Chicken Gizzard Soup teams-up gizzards and mushrooms to create one insanely rich experience! This hearty soup will bring you back to your childhood.
Chicken Gizzard Soup is defined by the deliciously underrated chicken gizzard. I grew up eating chicken gizzards as somewhat of a delicacy, so when I came to America, I was disappointed to see that they were not as common. Nowadays, they are making their way onto the fanciest of menus in the U.S… and for good reason!
If you like the taste of dark meat, you are going to fall in love with these little morsels. Gizzards are packed with a depth of flavor that is perfect for a wintertime broth.
My family loves a good chicken gizzard. One of our other beloved recipes is the Classic Chicken Gizzards Gravy. Smother this rich sauce over white rice or mashed potatoes. Yum!
What are Chicken Gizzards?
A gizzard is a tiny muscle found in the digestive tract of chickens. When a chicken pecks at its food, it often picks up bits of gravel and debris as well. The gizzard acts as a net that catches this stuff. What’s even cooler about the gizzard is that it then uses the ingested gravel to grind up the chicken’s food before passing it onto the stomach.
You may be cringing right now, but don’t! When cleaned properly, these bad boys are dynamite. It is customary in Ukraine to use ALL PARTS of an animal. It is a show of respect, and also a way to stretch a dollar and make as much food as possible. This comes in handy when you have a lot of little mouths to feed.
How to Clean Chicken Gizzards
Some of you may purchase pre-cleaned gizzards and that’s awesome! There’s nothing wrong with less work. However, if you are working with gizzards that need to be cleaned, follow this step-by-step guide:
- Start by grabbing a sharp knife. You are going to have to cut through the gizzard and since it is a muscle, you will need a blade that’s up to the job.
- Open up your bag of gizzards. Give them a good rinse in a colander to remove any blood or debris.
- Place the gizzards on a cutting board. Be careful, these little guys can be slippery!
- Slice each individual gizzard in half lengthwise. You’ll want to make one, smooth cut through (this is where the sharp knife comes in handy). A dull knife can be dangerous to use on such a slippery muscle and can ultimately compromise the shape of your gizzard.
- Rinse the interior of each gizzard half under cool water. Use your finger to to rub against the interior flesh to find any stubborn debris. Keep gently scrubbing until the surface feels completely smooth.
- When the interior of the gizzard is completely clean, you will notice a yellow-ish membrane lining the inside. Remove this by gently pulling it away from the gizzard flesh. It should be fairly easy to remove, but you may need to cut away at it gently to aid in the process.
- Give your gizzards a final rinse and lay them out to dry on your butcher block. Pat them with a paper towel to remove any excess liquid.
How to Cook Chicken Gizzards for Soup?
Boil chicken gizzards on their own first for about 10 minutes. Pre-boiling your gizzards is going to make them oh-so-tender in your soup!
Are Eating Chicken Gizzards Good for You?
Like other organ meats, gizzards are chock full of awesome stuff for your brain and body. They boast tons of iron, are low in fat and packed with too many vitamins to list. Can you say healthy skin and hair?
Other Classic Russian Soups to Make
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken gizzards
- 2 dry white mushrooms (optional)
- 1/2 cup white rice
- 2 medium potatoes sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 large onion finely chopped
- 1 medium carrots grated
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley diced
- 2 tbsp green onions diced
- 1/2 tbsp salt to taste
- 1 tsp pepper to taste
- 2-3 bay leaves
Instructions
- In cup of boiled water place dry white mushrooms, let them soak for 20 minutes. Drain water and slice them into small pieces.
- In a small pot, boil chicken gizzards for about 10 minutes, rinse them. Add gizzards back to the cooking pot, fill it with 4 quarts of water. Season with salt, add a few bay leaves.
- Sautée your carrots, onions, with 4 tablespoons cooking oil. Sautée until vegetables are soft (7-10 minutes).Add them to the boiling gizzards.
- Add mushrooms and rice; let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Add sliced potatoes into the water and boil 10-15 minutes. Season with ground pepper, salt to taste.
- Add parsley and green onions. Remove from heat and serve.
I omitted mushrooms and potatoes ( you really don't miss them in the soup)....substituting with frozen mixed vegetables also works well....I included celery to the roux...added a couple of sprigs of rosemary and several sage leaves with the vegetables into the soup while omitting parsley at the end...the flavor was elevated to a new level..I also use pre cooked and packaged brown and wild rice (Minute Rice) for all my soups....fast and delicious...personally, chicken gizzard soup has replaced regular chicken soup....the flavor from the gizzards is very intense...
I enjoy recipes posted to momsdish...thank you.
Hi Trix, I appreciate the feedback and wonderful suggestions! I could almost smell your soup just reading about it! Yum!
Well actually any particular type of rice
Hi Rob, I recommend long-grain rice, jasmine, or basmati rice.
Um....rice?....?
Could you use fresh mushrooms instead of dried?
Hi Jessica, thank you for reaching out. Yes, you can use fresh mushrooms.
I used chicken broth in stead of water. Great recipe 😋
Hey there John, that sounds like it turned out incredibly delicious! Thank you for the feedback! Enjoy!
Can you freeze this soup?
Hey Kim, thank you for the question. Soups are generally all pretty good to be frozen. If you are planning to freeze the whole soup, I would under-cook the potatoes that way they don't become mush-y when you are re-heating the soup. I hope this helps. Enjoy!
Love this soup, sooo tasty!
Hi Dorie, I am so glad to hear it! Enjoy!
Simmering ch gizzard soup right now. KFC used to sell fried livers and gizzards on their menu many many years ago. Delicious part of the chicken so often discarded. Yummy.
Oh that is so cool, I had no idea! Yes, sadly they are frequently throw away pieces of the chicken! I hope you enjoy the soup.
One of my favorite soups for cold days
Yes, so happy to hear!
One of my favorite soups
Ina, I am so glad you share the love for this soup. 🙂