Name: Peri Peri Chicken Livers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb chicken livers (Note 1); 1 onion (about 120 g/ 4 oz); 3 garlic cloves; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; ½ teaspoon smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon red chili flakes (more or less to taste); ½ teaspoon ground cumin; ½ teaspoon ground coriander; ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 bay leaf; ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt (more to adjust the taste); 120 ml white wine (½ cup); 1 tablespoon tomato paste

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Spicy peri peri chicken livers smothered with onions, garlic, white wine, and lots of spices. A quick, budget, delicious meal!

silver plattter with spicy chicken livers cooked nando style.

If you’ve never tried chicken livers, this is the recipe to start with! You will love it! Creamy and spicy peri peri chicken livers, ultimate comfort food, cheap, nutritious, and ready in about 30 minutes.

I grew up eating chicken livers; my grandma used to refer to them as “children’s food” because all kids seemed to love them. We often had them fried in the pan, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and served with white bread – a simple, quick, budget meal for the family. Today’s recipe is an upgrade to that simple meal, not only the plain liver but also lots of spices. As much as I love my grandma’s original, I love these spicy livers even more.

And if you like liver, you could also try the Turkey Liver or the Romanian Deviled Eggs. Or learn How to Cook Veal Liver or Liver with Onions.

collage of two pictures of cooked offal on a platter and close up.

What do you need?

Chicken livers
Onions and garlic
Spices: sweet and smoked paprika, red chili flakes, cumin, coriander, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, salt.
White wine
Tomato paste
Butter and oil

tomato paste, butter, garlic, onions, oil, spices, wine, chicken livers in bowls.

How to cook peri peri livers?

Dry the offal with kitchen paper. Halve them. If some of them are very large, cut them into three pieces. Set them aside.
Cook finely chopped onions and garlic in butter for about 7 minutes until soft. (1)
Add oil and spices to the pan, and stir gently for about 1 minute. (2)
Add offal to the pan, and cook for 1 minute. Flip and cook for another minute. (3)
Shove them all on one side of the pan. (4)
Add the tomato paste to the empty side of the pan, pour the wine over it and stir gently to dissolve the paste.
Stir to coat the chicken parts with the tomato and wine mixture. (5)
Cook on low heat for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through but not overcook.
Check; they should be tender and slightly pink but not bloody or red. The internal temperature should be 73 degrees Celsius/ 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a meat thermometer (Amazon affiliate link).
Check the seasoning as well, and add more salt if needed. (6)

collage of six pictures of frying onions, adding spices, frying livers and finished dish.

Tips

The most important tip is not to overcook the livers. If you do, they will become tough and rubbery, and might just as well toss them in the trash. However, they should not be served raw either, as they might cause a Campylobacter infection.

Follow a few rules to ensure safe cooking:

Use a large pan or cook the offal in batches.
Cook for at least 5 minutes until they are no longer bloody. However, the color is not a reliable indicator of properly cooked liver. They might still look pinkish when they are safe to eat, and if you cook them until they are entirely pale-brown inside, then you’ve overcooked them.
The best way to check is with a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be 73 degrees Celsius/ 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

close up spicy livers sprinkled with chili and parsley.

How to serve?

These peri peri chicken livers are inspired by a Nando restaurant dish. So that is why I love to serve them with Nando’s Spicy Rice; the combination is perfect. For more Nando-style recipes, try the Nando’s Butterfly Chicken, Peri Peri Seasoning, Peri Peri Dip, or the Peri Peri Chicken Thighs.

Otherwise, you can serve them with any other kind of rice you like, from plain white rice to Carrot Rice, Barbecue Rice, or whatever. Bread, mashed, or roasted potatoes are great as well. And don’t forget a crisp, fresh salad or Coleslaw.

chicken livers with spices on a small platter.

What to do with leftovers?

The dish is best served immediately, but leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Then, reheat them gently, on low heat, covered, adding a splash of water. However, reheating them will make them a little dry, especially around the edges. You can also eat the liver cold, either sliced on bread or in a salad.

Freeze the leftovers for up to 2-3 months. Then, thaw them in the refrigerator and reheat (adding some water) before serving.

More spicy recipes:

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