Sauteeed Chicken Livers Recipe

Prep the livers and vegetables

Rinse chicken livers under cold water briefly and pat dry with paper towels. Trim any connective tissue or greenish parts and halve or quarter larger lobes so pieces are roughly uniform (about 1-inch pieces). Thinly slice the fennel bulb from top to root into 1/8-1/4-inch slices. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Mince the garlic. Zest the lemon and reserve; cut the lemon in half.

Season livers

Place trimmed livers in a bowl and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Toss gently to coat and let sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes while you heat the pan.

Cook fennel and shallot

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter foams, add the sliced fennel and shallot with a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until fennel is softened and edges begin to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic in the last 1 minute and cook until fragrant.

Sear the livers

Push the fennel and shallot to the side of the pan or transfer briefly to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan and return to medium-high heat until foaming. Add the seasoned chicken livers in a single layer (work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding). Sear without moving for 1.5–2 minutes until the undersides are browned, flip and cook another 1–2 minutes. Livers should be browned outside but still slightly pink inside (internal temp about 160°F/71°C). Do not overcook or they become tough.

Combine and deglaze

Return the fennel and shallot to the pan with the livers. Add the white wine or 1 tablespoon chicken stock to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the sage leaves whole or torn and continue to cook for 1–2 minutes until sauce reduces slightly and sage is crisping. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper if needed.

Finish

Remove from heat. Squeeze the reserved lemon half over the livers, add lemon zest, and stir in chopped parsley if using. Let rest for 1 minute for flavors to meld.

Serve

Transfer to a warm serving plate, spoon pan juices, fennel, and crisped sage over the top. Serve immediately with crusty bread or polenta to soak up the sauce.