Our ancestors did not just eat the meat of animals. They also ate the organs like liver, heart, brains and even testicles! Organ meat are one of the most nutrient dense foods and can be a great addition to your diet. They’re packed with nutrients, such as vitamin B12 and folate, and they’re also an excellent source of iron and protein. Having said that, I have a confession to make! Liver is the only organ meat I can bring myself to eat and this Chicken liver recipe of my grandma that I learnt from my dad is really delicious! Try it!
I actually love the texture of chicken liver. Liver when cooked becomes slightly firm to touch on the outside but mushy on the inside and absorbs all the spices you cook with it beautifully. This recipe has all the curry flavors but the predominant flavors are that of fennel and coriander. The coconut slices (chips) not only add another textural element to this dish but the combination of liver with a piece of coconut tastes just fabulous! This dish also calls for a large amount of onions and the caramelized onions also contribute to making this dish so flavorful!
Now the AIP version will be minus a lot of the spices that are needed for this recipe however with the substitutions I suggest below, the AIP version is pretty good too. I know this because I ate that for a month when I first started on AIP!
Traditionally this liver dish is usually served as a side dish along with white rice and a lentil curry. In my new Paleo lifestyle I like to eat it with my homemade cassava tortillas or cassava rotis.
I also make tacos with them or eat it alongside a simple salad!
Since this is such an essential recipe for healing and I have been asking my clients to eat more liver, I also created a video for this recipe:
- About 1 lb (18 oz) organic Chicken livers
- 2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
- 2 medium size red onions thinly sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
- 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 2 green chillies (optional, omit for AIP)
- 8-10 fresh curry leaves, torn into pieces
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder (omit for AIP)
- 3 tsp coriander powder (omit for AIP)
- 1 tsp garam masala ( see below recipe for AIP garam masala)
- 1 tsp fennel powder (sub ¼ th cup fresh fennel fronds for AIP)
- 1 cup coconut pieces (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine (use ½ cup for AIP)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground mace
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- Take the chicken livers from the freezer and thaw at room temperature for about 3 hours (or in the refrigerator for about 6-8 hours)
- In a large wide bottomed pan, add the coconut oil and heat. Add the onions and the bay leaves. Cook on low to medium heat for about 5 minutes until the onions turn soft and pink in color.
- Now add the ginger, garlic, green chillies (if adding) and curry leaves. Stir fry for about 1 minute.
- Next add the salt, the turmeric, the chilli powder (if adding) and the coriander powder (if adding)
- Stir and cook for about 3-4 mins.
- Now add the chicken liver to this and cover and cook for about 5 mins on medium heat. Open the lid and stir carefully to mix. Then add the garam masala and the fennel powder (or fennel fronds for AIP). Add the coconut pieces too. Stir again to mix everything well. Cover and cook again for about 5 to 7 mins on low to medium heat.
- Open the lid and check if the liver pieces are cooked (no bright pink color) and then using two spoons try to break the large liver pieces into smaller pieces.
- Add the 1 tbsp more coconut oil and the fresh cilantro and stir well to incorporate. Turn heat off.
- Mix all the spices together.
Tried the Chicken liver recipe at home and boy, did we all love it! ♥️ Lip smacking indeed! Thanks for inspiring me always!
My bad, missed rating the recipe.
thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy this recipe 🙂
Hi Indira,
Tried your chicken liver recipe. Its awesome ,finger licking good. Tried this on sunday and it was a hit so, on monday i tried the same masala and added shrimps and this was also awesome. Thanks a lot for posting a great recipe.
Thanks so much Nethra! I am so happy to hear this! And what a great idea to use the same masala for shrimp too. i bet that was delicious too. thanks so much for letting me know! I appreciate your feedback!
Hi Nethra
Do you mind rating the recipe? The rating stars show up below the comment box. thanks so much!
I tried your Chicken Liver Masala recipe – Thumbs up for a very flavorful and satisfying dish. It conjured up warm memories from days gone by. I know I’ll be repeating this again, thanks Indu for sharing your recipe.
I love liver too and haven’t eaten it in ages. I remember eating calf’s liver quite a bit when growing up. Liver and onions is a popular British dish and I recall indulging when I lived in England too. Now this really looks like I’d love it, so will be bookmarking it and enjoying it pretty soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Great. yes do try it. I am sure you will love this. I haven’t eaten calf liver in ages and not sure if I will like it now!
Wow, I bet this smells and tastes amazing & it’s nutrient dense too – winning!
thanks so much! Yes this recipe is truly a win-win! Nourishing and tasty!