Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

a childhood favorite

Reviewed by Arturs Arnicans
Prep Time: 15m
Cook Time: 1h 2m
Total Time: 1h 17m
Servings: 14
Difficulty: Easy
4.9 (30 Reviews)
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Ingredients

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Nutritional Information

190
Calories
15g
Fat
244mg
Cholesterol
223mg
Sodium
2g
Carbohydrates
10g
Protein
Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

Recipe Description

Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver has to be one of the most delicious recipes of all time! Whenever I make it, I’m transported to my childhood kitchen. A few things to mention if you are thinking of making this recipe. Schmaltz is rendered fat which is used in Jewish cuisine for frying. Gribenes are crisp pieces of chicken skin which are the byproduct of rendering the fat to produce schmaltz. If I have time, I like to prepare my own schmaltz and gribenes ahead of time, but if I’m under pressure for time, I buy these ingredients from my local kosher market.

Caramelized onions give Jewish chopped liver its trademark savory-sweetness. Make sure you follow the recipe steps to ensure you have deep caramelized onions. Don’t rush the caramelization process. Give it the time it deserves. After all, good things are worth waiting for, right?

To make Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver, you will need the following ingredients:

Ingredients for Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

Recipe Features

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Steps to make

  1. 1

    Prepare the livers

    3 min
    Step 1 - Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

    Cut away any tough pieces of liver, stringy tendons or discolored pieces of meat.

  2. 2

    Sauté ½ the livers

    6 min
    Step 2 - Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

    Melt 2 tablespoons of schmaltz in a large cast iron pan or skillet over medium heat. Sauté half of the chicken livers in the skillet for 3 minutes on each side. Season generously with salt and pepper halfway through the cooking process.

  3. 3

    Place cooked liver in a bowl

    1 min
    Step 3 - Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

    Once the livers are brown on the outside and firm to touch, place them in a mixing bowl along with the leftover schmaltz from the pan.

  4. 4

    Cook the remaining livers

    6 min
    Step 4 - Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

    Add another 2 tablespoons of schmaltz to the skillet and repeat the process with the remaining livers

  5. 5

    Add the onion to the skillet

    10 min
    Step 5 - Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

    Add 2 large sliced onions to the schmaltz juices in the skillet. Cover and cook the onion undisturbed over medium heat for 10 minutes.

  6. 6

    Caramelize the onions

    40 min
    Step 6 - Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

    Reduce the heat to low. Remove the lid from the skillet. Stir the onions, and continue to cook them for 30-40 minutes more to caramelize the onions.

  7. 7

    Add onions to livers

    1 min
    Step 7 - Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

    Transfer the caramelized onions to the livers in the mixing bowl. Add 4 of the diced hard boiled eggs and ½ cup of gribenes (if using). Season generously with salt and pepper.

  8. 8

    Chop the liver

    10 min
    Step 8 - Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

    Mince the liver mixture with a knife until it resembles a rough pâté.

  9. 9

    Season

    1 min
    Step 9 - Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

    Taste the liver once it is chopped. Adjust the seasoning by adding salt or pepper to taste.

  10. 10

    Chill

    Step 10 - Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

    Chill the liver in the refrigerator until serving.

  11. 11

    Serve

    Step 11 - Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver

    Garnish with the remaining hard boiled egg and freshly chopped parsley. Serve with crackers, matzo, or on rye.

Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken Liver is one of my favorite childhood dishes! Everytime I make it, I’m transported to our cosy kitchen where I grew up. Try it out soon and don’t forget to come back here afterwards and leave a comment to tell me what you think!

About the author

Jelena Mardere

Jelena is an interior designer and young mom! As a busy working mom, her time is precious so she’s always looking for a quick and efficient way to get things done. Jelena is very creative, but has a strong practical side. She loves trying new things and travels a lot, especially around Europe. The kitchen is Jelena’s safe space, where she can let her creative side out and dedicate herself to her favorite hobby - cooking!

Recipe Reviews

Have you made this recipe? Share your experience and help other cooks!

★★★★★
★★★★★
4.9 out of 5 (30 reviews)
Cathy
January 12, 2025
Verified

Great recipe, reminds me of my grandmother cooking.

Sarah Johnson
December 2, 2024
Verified

Simply divine flavors!

Zach
November 6, 2024
Verified

Amazing! Every bite reminded me of my grandma's kitchen, especially with the rich flavor from the schmaltz! My kids couldn’t get enough. We’ll be making this again soon!

Brad
September 20, 2024
Verified

Yum! This takes me back to grandma's kitchen every time! Absolutely love it!

Pam
August 13, 2024
Verified

Amazing dish from my childhood

Diane Goldstein
July 20, 2024
Verified

Making this chopped liver brought back such warm memories of my grandmother's kitchen. The caramelized onions are key! It’s easy to make and simply divine, just like I remember from my childhood.

Benji
March 25, 2024
Verified

Made this chopped liver last week, it reminded me of my grandma's kitchen. So good

Vicky
January 14, 2024
Verified

Yummy, nostalgic flavors!

Xavier
November 8, 2023
Verified

Increíble! Me recuerda a las comidas de mi abuelita. El sabor me llevó directo a mi infancia, y la simplicidad de la receta es genial. ¡No hay nada mejor que esto!

Cathy
October 15, 2023
Verified

Amazing! I made this recipe for a family gathering and it took me right back to my grandmother's kitchen. The schmaltz and gribenes are a must. Worth every moment waiting for the onions to caramelize!

Nina
October 14, 2023
Verified

This chopped chicken liver recipe is lit! Brings back memories of my grandma's kitchen. I love taking my time on them onions for that sweet flavor. Sometimes I cheat and buy schmaltz, but it's all good. Tastes just like home.

Ike
October 1, 2023
Verified

Simply delicious meal.

Catherine Brewster
August 16, 2023
Verified

OMG, this Chopped Chicken Liver rocks! Brings back fam dinners. Made it for a party, and everyone went wild! Just perfect with homemade schmaltz. Totally a win! 😍

Zee
July 7, 2023
Verified

Superb flavor blend.

Xena
April 23, 2023
Verified

Scrumptious! I’ve made this chopped chicken liver for my family gathering, and everyone loved it. My grandma would always make it on special ocassions, and this recipe brought back those warm memories. The caramelized onions were perfection, really took me back to my childhood kitchen. Will be making it again soon!

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