Chicken Liver

Name: Chicken liver — small, soft, dark red-brown livers, sold in tubs, with a rich, earthy, mineral flavour and creamy texture when cooked gently. It is the most popular and mildest liver, and a nutrient-dense food, rich in vitamin A, B12, folate and iron. A separate page under Chicken covers it as a cut of the bird.

Description

Among organ meats, chicken liver is the easiest to eat, since it is milder and softer than beef liver, and cheap. It is the main ingredient in pâtés and parfaits, in Jewish chopped liver, in the Italian crostini toscani, and in Southern fried livers, and is quickly sautéed with onions and herbs.

As an organ meat, liver stores vitamins and minerals (and, if the animal was exposed, toxins), so it is eaten in small portions. It has long been used as a food for treating anaemia, and remains a rich source of iron and B12. The risk of Campylobacter in undercooked chicken liver means that it needs thorough cooking.

Main nutrition value

Offal is dense in nutrients, including vitamin B12, iron, zinc and other minerals and B vitamins, and much cheaper than muscle meat. Chicken liver is exceptionally rich in vitamin A, vitamin B12, folate, iron, copper and riboflavin.

How best to be consumed

Chicken liver is cooked quickly but thoroughly, in small portions.

1. Trim sinew and any green-stained parts, and soak in milk for 30 minutes, if you like a milder taste.
2. Pan-fry in butter or oil for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through, to at least 74°C, with no pink.
3. Blend into pâté, mousse or parfait, using properly cooked livers, and serve chilled.
4. Eat it in small amounts, such as one portion a week, rather than daily.
5. Pregnant women should avoid liver, and liver pâté, because of the vitamin A and the risk of Listeria.

Overconsumption could cause…

Chicken liver is nutritious, but should be eaten in moderation.

1. Excess vitamin A (retinol) from eating liver often, which can harm an unborn baby, so pregnant women are usually advised to avoid liver or eat it very rarely.
2. Food poisoning from Salmonella and Campylobacter, which are common on raw poultry, so cook it to 74°C, avoid washing raw poultry (which spreads bacteria), and keep it away from ready-to-eat food. Undercooked pâté and parfait have caused outbreaks of Campylobacter.
3. Listeria infection from cold cured or sliced meats and pâté, a particular risk in pregnancy, older age and weak immunity, so these groups should avoid them or heat them until steaming hot.
4. Dietary cholesterol, which is higher in organ meats, although current evidence suggests it affects blood cholesterol less than saturated fat does for most people.
5. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since meat and especially organ meats are high in purines.
6. Too much iron and copper for people with haemochromatosis or Wilson's disease.

GroupsChickenOrgan MeatsPoultry and game birdsHigh proteinLow sodiumRich in folateRich in ironRich in seleniumRich in vitamin ARich in vitamin B12Fresh

Related foodsChicken DrumstickChicken BreastChicken Mince / Ground ChickenChicken HeartChicken WingChicken Thigh

Wikipedia — Liver (food), used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liver_(food)