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These peri-peri chicken livers are rich, creamy and properly spicy. They cook in a sauce of onion, red pepper, tomato paste and peri-peri, then get finished with double cream yoghurt and a splash of brandy. All they need is crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
They’re on the table in about 20 minutes. The cooking is quick, and it has to be: chicken livers go from soft and creamy to grainy and tough if you leave them in the pan too long.
This makes enough for 2 or 3 people as a starter.
What makes these peri-peri chicken livers special?
A sauce built in layers
The sauce starts with onion fried in butter and oil until it’s translucent. The heat comes down, the tomato paste gets about 15 seconds in the pan, and then the garlic and diced red pepper go in. By the time you add the livers, the pan is already full of flavour.
Peri-peri and yoghurt
Once the livers have had 2 to 3 minutes a side, the peri-peri sauce goes in, followed by the yoghurt. I used Nando’s Medium, but any peri-peri sauce you love will work.
Double cream yoghurt makes the sauce rich and smooth and takes the edge off the heat. Start with 125 ml and add up to 190 ml if you want it saucier or milder.
A splash of brandy to finish
Two tablespoons of brandy get stirred through right at the end. It adds a warm, slightly sweet note that sits really well with the spice and the tang of the yoghurt.
Tips for the best chicken livers
Clean them properly. Cut away every green patch. That’s the gall, and it’s so bitter it can spoil the whole pan. Trim off any stringy bits of connective tissue at the same time, then rinse.
Dry them well. Wet livers steam in the pan and won’t take on any colour. Pat them dry with paper towel before they go in.
Use a big enough pan. The livers should sit in a single layer so each one touches the pan. Piled up, they stew in their own juices.
Stick to medium heat. Too hot and the butter burns before the livers are cooked. Medium heat gives them colour without drying them out.
Watch the time. 2 to 3 minutes a side, then 4 to 5 minutes in the sauce. Cut one open: there should be no pink left in the middle. Take the pan off the heat as soon as they get there.
Taste before you season. Peri-peri sauce is already salty, so taste the sauce at the end before you reach for the salt.
Ingredients and substitutions
Chicken livers: Fresh livers give the best texture. If yours are frozen, thaw them in the fridge overnight and dry them very well before cooking.
Peri-peri sauce: Use your favourite. Go for a hot sauce if you like a real kick, or a mild one if you’re cooking for people who don’t.
Yoghurt: Double cream yoghurt is the best choice because it’s thick and rich. Any plain yoghurt works, but low-fat yoghurt is more likely to split in the heat. Fresh cream works too and gives you a richer, less tangy sauce.
Brandy: Leave it out if you prefer. The dish is still full of flavour without it.
How to serve peri-peri chicken livers
You need crusty bread for this. Something with a sturdy crust and an open crumb is ideal for dragging through the sauce, and a good sourdough loaf is perfect.
Spoon the livers into a warm bowl, scatter over the parsley and put the bread in the middle of the table so everyone can dig in.
Making it ahead and storing
These are best eaten straight out of the pan. To save time, clean and dry the livers and slice the onion and pepper a few hours ahead, then keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat them gently over low heat until steaming hot, without letting the sauce boil, or the yoghurt can split and the livers toughen. Skip the freezer: the yoghurt sauce tends to split when it thaws.
Mop it all up
Chicken livers are affordable, quick and packed with flavour, and this is one of the easiest ways to win someone over to them. Clean them well, cook them fast and keep the bread coming.
If you make it, tag me @blissfulbites_za on Instagram. I want to know which peri-peri sauce you used.
Peri-Peri Chicken Livers
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken livers cleaned, gall removed (see notes)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 50 g tomato paste
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 red pepper diced
- 125 ml peri-peri sauce your favourite, I used Nando’s Medium
- 125 ml double cream yoghurt or any plain yoghurt, up to 190 ml (see notes)
- 2 tbsp brandy
- parsley for garnish
- crusty bread to serve
- salt to taste
Instructions
Clean the livers
- Clean the chicken livers, making sure the gall is removed. Cut out any green pieces, then rinse the livers properly and dry them.
Cook the livers
- Slice the onion. Heat the butter and oil in a pan over medium heat, add some salt and fry the onion until translucent.
- Lower the heat, add the tomato paste and let it cook through for about 15 seconds. Add the garlic and stir together.
- Add the red pepper and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until it is a little bit soft.
- Add the chicken livers and cook for 2 to 3 minutes a side over medium heat.
- Pour in the peri-peri sauce and stir it through.
- Add the yoghurt and stir it through. Let it cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the livers are just cooked through. Don’t overcook them.
- Finish with the brandy and stir it through. Season to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- Cleaning the livers: The gall is the green part. Cut out every green piece, because it tastes very bitter, then rinse the livers and dry them well.
- Peri-peri sauce: Use your favourite. I used Nando’s Medium.
- Yoghurt: Double cream yoghurt works best, but any plain yoghurt will do. Start with 125 ml (½ cup) and add up to 190 ml (¾ cup) depending on how saucy you want it, or to tone down the spice.
- Don’t overcook: Chicken livers turn grainy and tough when overcooked. Cook them until there is no pink left in the centre, then take them off the heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I clean chicken livers?
Rinse them in cold water, then cut away any green patches (the gall, which tastes very bitter) and any stringy connective tissue. Pat them completely dry with paper towel before cooking.
How do I know when chicken livers are cooked?
Cut one open. It should be cooked through with no pink left in the middle. In this recipe, 2 to 3 minutes a side plus 4 to 5 minutes in the sauce gets them there without drying them out. Chicken livers should always be cooked through before you eat them.
Why do my chicken livers taste bitter?
Usually the gall wasn’t fully removed. Even a small green patch can make the whole dish taste bitter, so trim it all off when you clean them.
How spicy are peri-peri chicken livers?
It depends on your sauce. With Nando’s Medium they have a noticeable kick, and the yoghurt softens it. To tone it down, add more yoghurt or use a milder sauce. For more heat, use a hot sauce.
Can I make peri-peri chicken livers without brandy?
Yes, just leave it out. The brandy is stirred in at the end, so some of the alcohol stays in the dish. Skip it if you’re cooking for anyone avoiding alcohol.
How long do cooked chicken livers keep?
Up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat them gently until steaming hot without boiling. Freezing isn’t recommended because the yoghurt sauce can split.
