This hearty gravy is full of flavor, requires only a few ingredients and will take you straight back to your childhood. These yummy morsels will not disappoint you.
What Are Chicken Gizzards?
You may never have heard about chicken gizzards, and if you have, you may be wondering if I am insane for telling you to eat them. Brace yourself and prepare to fall in love!
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 too. The gizzard acts as a net that catches these gravel bits. 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.
I know what you’re thinking, but trust me, when gizzards are cleaned and prepared correctly they are awesome. As a little girl growing up in Ukraine, I was delighted when my mother cooked them. They were an absolute delicacy to me.
What do Gizzards Taste and Feel Like?
Since gizzards are muscles, they are tough and chewy. The taste of chicken gizzard resembles that of dark chicken meat. If you cook gizzards at too high of a heat, they will become rubbery and impossible to eat. But, if you cook them slowly and at a low temperature, they will become rich, tender and undeniably delicious.
What Should I Serve Chicken Gizzards Gravy With?
- Mashed Potatoes – Gravy goes best with mashed potatoes. Try using these mashed potatoes with the Chicken Gizzards Gravy for a delicious combo.
- Quinoa – Want a healthier option? Try Chicken Gizzards Gravy over quinoa. This combo compliments each other well.
- Potato Gnocchi – If you’re a pasta lover, try serving Chicken Gizzards Gravy over Potato Gnocchi. This combo is especially loved by kids.
Reheating Chicken Gizzard Gravy
This gravy will thicken significantly as it cools. Serving it very warm will yield the best flavors and provide a silky, smooth texture. If you are eating it later, you can easily reheat your gravy in the microwave or on low-heat in a saucepan.
Other Ways to Cook Chicken Gizzards
While some may scoff at the thought of eating chicken gizzards, chefs across the globe use them in tons of unique ways. From fancy pates to delicious soups, these little guys are extremely versatile and underrated.
Here are some of my best cooking approaches:
- Chicken gizzards Soup – Make Chicken Gizzards Soup. We love this especially during the fall rainy season. You can always replace chicken gizzards with turkey gizzards.
- Chicken Gizzard Stew – Cook gizzards in chicken stock alongside carrots, potatoes, celery and rice. The dark meat like flavor of the gizzards will provide a heartiness much like that of a beef stew.
- Roasted Chicken Gizzards – Slice the gizzards in half; drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake them for 30 minutes at 500 ℉. If you like, throw some onions and other veggies on your baking sheet for a quick dinner.
- Fried Chicken Gizzards – Cut gizzards into small pieces, coat them with seasoned flour and deep fry them until they are fully cooked. Dip them in hot sauce if you like it spicy!
- Chicken Gizzards in a Pressure Cooker – Place chicken gizzards into the pressure cooker with a bit of water and seasoning of your choice. Add onions and bay leaves. Cook on high for 20 minutes.
Best Seasoning for Chicken Gizzards
- Salt & Pepper – I love making chicken gizzards with simple combination of seasoning. Salt and pepper bring out the natural flavor.
- Bay Leaves – I usually add a few leaves to add a nice hint of herb flavor.
- Other chicken seasonings – If you have a favorite chicken seasoning, it will also work great with chicken gizzards.
Nutrition and Benefits of Chicken Gizzards
Gizzards are full of too many essential vitamins and minerals to list. They also boast a ton of protein and are astonishingly low in calories. A 3.5-ounce serving of chicken gizzards is less than 100 calories, has almost 18 grams of protein and contains about 2 grams of fat.
Like other organ meats, gizzards also supply a great amount of iron. Add them to your diet if you suffer from an iron deficiency like anemia.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb chicken gizzards
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 large carrot
- 3 tbsp flour
- 3 cup water
- 1/2 tbsp salt adjust to taste
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients for the recipe.
- In a pot, preheat oil. Place diced onions and grated carrots to the pot and cook until the ingredients are golden brown.
- Add gizzards, season with salt and pepper. Cook until gizzards are golden. Add flour and cook for another minute.
- Pour in water and add bay leaves. Leave it to simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Serve over barley, mashes potatoes, rice or see above for other ideas.
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