀ the stock into containerĀ separatingĀ it from veggies.
FOR ME IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO boil gizzards beforeĀ sauteing. They are still chewyĀ and get that softer bite. Sometimes I boil them even longer than 30 minutes.
I usually make instant polenta. That is the kind I like, so just follow the instructions on the back.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 87Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 113mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix. Nutrition information isnāt always accurate, but we try our best.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I love chicken gizzards with carmelized onions. So healthy, contains a lot of Iron. I have MS/Multiple Sclerosis and need a clean, healthy diet. Up North itās rare to even find them on the menu so Iām hoping my local grocery store sells them. In the South while on vacation years ago they even sold these at Gas Stations, much like the way you can buy Fries! I was so surprised. I prefer mine boiled 1st, then I roll them in a seasoned flour mix and sautĆ© slowly. Iāve also tasted them cooked more crispy. My next trip to the grocery store I plan to use your recipe; just dredging in flour before sautĆ©ing! Thanks so much. This recipe will bring up my iron count, add so much protein to my diet. Iām trying to eat as few Carbs as possible so I need to figure out what to eat with them other than Rice, Polenta or Potatoes.. Maybe just a Salad or a side dish of steamed Veggies! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
I am sorry to hear about your health issues and I hope it gets better. Cleaning up a diet is a step forward.
I like mine just like you as well but found it that just frying them up a bit is easier. I like them crispy. with some onions. Yes, you can definitely serve them with anything. Potatoes, maybe grits or polenta… it’s really tasty! Let me know if you decide to make them. I will make step by step instructions soon so stay tuned.
Sending positive vibes and blessings your way.
I love them deep fried and boiled and served in gravy, getting ready to try them your way except will instant pot 20 minutes first step. For lower carb impact, use a “slow carb” that releases sugar slower into the bloodstream like a sweet potato or yam, brown rice, or multi grain bread.
My brother just served gizzards at his convenience store/truck stop. They went well and he says heās now a southerner!
That’s Great!!! They are pretty delicious when cooked right.
Sandra,
Don’t know about gizzards being a Southern thing. I grew up in Pennsylvania and we called them giblets in my family but I think we got the name wrong. At any rate, my grandmother would boil gizzards and use in Thanksgiving Italian style turkey stuffing. I would eat some of them before they went into the stuffing. If i don’t eat anything else on Thanksgiving I have to have this stuffing to this day. Of course, being an Italian family we love polenta too so I look forward to trying your recipe. Question: do you trim away that connective tissue thing between the two gizzard lobes? We always do but perhaps it is unnecessary. One year, I sliced this cooked stuffing and put on a platter. My son thought it was chocolate chip cookie dough and heaped his plate with it. He was about 4 and was definitely not into stuffing. You should have seen his face! I know, I know. Never eat raw cookie dough and I am not recommending it by any means, but every year since we have a small plate of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough at the Thanksgiving table and none of us ever croaked from a small morsel of it. Happy Thanksgiving.
Hahaha, thank you so much for sharing! I can only imagine your son’s face. Anyhow, Southern or not, I grew up in Europe on them so I think they are most definitely international thing :)) To answer your question, I cut them in half because they boil and fry much better and faster, and trim or cut off only if there is any green parts on it.
It is so good with soft polenta or even grits. We love it all year round! š Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Marlene!
I know you’re post was over a year ago, but there is a difference between gizzards and giblets. Giblets include gizzards, livers, heart and the neck and tail (all the parts included with a whole chicken or turkey. Sometimes the label will read giblets included. So you are not wrong to refer to the gizzards as giblets but other parts are also included. Sorry if you’ve already received many replies but just thought I would reply.
I usually get either gizzards in one pack or it is mixed with hearts. You would usually get giblets when you get a turkey or a chicken, but I haven’t seen it sold in the pack altogether. Maybe I wasn’t looking hard enough but it would be great for a broth.
@Sandra Mihic, Publix supermarket in the freezer section. Usually in the open freezer near the turkey.
@Marlene Perrott, Same here. SW PA and we loved our gizzards, hearts, etc.
I do my gizzards after boiling and lightly broning. In garlic and onion placing itomato sauce serviving with pasta
Can this recipe be adapted to use just hearts instead of gizzards? TY!
YES!!! Watch out on the cooking time… they do cook faster than gizzards. I cook both at the same time for my family. I don’t like hearts, but they do.:)
Yummm! Thanks for the warning that they tend to pop while sauteing – they really do! Ha
I think you could use hearts. Sometimes I just cook both at the same time, depends on what I get in my gizzard pack š
I understand the “embarrassment” at questions by the cashier about my dogs, which I don’t actually have. Now I use self-service check-out; problem solved. My mother boiled them and as kids we loved them for their chewiness. Now I add onion, carrots and celery. I buy 3-4 packages at a time. The stores in northern NYS don’t sell hearts or I’d be adding them to the grocery list. I was pleasantly surprised to see your recipe and plan on trying it out soon. Thanks.
We have had fried gizzards for years. I too precook them before I fry them. I don’t know how long I boil them. I let them cook for several hours until they are tender. they are not tough. I drain them then bread them, usually with Panko type breading before frying them in a skillet.
I just ate these for dinner, and I wanted to comment before I even wash the dishes! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. I had a package of gizzards in the freezer. My husband doesn’t like organ meats, so I haven’t cooked them before now, but his work schedule is wonky, so I thought today would be the perfect time for me to indulge in a personal meal. I had never cooked gizzards before, so I looked up recipes on the Internet, and this one looked like exactly what I was searching for– and was! Delicious! (And I have enough leftovers for my lunch tomorrow!)
Wow! Fantastic… I was hesitant to post this recipe for so long but I have nothing but a great response. Thank you so much for letting me know!
I’ve had fried gizzards all my life–maybe it’s my Tennessee grandmother who started this. Always just fried the flour-coated gizzards without boiling first, cause I liked the chewiness. I have some in the refrigerator right now and plan on boiling them first this time to check it out. Years ago someone who worked at a fried chicken place in the evenings brought to the office two big tubs of gizzards and livers, and they were snapped up before 9 am!
I grew up eating gizzards and loved them. Before I was married, I had planned to make gizzards for dinner. My then boyfriend refused to eat gizzards and made that face when I talked about serving them. One evening he was planning to go to his company Christmas party, so I was planning to cook gizzards for dinner. My BF called me right before dinner because his buddy couldn’t attend the party. He wanted me to go with him. I made a deal – I’d attend the party if he’d eat gizzards. He accepted and found that he likes them as much as I do. My recipe is from James Beard’s American Cookery. After boiling, you saute and add cilantro, green onions, garlic and soy sauce, Delicious! I checked out your recipe because I haven’t cooked gizzards for such a long time (because I can’t usually find them in the grocery store) and I needed to know how long to boil them. Thanks for posting!
My husband loves them! I would say it all depends on the gizzard. Sometimes I cook them for 30 minutes and they are amazing and sometimes an hour and it feels like I could boil more :)) I think dropping them in an instant pot for like 15 minutes would do the trick for sure.
Cooked this tonight with turkey gizzards, which were a first for me. Have had chicken gizzards my whole life. The turkey ones turned out great. So big and meaty!
Thank you for posting the recipe. I’ve never sauteed them before, so this was new for me.
I also love chicken gizzards so much and just wanted to add that if you had jalapeno when you gook gizzards it is really great (if you are also into spicy food)!
I love gizzards. In fact I cooked some today. I will be trying your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. When I moved to Canada, I do get the same weird looks from the cashiers here whenever I buy a pack of gizzards. For me chicken gizzards are a comfort food as I reminds me of the taste from home. Most that I found very adverse to it just didn’t know how to cook it properly.
Although I do have to appreciate that more and more Canadian stores are carrying these now.
I am so glad to hear! I can find them in every store. Maybe because it is Tennesee and it is purely a southrn thing too, but I am glad we can find them any time of the year.
I followed the instructions but the Gizzards were still very chewy. I think the boiling needs to go a lot longer. My mother who makes them great says she boils for 2 hours.
I’ve had gizzards that were just breaded and fried and they were crunchy and terrible
Yeah? I don’t think I’ve ever had a breaded version. These are just fried on a bit of oil. They are quite tasty.
Our Eastern European family calls them ‘pipicks’ and we basically flour and pan fry them…I was just here looking for a new idea for them though bc one of our kids doesn’t like them and we have been eating them more often lately due to financial concerns (you are right they are cheap – a lot of bang for the buck). His main issue is the chewiness so I may try your recipe next time to see if the softer texture will make the difference. Thank you!
Hi, Lynn! My mother-in-law boil them for an hour then fry. They are so tender after. We don’t mind chewiness but I know it really is not everyone’s cup of tea. You can also slice them in half, boil and fry with his favorite seasoning. He might like it. Good luck, mama!
@Sandra Mihic, 2 hours in an instapot…get them real tender. Bread in seasoning and then fry. I’m a NYer, we grew up on gizzards. I googled your recipe, so you’re cooking them right. Just sharing my recipe w/ you
Thank you, Richard! I love getting real comments and feedback.
oh my! in my nation pan fried or battered and deep fried chicken gizzards are real treat š this recipe also looks delicious!
I love gizzards…..
especially the taste and texture. those who make a face….it’s their lose. Great recipe by the way
After reading through the comments I find that you and I are not the only ones who love chicken hearts and gizzards! Thank you for posting this recipe. This, together with the addition of Sudan’s suggestion of breading first, fits the bill for me. Serving it today. A word of encouragement, never be afraid to air the odd-ball recipe, there are going to be many who agree with you, after all, a good many of us eat Rocky Mountain Oysters too! It’s usually the nay-sayers and those who can’t think outside the box who have the negative comments to make while the rest of us rejoice!
Hi, some 30(!) years ago I lived in Quwait and worked aside some Girls from the Philippines. They Made fantastic little dumplings filled with gizzards. But I never thought about making them myself, mostly due to the bad reputation of chicken meat regarding the amount of heavy Metals, residues of medicine etc. Big issue here in Europe. Anyway now I know where to buy good quality and I started with liver- delicious. I would be very happy If you had a recepie for steamed dumplings with gizzards filling.
Thanks for answering Agnes
Hello there. Bought some gizzards today! Did not think I would find it here in Canada. I grew up in the southern states and just remembering certain dishes. Yeah, you cant eat squirrel or rattlesnake here lol. I will be the only one partaking on this recipe as my husband teenage son think S&P is a condiment. Cheers!
hahaha, I hear ya! I hope you liked it!
Ummmm I really bought the gizzards yesterday! I will be the only one eating them haha. Thanks for the recipe and will tell you how it worked out. Cheers.
what is a pack?
It depends where you live. Here in the States one pack is usually 1.25 lbs (567g).
I like your way of cooking gizzards gets them nice and soft
I use tomato bolognaise sauce over them
LOVE ET SOUTH AFRICA BELLVILLE
I am so nervous to make this. I have been saving chicken giblets that come in a little bag in a whole chicken for a few weeks now, so I have quite a bit frozen right now. Your recipe sounds like what I am looking for. I really don’t want to fry them. I don’t like to throw things away so have been saving them, hoping I would build up the courage enough to try a recipe like this. Hope it tastes good. It will help my low iron levels too.
It is such inexpensive food so just go for it. Boil and use a bit of oil and shallow fry. Some people like boiling for longer (an hour) and just adding a bit of salt without frying. You can even chop them after boiling and fry them like that… they are less chewy. I hope you like it! Let me know how they turned out. Thanks!!!
I usually fry them and wanted to try something different–these were really good—people think gizzards are gross but they are not and actually very good for you. Full of protein and flavor.
I’ve also experimented with sort of a stir fry—that was tasty also.
I’m a Canadian from the west coast and grew up eating chicken hearts and gizzards and still enjoy them. Packs of them are much harder to find at the regular grocery stores but I know where they are available. When the opportunity presents itself, I look forward to trying your recipe
That’s awesome! We have it here in Tennessee in most stores which was super unusual for me when I first time came from EU. I hope you enjoy this one Raven!
Our family used to add them to a pot with ketchup, brown sugar, grape jelly and crushed ginger snaps and simmer for an hour. So, so delicious.
Wow! I’ve never heard that one before. Sounds delicious!